THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21772, 11 October 1932, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD.

■ ’ FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By Rusticds.

1932-33 SHOW DATES

FOSTER OF FIXTURES. Shows have been arranged for the 1932 S 3 season as follow:

• 1032. Obtober 20.—Ellesmere. October :26. and 27.— Timaru. Nofgsbfci; 2.—Kelso. November 2,3, and 4.—Royal Show (Pai merston North). ~ ...., November - November A.—Rangipra. November 10 and 11.—Canterbury metro- • politan. November 15.—Waimate. November 17 and 18.—Noi*tbTDtago, at GamSni:; : - '■ November 19.—Taierl*. at Outrara. November 22 and 1 23.—Otago metropoli .. tan. at Tahuna. November 24 and 25.—Cliitha-and Matau December 3.—Tokomairiro. Farmers’ Club (Milton). December 5 and 6.—Gore. December -7-.—Central- Otago (Omakau). December 9.—Wyndham. December 13 and 14.—Southland, at Invercargill. f . December 17. —Otago Peninsula' (Portobello).

.1033. ; , January 14.—Rlueskin. at Waitati. January 20.—Waikouaiti, January 27.—Palmerstoii-Waibemo. /April County, at Fairlie.; April 17.—Stratlj*TnierL ; ■: \ -!■■■ ;vv' ; ' Th« Pastoral Outlook At the momnit the -pastoral outlook looks lesq. bright tfian might fiave >been expected in in the markets af %(ni)d seem to be good ■ grounds' (for . (this* bwf®f ’ that wool: values;■ 11-.' = pound better during (. the;-coming Season, nut the prospect-that -is comprised -Hr that fact is largely negatived by the : unsatisfactory’ tohe'bf tfieMnb market."-'!* seems only too certain that grazierir must take less for their lambs in the coming season. Market conditions are far from good, prices arbf-Ibw, and, what -is even worse, there are;:nt present no indications of any early the Dearer "and: cheaper .lamb will leave. the pastoral industry very much: in the same unenviable ('position whicH at expert* eneed last. In the .dairy, produce markets for the pastvmonth . things have been with insignificaht fluctuations in price. The real: temper of .the market has yet to be determined.;, A Welcome Rain

: The rain which commenced to fall yesterday morning will prove of immense benefit to crops and pastures. .Southland was in the grip of a dangerously, dry, zpell until warm showers came last week "and eased the anxiety .of both graziers and dairy farmers. North Otago and. Central Otago, where the present rains are most needed, probably missed the best of 'the rain, but even though the coastal regions and the southern districts of the. province were not desperately in need of> moisture the fall will do a great deal of good.

Land tor Selection.. The monthly statement and map issued by the Crown ■ Lands Department shows that there .are 20,977 acres to be opened for settlement during. October,- and in addition 5500 acres will ; be .opened in November. The’land -available is chiefly in the Gisborne* and Taranaki /districts andis described suitable fof J miXed' farming, sheep, and grazing. There is nothingwhatever offering in the Otago and Southland provincial areas this month. Popularity of Ryelands The Ryelandvsheep is coming more -into favour with sheep breeders every -day, and it is interesting to note that Mr Stirling Taylor has just, established a ;that breed at “ Aberfpyle Park,” Happy Valley, sayg the'Adelaide Chronicle. The '47 - ewes just landed from New Zealand for. this new stud are very attractive, having big square frames well set on fairly short legs with splendid hocks. They are very true to type, and, are, perhaps, equal to any other examples of the breed yet imported. ' > -i # . These ewes are in lamb to noted prize' winners in New Zealand—one recently, owned by the .Government Stud Farm.'. The Lambing Seaton ~

Mainly due to the excellent spring , weather conditions lambing is now well advanced- Very few losses have been renortedffanfethere is- 1 evidence on all sides that record-percentages will be the order for the. scaSbn. Unfortunately, the outlook for the disposal of the new season’s lambs fiflnot top gopd at tfie present time* but there'is isolace in the fact that the freezing season is six months away, and byt that time the position may have eased. It has to be remembered, however, that in addition to the lambs sent Home from New Zealand in the season just closed the supply of home-killed lambs has been extra plentiful. What .must be nearly a record lambdas far. as weight is concerned was born recently bn the property of Mr C. R. ,Shand, of , Limehills (says the Southland Times) j This lamb weighed 171 b at birth!

, Butter-fat Returns The following facts and figures concerning a 50-acre farm in the Opotiki district., on which 54 cows are milked, -will be ot interest. Intl9lM4 fiftSSlb, of butter-fat , were sent 't<£ Opotikij-factory,; but by the. 1031-32 season this Had been ihore than doubled', the;.' figures being 15,9191 b. The totals are. factory figures, but the herdtesting figures show that of the : 54 cows 43 were A class cows and averaged 3321 b of butter-fat for the season. Of these, 36 were mature cOws and averaged '3611b; 10 were two-year-old heifers, with an average of 2411 b; and eight were three-year-olds, .who averaged 2911 b. The. owner contends that a small farm and continuous testing of a herd is essential for success.* The manure, used on this farm has been super at the- rate of- 3ewt per acre. .-T;, ■

Gisborne Wool Holdings It is estimated that several thousand bales of old wool are held in Gisborne ■tores and on stations, some of the wool being three years old. With the coming clip a few station’owners will have four clips on hand. The question-of . the keeping capacity of the wool has been raised from time to timeds Gisborne brokers, however, declare that as long ,as the wool was perfectly dry at the time of baling and free from seed it should retain its lustre and should not show stain, and they see no reason why there should not be as good or almost as good a market for it ai foK flew fleece of the same description. ’Vt v. Unusual Twin* V. :

What’may he termed ‘-a singular experience with a daii'y cowl ”, was the lot of Mr F. H. Davis on .his farm at Heriot the other day. The cow, which had calved two weeks; ago. and, was being milked as Usual,.had' another calf, much to the sur-

Items of Interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursnlta, with a vie,w to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed. They should be addressed to “Rusti -eus,” Otago Daily Times, Dunedin,

prise of the owner. It has often happened that a cow would have two calves within a day or two of one another; but the-case under notice is surely a rarity, with Such a difference in the ages of the twin calves. Wheat Production A statement issued by the New South Wales Department of Agriculture estimates the production of wheat in the principal exporting, countries for the year 1932-33 all 1,620,000,000 bushels, made up as follows:—• a Bushels. Australia .. .. .. 200,000,000 Argentina 241,000,000 Canada .. . . .. .. 465,000,000 • - America. .. ... .. 714,000,000 . The total estimated exportable surplus of these countries is 1,300,000,000 bushels The department expressed the opinion that there will not be any material improvement in prices in' the immediate future, but it is probable that firmness will develop when the wheat has passed out of the farmers’ hands. The practical elimination of Russia as a selling force and the reduction of the American Farm Relief Board stocks had’'removed influences which- in recent years had been detrimental to prices, and these conditions might have some influence on future prices. Dairy Produce Sale* . , The Otamita Dairy Factory Company has sold its September-October output of cheese through Messrs Lovell and .Christmas at 6|d per lb. The same firm also purchased, for the same period and figure, the respective outputs of Freshford and Edendale factories. The Pukerau factory has sold 20 tons of its September-October output at 6Jd, f.0.b., through Dalgety and Co;, Ltd.

Dairy Produce Gradings , An increase in butter-fat production of beatJy, 20 per cent; for the two months of the'l932-33 dairying season is revealed by the grading returns for September. . The butter: graded, last month shows an increase of 21.3 per cent; over the corre- ; spondinj; month of last year, and for the two,,months of; the season an increase of 19.44 per cent.. Cheese graded last month shows a:i increase of 18.22 per cent, over the, corresponding month of last year, and an< increase for the two months of the season of 22.74 per cent.' figqrea of the'dairy division of the Dcpartnient' of Agriculture show that the Salted butter; graded for September, 1932, WaS/87fll, and the unsalted 158 tons, a • total; of 8949 tons, doifipared with 7310 tons salted and 67 tons unsalted, a total 0f..7377; [tons .for September of last year, an increase of 21.31 per cent. For the twpmoatbs ended September, 1932, the .teippectrto,quantities were 12,984 tons and 172-tons, a total of 13.156 tons compared with 10,933 and 81 tons, a total of 11,014 tons, for the corresponding period of the pree'edirg season, an increase of 19.44 per cent. : r , The cheese graded for September! 1932. comprised: White, . 2540 tons;., coloured, 1054-tons; t a total of 3594 tonheompared with : 1061 tons white and 1379 tons coloured; a total of 3040 tons for September. 1931, an increase of 18.22 per cent. The quantities fbr the two months ended September, 1932, weire:—White, 2805 tons; coloured, 1221 tons, a total of 4026 tons, compared with 1790 tons white, and, 1490 tons coloured, a total of 3280 tons, for the corresponding period of the preceding: season; an increase of 22.74 per cent.

Converting these figures into butter-fat equivalent, there is an increase of 19,836 per cent, in. butter-fat production for the two months, as compared with the corresponding; period of the 1931-32 season. Stocks field in the various grading ports at' September 80 compare as follow with those of ,a year ago:-

Dairy Produce Market Messrs Weddel and Co. (London) reporting on the dairy, produce market at October 8, advise that during the month the butter market has remained comparatively steady with no great- fluctuations for finest New Zealand, but .towards the ■end of-September the prices obtainable for first grade declined somewhat and at the, present time there is. a considerable premium for finest, owing to’ a shortage of finest butters. The arrivals during October will be light, and we expect the market to remain steady during the month, but with the heavy arrivals in November it will be doubtful whether the present levels will be maintained. ■ During the month both France and Germany increased their quotas of foreign butters; hud this hah helped to keep the market steady; Forward buyers are showing very little interest at the present time, chiefly for the reason that “ Kangaroos ” are being offered for October shipment at 94s per cwt c.i.f.e.

Cheese Position The cheese market.has remained fairly firm, and the big preminih ifoc white cheese is still being maintained.iAlthough there were a .few. buyers for earTy'jseason’s make -at as high ah ,6Jd early in the month, buyers seem to have ;withdrawn and, generally speaking,, there is hot very much confidence in the/future position of cheese. The spot stocks are still light, but buyers seem to be nervous as to now .-the;, market' will move when the heavy arrivals:, of new season’s Southern' Hemisphere cheese begin 'to reach the market.

MR E. GRIFFITHS. THE EMINENT JERSEY AUTHORITY, has been a user, of SYKES’S VETERINARY REMEDIES for fifteen years, experience/ havjng’.'.coDyinc.edhim of/ tbe wisdom of using Sykes’s Remedies to guard his dairy cattle from disease. The regular use of SYKES’S DRENCH AT CALVING TIME ensures a thorough cleansingi thus bringing thecow in healthy,’ and in good fettle to commence the,season. Sykes’s Drench, is sold everywhere at Is 6d a packet or 17s dozen. Better buy the dozen.

. PIGS ON SMALL FARM PLAN OF OPERATIONS : ROTATIONAL CROPPING ■ : A Tauwharo .fanner haft decided 1 to sell his dairy cows and to devote his holding to the raising of pigs (writes the Waikato correspondent of a northern paper). The action of the farmer lias led Mr R. Chilcott, jun., of Frankton; who is associated with his father in the raising of pigs on a large scale, to prepare a plan

of operations which he considers could be applied by any producer embarking on the pig industry on a comparatively small scale.

Mr Chilcott suggests that 20 acres of the area should be subdivided into five four-acre plots and put down in crops as follows:

Plot No, 1. —First year: Rape, maize and pumpkins. Second year: Mangels and carrots. Third year: Barley and peas. Fourth year: Western Wolths and clovers. Fifth year: Rape, maize afid pumpkins. Plot No. 2. —First year: Swedes. Second year: Barley and peas. Third year: Western Wolths and clovers. Fourth year: Rape, maize and pumpkins. Fifth year: Mangels and carrots. Plot No. 3.—First year: Barley and peas. t Second year; Rape, maize and pumpkins. Third year: Swedes. Fourth year: Mangels and carrots. Fifth year: Western Wolths and clovers. Plot No. 4.—First year: Mangels and carrots. Second year; Swedes. Third year: Rape, maize and pumpkins. Fourth year: Barley and peas. Fifth year: Swedes.

Plot No. 5. —First year: Barley and peas. Second year: Clovers and Western Wolths. Third year:. Mangels and carrots. Fourth year; Swedes. Fifth year:- Barley and peas. Alternatively the plots could be _ laid down in permanent pasture, or rotational cropping could be carried on. A, further 10 acres of grass would be required to graze breeding stock and to provide room for farrowing pens and yards. The 30 acres devoted to crops and pens would be sufficient to accommodate 40 sows. At a conservative estimate there : would be 250 tons of roots and pumpkins every year,, which would give a daily ration of 101 b per pig. Grain and meat meal would be added and there would be sufficient fodder for the sows during the winter. Molasses and water should be supplied as swill. Analysing the prospective balance sheet of a venture, Mr Chilcott details tnc expenditure as follows:—lnterest on 30 acres _ at £3O per acre at 6 per cent., £54; interest on buildings and plant costing, say, £2OO, £l2; seeds and manure at £4 per acre per annum, £80; meat meal and bran, served at the rate of ilb per day, £6O; interest on 40 sows and four boars, £l3 4s; wages for man at £1 10s per week and found, £130; a total of £349 4s. The receipts were estimated at £620, and were based on the prospect of securing two litters of 12 each from each of the 40 sows, and selling them as 80lb porkers at 4d per lb. The annual net income of the piggery would thus be £270 16a. The same 30 acres, if devoted to dairying, wag estimated to produce 2001 b of butter-fat per acre, which at Is per lb would realise £3OO gross.

NEW ZEALAND WOOL

TYPES AND QUALITIES DISCUSSED AT BRADFORD THE BUYER'S VIEWPOINT. The various. types of wool produced in the Dominion were made the subject of ah address given recently to the Bradford Textile Society by Mr H. Hull, of J; Whittingham and Sons. Hia remarks were:— The quantity of merino and halfbred grown in New Zealand (say 20 per cent, of the clip) has altered very little for some years, but the remaining 80 per cent, has been very largely changed from low deep wools of the Lincoln-Leicester type to a medium grade carding wool. This has'been brought about almost "entirely by the,, change in breed; but-before we, criticise the grower on the point of breed I think we ought to take his, view of'the matter, which is that to him it is a business proposition and that he is out primarily to make a living. We have a perfect right to tell him the class of wool we like and that which is most suitable to our requirements, but to say that he should, or should not, use a certain breed is to claim, a knowledge of things of which the grower should be the best judge, such as the suitability of the local climate, and the type of country (both of which vary very considerably in different parts of New Zealand); also, is his chief requirement carcass or wool ? and last, and most important of all, which is the best paying proposition? . THE ROMNEY, The Romney is a far hardier sheep than-the Lincoln, and produces good wool which would satisfy most critics when kept as a pure breed and well, culled, but when used as a cross appears to deteriorate far more quickly than the Lincoln or the Leiester, and, in addition, produces a. wool of a 46’s to 50’s quality of almost a hosiery type and of carding the Romney is particularly noticeable length. The deterioration of the wool of the Romney is particularly noticeable after a few crosses, and in some instances the britch wool usurps the two or three lower qualities and lies next to the finer quality, and unless extremely carefully sorted, creates the danger of getting a low hair into a'good quality. TWO TYPES EVOLVED. Two types of Romney appear to have been evolved, and unfortunately the more robust and that which is selected by the farmer- for that particular attribute has generally the .strongest hair and produces the, most hairy wool. Under these conditions there is no need to be mystified as to where the bad bred wool conies from.

The effect of climate on the sheep often determined a good or bad season, as it can have a marked effect on quality, soundness and length. EFFECT OF DROUGHT. Drought and poor food, on the contrary, make for a mushy, tender growth and pined, fineness, suitable more for Continental use. In addition, it seems to bring out more than ever the faults and hairiness,of the Romney cross far more than it used to do with the old Lincoln breed. Consequently last season, in addition t 6 the disadvantages of the change of breed th 6 bad climatic conditions in all centres made it almost impossible to find deep wools suitable for the American trade or good, deep lustre wool for the single lustre yarn requirements. U.S.A. REQUIREMENTS. It is doubtful if U.S.A. requirements could be satisfied from any other source, but undoubtedly South America has supplied the wants of the single yarn trade to the extent of at least three to one. Although this wool is eminently suitable, it unfortunately harbours far more vegetable matter than that which used to be produced in New Zealand. This is very difficult to eradicate, and as a cloth absolutely _ frfee from vegetable matter is essential for the lustre lining trade, in competition with artificial silk, it is a great pity that the New Zealand farmer does not encourage more of the Lincoln type than at present, as under present conditions the Lincoln brings almost the same price as the medium quality wool, and even if it were 3d per lb less than the other wool, the additional weight a fleece would more than compensate him for the difference in value. CLASSING ADVANTAGES. Complaints are often made about poor classing, but owing to the present low prices it is very difficult to prove to the farmer that he gets back the full cost that he entails by classing, and undoubtedly in poor wools the advantage is only slight. Where it is really advantageous is in the superior wools, which, when classed, are suitable for special purposes, and then he may make pence per lb by careful get-up. Generally speaking, however. the poorer the wool the less the advantage gained, as a really inferior wool cannot be made into a first-grade wool simply by intensive classing of skirting, aiM although there is plenty of room for complaint. T am afraid that by comparison most of our English wool is considerably worse in this respect. INDIFFERENT WOOLS. The large percentage of the New Zealand clip of medium quality and often badly-bred, mushy wools last season caused someone to remark that if things got much worse the buyers’ experience would not be required to buy New Zealand wool, and it would be only necessary to send a cable over to have so many tons shipped. I don’t think.it is quite so bad as that, but as top-dressing has increased the growing capacity, and consequently the size of the New Zealand clip, and because under present conditions there is certainly a superabundance of 4G’s-50Vof very indifferent charact"”. it anpea s that unless the "rower can be persuaded to give wool its fair consideration, and alter the breed of a reasonable proportion of his flock, he is not going to get a payable price for his wool until the user is able t 6 find a very largely increased use or an

entirely new outlet for such a bulk quality. The apparent proof of this is shown in to-day’s disparity in value between 48-50’s quality and 56’s quality.

30/9/32. 30/9/31. Increase, . ■ ' *■ • • Tons. Tons. Tons. Butter .. 5283 3919 1364 Cheese. .. 2558 3025 *467, •Decrease. . *