THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21998, 6 July 1933, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

1933-34 WOOL SEASON ROSTER OF SALES Wool sales have been arranged as follows for the 1933-34 wool-selling season m New Zealand:— Place. t Date. Auckland .. .. November 27 Napier December 1 Wellington .. .. December 7 Christchurch .. December 12 Timaru December 16 Dunedin December 20 Napier January 6 Wellington .. .. January 11 Auckland .. .. January 15 ' Wanganui .. . • January 19 Christchurch .. January 26 Invercargill .. January 31 Dunedin ... .. February 5 Timaru February 9 Wellington .. .. February 15 Napier .- February 20 Wanganui .. .. February 23 Christchurch •• March 2 Dunedin . • • • March 7 Invercargill .... March 9 .. March 19 Napier .. .. .. Msnreb Auckland .. .. M ar , c ,h 27 Christchurch .. April Dunedin .. ... April 10 Wangmui .... April 17 Napier April 20 Wellington .... April 24 The April sale dates are tentative only, subject to revision, and will £>e held'only if sufficient wool is available.

The Produce Markets

The Dominion’s overseas markets for export produce are for the most part in a better state from the sellers point ot view than they have been for some time. The opening of the wool sales in Coleman street, London, this week disclosed a firm tone and a tendency towards even better prices, winch must be very encouraging. It may be suggested that once some finality is reached with regard to the World Lconomic Conference nothing will respond more quickly than the wool market. The increased prices ruling at the London auctions are of particular interest, inasmuch as they represent a _ confirmation of the general view concerning the British market that it would show an improvement this week. Th« Lamb Market

Quotations for New Zealand lamb have advanced on the London market, and prices continue firm locally, although they have not yeL reached the phenomenal figure of 35s which has been paid for late lambs in Southland since the market picked up. The question of recent improvements in price appears to be a very thorny one with a lot of people, and there is a tendency among farmers to accuse freezing works and export buyers of manipulating the market so that when supplies were plentiful there would be a very low price. The explanation of the recent rises, however, seems to be very simple. In the first place, the British market has firmed greatly, and there has been a revival of confidence in Great Britain which must be expected to reflect itself in commodity prices. In addition, there is more confidence in Australia, and New Zealand producers are merely enjoying the reflected effect of such evidences ■of recovery as are at present ,to hand. But there is a local reason also for the increased rates ruling in the south. Large freezing organisations do not like closing down their works sooner than. they can help. The longer they can keep the works open the less must be their overhead costs. This has been the case in Canterbury, and since the northern province has been unable to supply buyers with sufficient lambs to keep the works going they have ‘had to come south for them. The operations of these northern buyers has stimulated competition to the point of pushing prices up very sharply. But, quite apart from that aspect of the matter, there is evidence of better conditions in the produce markets for which farmers will be very thankful.

Dairy Produce The dairying season is now over, but a fair percentage of the season’s output of butter and cheese has still to reach the Home market, and dairy farmers are anxiously watching market reports in the hope that their produce will advance still further in price. While there- has not been any improvement for some time, the market is holding up in a very satisfactory manner, in view of the fact that the present time represents the height of the Home farmer’s season. The range of prices for dairy produce on the Home market compared with those ruling a week ago are as follows, the mean of the price range being given:—

By Rttsticus.

Items of interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, with a view to their publication in these columns, _ be welcomed. They should be addressed to “Rusticus,” Otago Daily Times, Dunedin.

and the logical point at which to carry out grain cleaning is the final stage after drying, it would be an advantage to dispense with much of the elaboration of the mobile unit and carry out the final winnowing with a fixed machine. There is also.scope for greater efficiency in dealing wi£h longer strawed wheats which are likely to form the bulk of the English harvest for some years. It is certainly true that the combine harvester has proved its worth in this country, but, unfortunately, it is an expensive machine and very few cornland farmers have money to invest in new equipment to-day.

OFFICIAL Mr Allan Baxter, one of the young farmers who attended the recent educational course, has been appointed secretary of the Heriot branch of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union. # ''fi ‘K The West Taieri branch has nominated Messrs A. Grant and F. J. Thornton for the vacancy on the Provincial Council caused by the elevation of Mr John Miller to vice-president. This will necessitate an election. During the recent educational course, numerous requests were received for information in connection with young farmers’ clubs. Three of the lads present— Neil Wright, of Palmerston (chairman of the Palmerston Young Farmers’ Club), Allan Heron, and Edgar Ewing, of Five Forks —were able to give a fair amount of information concerning the working of the young farmers’ Clubs in their respective districts.

Mr D. Crosbie, Timaru manager of the Otago Farmers’ Union Mutual Fire Insurance Association and provincial secretary, New Zealand Farmers’ Union for South Canterbury, is responsible for the production of a most interesting booklet on farmers’ union matters. The booklet contains articles by the Prime Minister, Mr W. J. Poison, M.P. (Dominion president), Lieutenant-colonel Pow (Dominion secretary), Mr P. R- Talbot (provincial president for South Canterbury), Mrs B. E. Evans (provincial president. Women’s Division for South Canterbury), Mr R. M’Gillivray (field superintendent, Department of Agriculture), Messrs W. W.. Mulholland, G. M Kessar, A. C. Cameron, A. B. Struthers, and others. The whole of the cost of the publication has been defrayed by the advertisements obtained.

The following is an extract from a letter received from the father of one of the lads who attended the recent educational course: —“ On returning home, Jack kept ua up to a late hour giving us a resume of the proceedings, and every meal time since he has had some fresh information for us, either on hydatids, fertiliser, or chocolates, citizenship or marketing of exports. The reports in the Otago Daily Times of the proceedings were followed by your country friends with much interest, and I can assure you it has been an education to us at home as well as to the lads who were bo fortunate to get down. I would like also to mention the great value of the. friendships they have made, both in Dunedin and amongst the young farmers who are now scattered throughout Otago.” * * *

The agenda paper for the Dominion Conference has now been received, and makes interesting reading. The conference will be opened by Mr J. G. Coates (Acting Prime Minister). Several remits which have obviously emanated from Douglas credit enthusiasts are bound to provoke a keen discussion. Subjects which come up for discussion in the remits include local body taxation, telephone charges, Mortgagors’ Relief Act, tvool marketing, quotas, hospital rating. Central Reserve Bank, foot and mouth disease, Cawthron Institute, derating of farm lands, unemployment, Highways Board legislation, so that the delegates will not lack material to discuss. One remit from Auckland reads as follows: —“That it would be in the best interests of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union that no member be allowed to occupy the dual position of Dominion president and member of Parliament.”

The following is an extract from the article written by the Dominion secretary. “ Why Farmers Should Join the Union

1. The- New Zealand Farmers’ Union acts as the mouthpiece for the farming community. According to the Official Year Book there are 72,500 farmers with more than 10 acres of land. Chaos would result if each attempted to have his wrongs righted, and the result would certainly be disappointing. The present age is one of organisation, and if the farmers of the Dominion can be organised to speak with one voice in a fair, reasonable manner, no Government dare turn a deaf ear to their requests. 2. Union is strength. The stronger an organisation is, the more influence it cam wield in a country. It is worthy of note that the membership of the various Labour unions is about 100,000. 3. Membership is a cheap form of insurance. It is unquestionable that the Union, as a non-party political organisation, stands unique as a power iu the land. Its non-partisan attitude has gained for it the respect of the Government, and its opinions are so frequently acted upon, that it might almost be termed “ one of the powers behind the throne.” Every fanner, big or small, rich or poor, should feel it his duty to share in the running of a union formed for the specific purpose of safeguarding his and every other farmer’s interests. Surely the interests, and future welfare, of about 80,000 farmers are worth forming a union for, and keeping it iu a healthy, wide-awake state. During the war every fair-minded, loyal citizen spurned the “ shirker ” as one who was not doing his duty by listening to his country’s call; let no farmer be a “shirker” now when his union calls for his support.

In tlie course of his work Mr A. B. Struthers, one of the of the Farm Accounting Association, finds a much more optimistic tone permeating the countryside as the result of the recent increased prices for lambs at Burnside and the hardening tendency in the wool market. Farmers arc beginning to feel that the corner has been turned, and that wc arc at last emerging with exhausted strength and capital from the morass into, which all basic commodities have sunk. According to the London Times’ trade supplement of May, there is some real justification for this attitude:—“ Conditions will change us soon us there are more buyers than sellers and when consumption has overtaken supplies. In this respect the prospects are brighter for wool than for most commodities, as the absorption of finer wools already shows strong indication of overtaking production.’ 5

With reference to the dairying industry, dairy experts foresee in England the beginning of changes which may, amj probably will, lead to a steady but continuous prosperity. These changes, the extent of which it is yet too early to measure, are the result of the coming into operation of the Ottawa agreements, and already they show a pronounced movement away from foreign and towards British sources of supply, so far as the markets in the United Kingdom are concerned. With reference to the beef, mutton, and lamb industry, an interesting development is that the Ottawa agreement has apparently stimulated endeavours to supply quantities, even if small, of chilled beef. Since last year consignments have been imported from three dominions with varying success. The consignment of chilled beef from New Zealand was good in quality, and it is felt that the difficulty presented by transport can be overcome. CARE OF THE FLOCK MANAGEMENT OF EWES PREVENTING LOSSES JUDICIOUS FEEDING. No. I. Careful management and judicious feeding of breeding ewes during the periods of tupping, pregnancy —more especially during the final three months—and lambing play an all-important part in determining the losses of ewes and the lambing results on which no small portion of the profit from the flock depends, according to Mr R. Dossar, who discusses the management of grass-fed ewes in the latest Massey College bulletin. He expresses a realisation that the recommendations he makes on the subject cannot be fully applied on all types of country, especially ou larger hill stations where more intensive methods of shepherding are not practical, but suggests that they should be adopted wherever feasible^ He condemns the practice of allowing the rams to run with ewes from tupping time to lambing or shearing time. The rams, he says, should be left out for six, or, at the longest, nine weeks, according to the type of country. On hill country where mustering ts difficult and expensively they are sometimes'left out with the ewes until crutching time, but this has many serious disadvantages, some of which are: (1) The lambing season is unduly lengthened. (2) The number of late and undesirable lambs is increased. (3) As the rams represent a considerable amount of capital on the farm, it is advisable to look after them as well as possible. Separate management and better feeding of rams after service will reduce losses and procure better results in the following season. (4) Rams are liable to disturb the ewee at lambing time. IMPORTANT OPERATIONS. All operations on* ewes which entail handling and yarding should be carried out during the early stages of pregnancy, in order to avoid serious injury which may result from knocking them about when heavy in lamb. The more important operations to be carried out during pregnancy are foot-rotting, crutching, and : drafting for lambing. Ewes should be thoroughly treated for foot-rot before they become too heavy in lamb, since it is dangerous to handle them later, and much indirect lose will be caused through the ewes being in a poor condition before and after lambing. The feet should be trimmed and cleaned, and the sheep should be run,through a footrot trough containing a 5 per cent solution of copper sulphate (Alb copper sulphate to one gallon water). The hand treatment and 1 separation of bad cases from the flock is recommended where feasible. The following preparation is given as a suitable and. efficient dressing: One part powdered copper sulphate, one part lard, one part Stockholm tar. POINTS ABOUT CRUTCHING.

With all longwood breeding ewes crutching before lambing is advised on the grounds that it ensures cleanliness during the spring months. To reduce the risk of injury to the ewe and unborn lamb, crutching should take place not less than six weeks prior to the commencement of lambing. The contention of many breeders that on wet, heavy country the removal of some of the belly wool will help to keep , the animals clean and dry and thus prevent, to a certain extent, chills and stomach troubles,' is replied to with the suggestion that the belly wool represents a natural covering to the stomach, and that' it is probably undesirable to remove very much of it unless the conditions are so wet that its presence does more harm than good. If the farm is not too large, the covmtry too steep, or the flock of excessive size, lambing results can be considerably improved and ’the work at lambing time facilitated if the ewes are drafted into flocks according to their time of lambing. Drafting of this nature can be carried out by a good shepherd with steady dogs during the later stages of pregnancy without the ewes being knocked about. ADVANTAGES OF METHOD. Although it will be impossible to pick out all the early lambing ewes m this manner, a shepherd should be able to select a majority of them a fortnight or three weeks prior to the commencement of lambing. With twotooth ewes, however, it is really necessary to mark the rams if this practice is to be adopted, as they do not show up like older ewes. The advantages of drafting the flock in this manner, Mr Dossar says, are: The early lambing ewes can be placed on the best and warmest pastures; the shepherd is able to concentrate on ewes about to lamb; lambs of approximately the same age are kept together, thereby facilitating docking, castration, and general management; and ewes of mixed ages will be together, which will lessen the trouble usually given by young ewes- at lambing time. The general supervision and exercise of the breeding flock during the pregnancy, it is suggested, is frequently neglected. Rotational grazing for the purpose of exercise and change of pasture, plus daily * inspection, is the ideal. These practices not only reduce losses due to sheep being “ cast,” but enable a close watch to be kept on the general health and condition of the flock. Diseases and ailments can be detected as soon as they appear and early treatment and tile necessary precautions against infection applied. This is of particular importance in cases where sleeping/sickness, bearing trouble, and footrot are common, and where individual treatment is practical. Whenever possible, sick or ailing ewes should be removed from the main flock. A small, top-dressed hospital paddock will be found extremely useful for such sheep. CAREFUL HANDLING ESSENTIAL. At all times careful handling of pregnant ewes is essential: nervousness, exhaustion. dog bites, hard driving, careless mustering and crushing through gateways are frequent causes of trouble and loss before and after lambing. Carcasses, skins, and decaying flesh give rise to foul ground, are sources of bloodpoisoning, provide breeding places for blow-flies, and are an attraction to stray dogs. Frequently blood-poisoning is spread through lack of care on the part of the shepherd. After handling dead or sick animals he should always disinfect his hands before attending to other sheep.

The remains of a Gallic war chariot have been excavated near Klarlich, in the Coblcncc Government district, in fiennaiiy. Traces of the Gallic invasion formerly had _ been found only on the route lending over the Ilunsruck to South Germany. The new find, it is considered, proves that the Gauls also followed the Moselle through Coblcncc and the Wcsterwald.

Butter— June 22. June 29. Danish 89/N.Z. (finest suited) .. Australian 60/6 77/6 (finest unsalted) .. 83/6 80/6 (finest salted) 77/6 76/6 Cheese — 47/N.Z. (white) .. .. N.Z. (coloured) 52/6 50/Canadian (white) .. 66/Canadian (coloured) 66/Australian (white) .. 46/Australian (coloured) 49/6 49/-