THE PASTORAL SEASON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21147, 3 October 1930, Page 4

THE PASTORAL SEASON.

AN INAUSPICIOUS OPENING. CONDITIONS IN NORTH OTAGO. BACKWARD SPRING AND POOR GROWTH. For the farmers of Otago, in common With the rest of the Dominion, the pastoral year has opened like not a few before if in the lifetime of the present generation, an unevenly compounded blend of promise and disappointment. The weather on the whole has been against them. Hopes have not been so much deferred as upset by the abnormal conditions that' have led up to an unsatisfactory spring. In no part of the province is this more exactly the case than in North Otago. Both autumn and winter were discouraging, doing nothing to, break the long period • of dry conditions that extended practically from late January, to early August. When drenching, revivifying showers were most needed they did not come, and the result has been a September in which growth has been very backward in respect to both crops and pastures. The experience of the past few months has proved to be a matter of vital importance to the man on the land, one of those all-important matters which can never be regulated by man, and must therefore be suffered with the best grace possible. The visitor to country districts at the present time cannot fail to be impressed with the gloomy outlook which farmers are facing at this season of the year. The position in North Otago after so much unsatisfactory weather is not very hopeful, although there are many comers that appear to bo making excellent headway with the new season. Most farmers, however, have learnt the futility of railing at climatic conditions. Experience has taught them that it is a problem over which they have absolutely. no control. What does appear to be causing profound concern is the exceedingly uncertain position ol produce markets. Prices, generally speaking, are, from the farmer’s point of view, all wrong, and there seems to be little prospect of any great improvement. This is" another aspect of farming which is completely beyond the influence of the man on the land, and, combined with weather troubles, may be expected to dampen his spirits to no inconsiderable extent. There is one feature of; North Otago farming, however, that glistens like a silver lining in the cloud of depression, There is ample cause for pride, in the high standard of fhe stock throughout the ■ country, especially where attention is devoted to pedigree stock breeding. Even in the ordinary ■ flocks and herds there, are unmistakable signs of a desire for something better than mere roughage. This fact, together with the general advance of scientific methods and ideas, affords unquestionable evidence of slow -but certain progress towards a better agricultural and pastoral standard. It 1 is the mark of an industrial and mechanical generation,'bred, if not born, in the cities, that they, affect to look upon farmers as a slow-witted and unprogressive race, and on agricultural labour as unskilled. But in spite of the colour that may be given to this false and perverted view by jeremiads and pessimists, the truth of the matter is that the breed of New Zealand farmers has a hallmark of its own which is second to none other in the world, and the proof of it is the fact that the worst of weather and the most one-sided discrimination of prices and conditions against them are powerless to wean them, from the good old British habit of carrying on. And, moreover, the success of efforts that are at present being made to keep in close touch with market preferences by the intelligent modification of their methods is * gratifying testimony to the high degree of skill with which their difficult and exacting business is being conducted. 1 It is difficult to estimate at this period of the year the extent of the arable farming that will bo indulged in, but it is certain that there has been no reduction in, the proportion of tillage land. In the absence, of definite information it may be conjectured that few farmers will let slip an opportunity to make the most of a branch of fanning which alone seems to offer satisfactory returns to the producer. With the price of next harvest’s wheat fixed by the sliding scale of .duties .at ss. lOd, f.0.b., growers are in an extraordinarily satisfying position, and farmers would be foolish indeed if they did not avail themselves of such price, particularly since it is doubtful whether such fruitful times will return next year. In Australia the grower has had to take as little as 2s lid, and it is certain that no amount of price filing can , keep the New Zealand price level so far above the Australian, even granting that the Commonwealth price must appreciate to some extent. Conditions during; seeding time were better than most people anticipated, and spring cereals were sown in good time. The normal rotation • of crop's militates against any great changes in the varieties of cereals sown. Wheat has the usual large foflowing, and growers appear to be tackling the problem of fertilisers in the wheat field in a much more satisfactory manner this year. The Department of Agriculture is doing much useful work in this respect through the local representative of the fields division ’ (Mr T. SeUwood), who has a great many interesting experimental and observational plots in various parts of the country, Oats are, of course, receiving a lot of attention also. .■ It may be conjectured that the general adoption of one or other of the methods of seed pickling has been the cauge of the reducing incidence of disease in cereal crops in North Otago, and the widespread use of such preventives this season may be expected to eliminate this source of loss in the coming harvest. . A crop that is making considerable headway in the North Otago, district, and one which should do exceedingly well in most parts, is lucerne. Some large areas have been laid down this year, and it is expected that this valuable foddeivcrop will come more and more into prominence in the next year or two. There appears to be u very real need for inoculation, in the district, and here again the fields division of the Department of Agriculture is doing very good work for farmers. One farmer is taking up lucerne seriously this year by sowing down no fewer than 50 acres. Lambing has been well under way in some districts for several weeks, but thqre are a good many regions still to go through this trying period. Those flock owners who have arranged for lambing to commence about the beginning of October are congratulating themselves on a postponement that gives the feed time to come away. Naturally there have been some losses of lambs as a result of unfavourable weather conditions, and many sheep owners report more or less heavy losses from antelambing troubles, but as far as can be ascertained these have for the most part been merely the seasonal losses that are always to be expected and can scarcely be avoided. The proportion of early lambs this year, lambs which can be expected to catch the pre-Christmas market lor milk-fed lambs, shows no variation. The batch was of the usual numerical strength, but it is estimated that losses this year have been considerably fewer than on one or two occasions in the past. The shortage of feed has Contributed to the season’s mortality, although for the most part good supplies of supplementary fodder have tided

farmers over a lean period. It is rather remarkable to see sheep still being,handfed at the end of September, but this is still necessary in many places,' The stranger to the district is somewhat at a loss to account for the wide difference of appearance in many virtually contiguous areas. Around Enfield and Ngapara there are some fresh green expanses of country that are showing the new season to excellent effect, but up around Tokarahi and Livingstone things appear to be very much further behind. In the Maerewhenua region the land looks to be exceptionally good heart, and yet, as the road drops down into Duntroon, there is a swift change to far less encouraging conditions. From the appearance of much of this semirough undulating land it is clear that farmers owed a great deal in the last season to the sidelings and gulches that resisted the near drought conditions. The flat country of Papakaio and the. surrounding areas present a picture of a much different colour, and in contrast with many other corners gives an impression of an excellent spring and a hint of a good season to follow. Whatever else current conditions have done for the farmer, there can be no doubt as to their effect on the position in regard to agricultural labour. Everywhere one goes one hears the same story, in respect of the management and working of farms. Where two and three men could be comfortably employed at one time, landholders have had to dispense with such services and carry on themselves with the assistance of their families. The costs of production remain the same as in the boom days, despite all fluctuations in market values, and ■ the farmer’s only means of reducing his expenses to date hat been a reduction of his wages bill. Most of them admit that their land should be supporting more people, but with things as they are at the present time it is almost imto reconcile costs and returns even with one’s entire family working the farm,,