THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21837, 27 December 1932, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By Rusticus.

1932-33 SHOW DATES ROSTER OF FIXTURES. Shows have been arranged for the 193223 season as follow: — 1933. January 14.—Blueskin. at Waitati. January 21. —Waikouaiti. January 27. —Palmerston-Waihemo. March 15.—Lake County, at Lake Hayes. March 30. —Temuka and Geraldine. 1932-33 WOOL SEASON The roster of wool sales for the 1932-33 season in New Zealand, with the allocations made to each centre, is as follows; January 6, 1933 —Wellington, 30,000. January 11—Napier, 30,000. January 16—Wanganui, 30,000. January 20 —Auckland, 30,000. January 25—Christchurch, 25,000. January 30 —Dunedin, 30,000. February 2 —lnvercargill, 30,000. February 6 —Timaru, 20,000. February 10; —Wellington, 30,000. February 14- —Napier, 25,000, February 17 —Wanganui, 30,000. February 23—Christchurch, 25,000. February 28 —Dunedin, 30,000. March 3 —lnvercargill, no limit. March 9 —Wellington, 30,000. March 13 —Napier, 25,000., March 17 —Auckland, no limit. March 23—Christchurch, no limit, March 27—Dunedin, no limit. March 29 —Timaru, no limit. April 3—Wellington, no limit. April 6 —Napier, no limit. April 10 —Wanganui, no limit. Pig Production Lagging “ Pig production in connection with dairying is lagging too far behind modern requirements to enable it to be a potent factor in reducing butter-fat costs. At present some 301 b of pork is produced for every dairy cow in New Zealand, and the return is less than id for every pound of butter-fat produced. On dairy farms where rational pig management is adopted well over 1001 b of pork for every cow is produced, and the returns, even at present prices, exceed 2d for every pound of butter-fat. New Zealand dairying is producing. less than one-third of the amount of pork that it is capable ot economically producing, and the righting of this position is of great importance in the proper organisation of New Zealand dairying.”

Reduced Meat Exports In consequence of the Commonwealth Government’s proposals to reduce exports of mutton and lamb by 10 per cent., in accordance with the agreement made with the British Government, it is estimated that there will be about 250,000 feet of surplus refrigerated space in overseas ships during November and December. On account of these restrictions the export season will probably be extended until after March, 1933, and an alteration in the sailing schedule is likely. |“ e agreement was made because of the low prices which resulted from the glut °*. meat in the English market. The rediiction in Australia will be based upon the amount exported to Great Britain for the corresponding months last year. Late Mowing

Frequently, in an endeavour to have the haymaking coincide with a period of fine weather, the mowing is carried out too late, and an inferior hay, due to the stemmy character of the material, is necessarily secured. The advantages of mowing at the leafy, early flowering stage of the bulk of the material are so great that they warrant special measures in an endeavour to save the hay in good condition. Cocking is one of these measures. Oyer a considerable portion of the Dominion it is seldom possible to save a heavy crop of hay in really good condition without cocking. There is vital practical difference between a well-hearted and raked haycock and a mere heap. The heap becomes sodden when exposed to rain, but the efficiently built cock will shed much of the rain and be wet only on the outside. Cocking is particularly serviceable in the saving i; of lucerne and of clover hay of good quality., . If a period of rainy and unsettled weather occurs immediately after an area has been mown, then, within reasonable limits, the mown material should not be handled until fine weather seems to have returned; any handling that mown material receives increases the amount of nutriment washed out by the rain.

MESSRS W. P. BRISBANE & SONS, WEERITE, VICTORIA. “Gowrie Park” Ayrshires won the Government Test against all breeds for two years in succession—winning for cows over four years, under four years, and under three years. Twenty cows averaged 5001 b butter-fat in 273 days. Mr Brisbane writes : “ I have used Sykes’s Drench on ray Champion Pedigree Herd continuously for 19 years. I have found it invaluable as a cleanser at calving time, and have much pleasure in recommending it to all Dairy Farmers and Breeders of Stud Stock.”

FARMING IN NORTH OTAGO AN EXCELLENT SEASON MEAT. WOOL, AND GRAIN PROSPECTS (By a Correspondent.) We have very nearly reached the end of another year, and I would like, to wish my fellow-farmers a merry Christmas. I hope, in doing this, that I will not annoy any of them. I know that prices arc low and times hard, but I can safely say that the farmers of North Otago are making the best of things; they believe that there is a good time coming, and are looking forward to it. The question is bow to get along in the meantime. We will manage somehow, and we are not going to be downhearted over it. We are still getting three meals a day, and there will be something seriously wrong when we fail to do that. With all the drawbacks, we are able to see some small compensations, and we are determined, in spite of all the dismal talk about depression, to look on the bright side. For instance, we have the fact that last year we had drought and depression combined; this year we have only the depression with us. So far as the season is concerned it is one of the best, if not the very best, that I remember in an experience extending over a quarter of a century in North Otago.

Items of Interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, with a view to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed. They should be addressed to "Ilusti cus,” Otago Daily Times, Dunedin.

And although the price of lamb up to 361 b is at present only 4Jd, we have to remember that thousands of lambs were sent to the freezing works last year weighing well under 30lb, while this year lambs of the same age are turning the scales at over 401 b, so that to some extent we are making up by extra weight what we are losing through the low price. Then we have the fact that the wool markets are firm, even if prices are not spectacular; it is a considerable source of satisfaction to know that prices are not slipping back. It is true that the price of butter-fat has dropped, but the abundance of feed enables us to carry more dairy, stock than wc could when prices were higher. THE WEATHER. The weather is still on its very best behaviour. The moist days of a few weeks ago were succeeded by warm, calm days, which encouraged a very rapid growth. We have had a few nor’-westerly clays, and, while these may not have been pleasant, they put feeding quality into the pastures and checked mildew in the cereal crops. ... The wheat crops arc looking particularly well. In many places they are higher than the fences and carrying long full-berried heads. A good many of them arc now in ear. Autumn-sown oats have been in ear for some time, and some crops have had the reaper in. What is wanted now is an abundance of sunshine. THE PASTURES.

In most localities in North Otago the grass has got completely out of hand, and it is no exaggeration to say that most farms could do with double the stock they are carrying, especially cattle, whose wellgroomed and sleek appearance is in marked contrast to that of last year, to keep-4lie grass from running to seed. Once grass, especially ryegrass, sends up a seed stalk, all the vitality of the plant is used to produce seed, and the formation of leaves practically; ceases. It should therefore be our aim to prevent the seeding process, and the best way is by heavy stocking, first with dairy cows, then with ewes and lambs, followed with dry stock. Any paddocks which have got completely out of hand should be closed up for a few weeks and cut for ensilage or hay. The after-growth can be used for a crop of seed or for grazing. Paddocks cut about January make firstclass feed on which to wean lambs, especially if these paddocks have been top-dressed. The great waste that occurs in every good season through farmers not making use of the abundant growth is lamentable. In different parts of the district some hay has been saved, but a lot of hay-making remains to be done. A fair percentage was saved in good order before the rain, but a lot of cut grass has been exposed to rain, and this is sure to have been depreciated in value and lose a certain amount of its feeding value. It is surprising that more farmers do not save hay. A few haystacks on a farm are an insurance against drought or a cold, wet winter, and the aftermath makes excellent feed for dairy cattle or for weaning lambs. It is not so widely known as it should be that a top-dressed paddock with a good showing of clover in it will fatten 10 to 15 sheep per acre. And when it is remembered that a good crop of hay takes more out of the soil than a 30-bushel crop of wheat, it is evident that grass paddocks intended for hay should be top-dressed. A good many of us know from experience that it pays also to top-dress paddocks that are kept solely for grazing. When it is remembered that grass three to four inches long is the best for stock, it seems to point to the value of rotational grazing and heavier stocking than we have been accustomed to. Perhaps in this way we will make up some of our Josses through the fall in prices. SHEARING.

There is probably no part of New Zealand where better quality seed can be raised than in North Otago. The old idea that good seed must come from overseas is now discarded, and we know that wo can grow as good seed as we can import; in fact, some people go as far as to say that our own seed is better than the imported. There are now quite a number of Hawke’s Bay true perennial ryegrass paddocks in the district, and they have done well this season. One paddock near Pukeuri made particularly good growth, but the rain caused it to lodge, and great difficulty will be experienced in harvesting it. THE ROOT CROPS.

Mangles and swedes are coming away well and thinning and scuffling keeps many hands employed. It is a great mistake to leave mangels too thick. On good land 12 inches to 14 inches is quite close enough; the roots require room to develop. When rape is sown it is a good idea to mix a few ounces of turnip seed with it. This assures a certain amount of feed in the- event of the rape turning blue. And a fewoats mixed in,with every bag of manure gives a tasty bite for the lambs when they are first put on after weaning. Mustard is often mixed with the rape seed, hut as this matures much more quickly than the rape it is generally in flower. before the rape is ready to feed. It is much better to leave a strip of the paddock unsown and to put the mustard seed in this two or three weeks after the sowing of the rape seed. A good area of soft turnips has been sown for feeding-

For a time there was a complete stoppage of shearing operations owing to wet weather. In cold, wet weather the ewes are much better with their wool on. Especially is this the case where machine shearing is carried on. Machine-shorn ewes turned out in a cold squall are in great danger of going off their milk, as well as of dying, if the storm continues for any length of time. It is a good plan to put newly-ahorn ewes with their lambs back into the shed at night if rough weather is experienced, and if there is no shelter plantation to put them in. It is noticeable that more trees are being planted for shelter on farms m North Otago. This is a very good thing, for in addition to the very valuable shelter which the trees provide, the “ silent sentinels ” add beauty to the landscape. It may be noted that we are geting more wool this year, so that increased quantity will make up in a small degree for the low prices, and the sheep are compng off the shears in splendid condition. It is a good plan, where blade shearing is carried on, to put a strong disinfectant in the water pots in order to guard against that dread disease—lympho. The number of sheep rejected for lympho at the freezing works every season is enormous, and it behoves every farmer to take all precautions against it. There is no easy and satisfactory way of disinfecting the combes and cutters of shearing machines. It is very important, when shearing the ewes, to see that the lambs do not get a check through being kept away from their mothers too long. The ewes are best kept in as small mobs as possible, and there should be no delay in getting the ewes back to their lambs as soon as the former are shorn. Lambs left in a hot, dusty yard during a hot day “ melt ” rapidly. It is a good plan to have a netted paddock with trees and running water for the lambs while their mothers are being shorn. PERENNIAL RYEGRASS.

off in the autumn, and weather conditions have been favourable for these. The main turnip crop usually goes in about Christmas time. Where fat-hen is troublesome the surface ground should be cultivated often and the turnip seed sown at New Year, or up to the end of January, Quite a number of paddocks have had to be resown owing to the depredations of the fly. THE CREAM FACTORIES.

The cream factories are gating record supplies. The number of suppliers has increased greatly, and the cows are milking very well. It is to be regretted that the price of butter-fat has fallen, but I suppose that what can't be cured must be endured. THE STOCK MARKETS.

The stock markets are very quiet, as they usually are when shearing is on. There are a few inquiries for lambs for delivery in February and March, but fanners are not inclined to sell at the present market values; they would rather hang on and see what the season brings 'forth and whether anything good is to come out of the Ottawa Conference deliberations. Ewes with lambs at foot are inquired for at 4s to 6s Od all counted, and a few sales have been made at these prices, showing a slight improvement on those previously ruling. The district is now able to supply the butchers with fat cattle. There are a few mobs of very fine fat cattle in different parts of the district. In some cases buyers are paying more for store cattle than they will get when these beasts are ready for the butcher in April-and May. This is done simply because the buyers have feed going to waste. They forge' what conditions might be like in three months’ time. It is better to make hay of surplus grass than to feed it to stock on an unprofitable basis. The local bacon factory has stopped taking pigs for the present, and this is making it a bit awkward for farmers with baconers to sell. There is the danger of a glut when buying is resumed. Store pigs are far too high in price. The Pukeuri Freezing Works opened for the season on December 12, and this will enable farmers to get away a good many lambs in the early part of the season. We don’t like accepting 35d to 4Jd for our lambs, but we seem to have no alternative at present. THE WOOL SALES.

Prices at the Christchurch wool sale knocked the heart out of crossbred woolgrowers, but the tone of the market seemed a little better at the Tiraaru sale. At the Dunedin sale our hopes were given small cause to revive, but at least late rates were well maintained, and the sale was characterised by a good demand. The next sale in February should be better.