THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22098, 31 October 1933, Page 4

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By Rusticus

1933-34 WOOL SEASON . ROSTER OF SALES Wool talcs have been arranged as follows for the 1933-34 wool-selling season in New Zealand:— - ' Place. Date. Auckland., .... November 27 Napier .1 .. .. December 1 Wellington .. ... December 7 Christcnurch .. December 12 Tiniaru .. .. .. December'l6 Dpnedin .. December 20 Napier January 6 Wellington .. .. January 11 Auckland .. .. January 15 Wanganui .... January 19 Christchurch .. January 26 Invercargill .. January 31 Dunedin .. .. February 6 ■I. Timaru February 9 Wellington .. February 15 Napier .. „ .. February 20 Wanganui .. .. February 23 Christchurch .. March 2 Dunedin „ ~ .. March 7 t Invercargill .... March 9 Wellington .. •• March 19 Napier ~ .. March 23 Auckland .. .. March 27 Christchurch .. April 6 Dunedin .. •• April 10 Wanganui- .. April 17 Napier .. .. .. April 20 Wellington .. .. April 24 ihe April sale dates are tentative only, subject to revision, and will be held only if sufficient wool is available. ;■A , i / y 1933-34 SHOW SEASON -—— /• ROSTER OF DATES Agricultural shows have been arranged for the 1933-34 season as follows: 1933 Nov. 1,2, and 3.. Manawatu and West Coast, at Palmerston N. Nov. 1 .. .. .. .. Kelso. Nov. 2 Ashburton. Nov. 3 .. .. .. m Rangiora. Not. 9 and 10 .. Canterbury, at Christchurch, Nov. 14 Waimate. Nov. 10 and 17 .. North Otago, at ■ Oamaru. Nov. 18 Taieri, at Outram. Nov. 21 and 22 .. Otago, at Tahuna Park. Nov. 23 and 24 .. Clutba and Matau, ■ at Balclutba. Nov. 25.. Winton. Dec. 2 Tokomairiro Farmers’ Club at Milton. Dec. 5 and 6 .. «• Gore. Dec. 6 .. Central Otago, at v Omakau. Dee. 8 .. .. .. .. Wyndham. Dec 8 .. .. .. ~ Maniototo, at Ranfurly. Dec. 12 and 13 .. Southland,'at Invercargill. Dec. 14 Owaka. Dec. 16 .. .. ~ Otago Peninsula at Portobello. 1934 Jan. 13 :. .. .. Waitati. Jan. 20 .. .. ~ Waikouaiti. Jan. 26 .. .. .. Palmerston and Waihemo.. Feb. 8. 9, and 10 .. Royal, at Auckland. April 2 Fairlie. April 12 Temuka and Geraldine, at Winches- ' ter. Farln Labour and Unemployment It is a queer contradiction that a shortage of labour is reported from three important farming districts, Taranaki, North Otago and Southland, while over 70,000 men are: registered as unemployed and being supported out of public funds (says the Dominion), The fact may be that hone of these 70,000 have the qualifications for farm. work. If; so, .and if the demand for farm labour is substantial, it should be the business of : the Unemployment Board to provide the necessary training. As the Employers’ Federation suggests, the men should “ be taught how to perform some work of use to the community.” They themselves should welcome the opportunity of being removed from the liabilities to the assets side of the community ledger. It is possible, of course, that among the 70,000 there are men who could do what was required on the farms, but prefer conditions on relief works. If • that is the case, then the request of the Farmers’ Union, that the Unemployment Board should take steps to remedy the shortage, should be met.

British Farm Relief

The Wool Outlook Commenting on the outlook for wool, 1 H. Daweon and Co.,' Ltd., in their view of the September series of sales at Home, state that the London market has simply followed the suit declared by the Australian auctions, and has naturally registered the new level of values established by the consuming centres. The verdict depends on the evidence forthcoming from the demand and consumption. Two major considerations have, however, to be taken into account at this juncture:—'(l) There is an undoubted squeeze between the available supplies and, the urgent requirements which obtain at the moment. (2) It is equally necessary to realise that a new and broader outlook as regards values has to be accepted; we have to forget S the lower levels and the general caution 1 and pessimism of the past year and last March. The broadening and strengthening movements of business in most spheres of commerce, with the peak, consumption which was developed in all finer wools, demand a new envisagement of the whole position. ■ The advance in merinos of fully 50 per cent, - on March levels cannot be treated as being altogether, ephemeral.- It is true that there is a struggle proceeding to pass on the advance to the manufacturer and merchant. There is also some justification • for the views held by many that the present vacuum of supplies in most centres may be easily repleted and thus ease the present strain when all the overseas markets are in full swung. Meanwhile,, Australia and South Africa indicate an abnormally strong demand at the prevailing high levels. Japan is again the most virile operator ip Australia, and is interested also in Montevideo.

Attitude of America The;attitude of U.SA. is one that may probably prove to be a strong factor, as that country will require foreign wools; some of their domestic wools have already advanced nearly 100 per cent, from the lowest point. Their market is cheerful: one-half of the clip has already passed into the hands of manufacturers who are finding expanding and profitable business' The high level of fine wools.' as compared with medium and lower crossbreds.

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 “Rusticus,” Otago Daily Times, Dunedin.

is beginning to divert attention and, increase the interest in these cheaper sorts. It is not surprising that a solid and welcome advance in crossbreds has been, registered to-day, for it was long overdue. It would be foolish to under-estimate the undoubted pressure of machinery demand exists at present, and the fact that supplies will be more plentiful toward the end of the year. One should, however,, also take into account the general improvement in business and financial conditions. Speaking broadly, shelves were seldom more bare of cloths, or wool warehouses so empty of raw wool. If a balance is struck it appears probable that the position is fairly sound, and that the trade may rest comfortably in the hope that the more immediate fluctuations will be of minor rather than of serious character.

The principal source of confidence in the Home trade is found in the satisfactory orders coming to hand, especially for the woollen section, where many mills report full order books for some months ahead. Price quotations constitute the principal difficulty, but these are alleviated by the full production advantages of the/increased volume of orders.

Herd-testing The ground lost in 1931-32, so far as dairy herd testing in New Zealand is concerned, was more than riegained in 1932-33, both from the point of viciw of the number of cows tested and of average butter-fat production a tested cow. During the past season 286,054 cows were systematically tested under one or other of the recognised herd-testing systems, this total representing an increase of 26,197 cows, or 10.08 per cent., over the 1931-32 total of 259,857 cows. The average hntter-fat yield a tested cow was 255.571 b, an increase of 18.701 b over the 1931-32 average of 236.871 b butter-fat.

England’s farm relief plan, designed to raise and maintain prices at a remunerative level, was described recently by Mr Walter Elliot, British Minister of Agriculture. He made plain at the outset that if agricultural prices give the countryside no purchasing power, the countryside will not be able to buy the goods men make in the towns.

England started on a policy several years ago which recognised _ that there was no complete solution in lowering costs of production, and that the world market would not indefinitely stand rapidly-increasing amounts of produce. Although farm wages have decreased since that time in the face of the biggest depression agriculture has ever known, that gave the farmers the sympathy of the town. Then England started to plan the market, the Minister of Agriculture explained. As a general rule 'prices ruling on the export market determine the prices on the domestic market overseas. A remunerative level for all who supply the market is the essence of the plan. Leaders attacked the problem product by product, beginning with wheat, milk, potatoes, and bacon, each of which demands a different approach. The bacon problem is being handled by arranging contracts between large producers and “bacon factories”; .the sum of all the contracts gives the. total supply. The price is fixed in relation to the price of the market. It rises oir falls with that market.

With milk the country is divided into 11 regions. All the money for the milk will be handled through the regional organisation in each area and it will be illegal to sell milk below the regional price. Steps are being taken to handle the surplus by, means of special price arrangements so that the burden of the lower price is spread over®the whole of the producers Dairy. Produce Market

AH is not well with New Zealand dairy produce in London. The new season’s goods are now on the market, and the estimated arrivals during this month and next are 19,280. tons of . butter and 7662 tons of cheese. Compared with arrivals for October, and November of last year, there is 113 tons less cheese, but nearly 5000 tons more butter. For the corresponding mpnths of 1931 the total arrivals were 6254. tons of cheese ..and 10,985 tons of butter. It is clear from these figures that the cheese landings are not excessive, but those of butter continue to expand with, it is to be inferred, a corresponding decline in price. The Dairy Board’s weekly cablegram from London shows that the butter market is weak and irregular, and quotes New Zealand salted as selling at from 90s to 94s and up to 96s per cwt (which equals approximately 10.8 d per lb, f.0.b.), and unsalted butter at 106 s to 110 s.

. Other butter prices are:. Australian salted, 90s to 94s and up, to 965; unsalted, 102 s to Danish, spot; 114 s to 115 s. The retail price for New Zealand butter is still Is W per lb, but the .price tor Danish has been' increased to Is 3d. Both prices, however, will be reduced by Id per lb next week. The stock position at the moment is as follows; — Oct. 28; 1933; Oct. 28,1932. Tons. , Tons. New Zealand ... 2922 ’ 3400 Australian .. .. 450 925 Total .... 3372 4325 The cheese market is also reported as weak. Prices are;—New Zealand, white 47e to 48s per cwt (which equals approximately 5.03 d per lb, f.0.b.), coloured 46s to 475; Australian, white '46s, coloured 455; Canadian,'white 50s to 525, coloured 50s to 535. English finest farmers’ is slow at 76s to 88s. The retail price for New Zealand cheese is unchanged at 6d per lb. HAY-MAKING AN IMPORTANT SUMMER WORK POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION A comprehensive survey of the impprtant problem of conservation of winter fodder per medium of haymaking is contained in the following radio, talk broadcast from IYA. Auckland, by Mr W. Alexander, agricultural adviser to Messrs Kempthorne, Prosser, Ltd.:— It is not too early in the year to gjve consideration ! to the important question of making hay for next winter’s feeding. The matter of deciding, upon suitable fields to close up is one calling for some deep thinking if ample supplies of the right quality feed are to be secured. Not only has next winter’s feed position to be considered, but the very important problem of pasture control appears in the picture. Under very favourable seasonal conditions it is more than possible that a very large percentage of the grassland on the farm will stand cutting; in fact, this may become an essential task if pasture control is to be completely efficient. Under the circumstances an early allocation of. the area to be reserved for hay' may require considerable adjustment. I think it can safely be laid down as a generally accepted fact that the stock wintered on the farm can never satisfactorily cope with the grass produced during the spring and early summer months. Such being the case it becomes necessary to reduce the area available for grazing between the months of October and January. The feed grown on the area cut off from grazing must be saved in the form of hay or ensilage, and of the two I would .prefer to save hay. Let me say here that I am fully aware of the value of ensilage properly made, and also realise the importance of climatic conditions in so far as they enable one to make ensilage, when the making of hay would be difficult if not altogether imnossible. However, despite these factors, I am still of the opinion that more hay should be made. I would say that no one will dispute the value of hay as winter feed for all classes of stock, particularly when fed out along with roots to cattle that need bulk as well as quality in their

EFFECT OF CONTINUED CUTTING. A point of interest here ig the effect of continuously cutting the same fields for hay. There are circumstances where it is difficult to avoid doing this; for instance, on bush country or steep hillsides. In the case of bush country there may be onlv a small area stumped and capable Of being cut with the mower, whilst in the ease of steep country the manipulation of implements is a difficult and dangerous undertaking. In either case the fact remains that repeated cutting completely alters the nature of the pasture. There are two obvious’ reasons for this, first, the difficult times of seeding of the various grasses in the pasture means that certain varieties have ripened and shed their seeds before others have matured and the natural result is thqt those early ripening species ultimately get control; that probably accounts for the rapid spread of sweet vernal in land that has been cut for hay. The second obvious reason is that some species of grass do not like being overshadowed as is inevitably the case where a hay crop grows to maturity. If it is at all possible to do so, let the hay fields be changed about year by year, and do not take two successive crops from the' same area. If there is no alternative to cutting the same area year after year, I believe it would pay to put the area down in a simple temporary mixture of Italian rye and red clover and make up your mind to renew it every second or third year. It would not be a costly business to sow out, say, two bushels of Italian rye and 41b or slb of red clover every third year, and I am confident that the improved yield of better quality hay would be ample compensation. QUALITY IN HAY.

Too often one finds quality sacrificed to yield: in the making of hay. A crop is permitted to grow on until it is over-ripe and the only reason for this is a desire to get as large a stack as possible off the area. It is now definitely established that young grass, or rather short grass, has a feeding value equal to oil cake, and as the gross proceeds towards maturity the feeding value decreases in proportion to its growth until it is at its lowest value in fully ripened or over-ripe material. It is obviously impossible to handle short pasture with modern hay-making machinery, but there is nothing to be gained by going to the other extreme where a bulk of crop is the only consideration. Somewhere between the two extremes is the ideal to aim at, and that for . various perfectly, sound reasons.

While the plants in the pasture are still growing and before they, have reached flowering stage, they retain most of their high feeding value, consequently that is the stage at which to preserve them. Again, the shorter time occupied in the production of the crop up to flowering stage is all in favour of those grasses that do not appreciate smothering. Early maturing species will not have had time to seed and lay the foundation for ultimate control of the sward, and not the least important reason is that the early cut hayfield has a much better chance of making a late summer or autumn recovery than has one cut later. THE TIME TO CUT.

Now from all this we arrive at the conclusion that early cutting of the crop is essential if one is to retain the utmost quality consistent with reasonably good yields. By early cutting I do not mean cutting for hay, say, in October or even November, I refer more particularly to cutting at a comparatively early stage of growth and that, of course, is dependent upon the time the field has been closed up. As a general rule October and November months are, much too erratic in the matter of climate to enable haymaking to be carried out in any degree of comfort at that time. It would be better practice to graze the fields intended for hay, right up to the end of October, then give them a light top-dressing with a mixture of super and Chilean nitrate of soda in the proportions of 2 of super to 1 of nitrate, harrow well, and then shut the gate. By the early part of December there should be ready for cutting a fresh, sappy crop of grasses and clovers such as makes ideal hay. Speaking of the effect of top-dressing with super and nitrate of soda, I have recently _ received a report from a prominent dairy farmer in the Bay of Plenty which indicates that this combination of soluble phosphate and nitrogen brought about a noticeable improvement in a pasture to which it was applied within a week of application. On good quality Waikato or North Auckland pastures the response from such fertilising treatment should be immediate and in every way satisfactory. Hard grazing up to the-end of October, severe narrowing to spread droppings, then top-dressing with super and nitrate of soda seem to me to be sound measures to adopt in the production of hay full of quality and high feeding value. HANDLING THE CROP.

From the time of closing the gates of the hayfields there is nothing one can do to influence the harvest until Cutting time arrives. The first consideration is just when should the mower be put in; that question can be answered definitely only on the spot, but a safe guide is the appearance of flowers on the clover plants, particularly red clover if there remains any in the pasture. The crop should not stand a day longer than is absolutely necessary after the appearance of the clover flowers; at that stage the crop would score maximum points on an estimate of both quality and yield. A crop cut at that stage and handled into the stack cannot fail to give satisfaction. I am thoroughly convinced that in a majority of cases - too much time elapses between cutting and stacking hay. Perfectly good hay is many a time spoilt by being left out in the paddock too long. It is a fairly common-thing to see a hay crop cut and left lying in the swath until . the whole thing is bleached white and the sappiness gone out of it. That sort of hay never goes on fife of course, but it has lost sadly in feeding value. I am a firm believer in the curing of hay in windrows . and, where’, necessary, in cocks. The hay rake should follow the mower as soon as it has room to move freely in the paddock and should commence raking the cut crop into windrows right away; I would want to see all that was cut put up into windrows before knocking off for the day. A well set up but loosely made windrow exposes the crop to the influence of the breeze rathey than the sun and that is the sort of curing you want. The sun only bleaches, but the breeze will dry fhe hay and at the same time preserve the colour. Providing the weather conditions remain favourable the windrows can be turned over at the end of 24 hours, and then in another 24 hours the hay can be raked into cocks which can later be hauled straight up to the stack,. Given the right weather it should not need more than three days to cure even a heavy crop of hay. Hay-making is made easy these days by the great variety of haymaking appliances at the disposal of farmers. For instance there is a very successful swath-turner on the market'and with the aid of this implement one can cure, the crop while, it is still lying flat on the ground. Then there is a tedder which will open out or build up windrows in a way that no other implement could possibly do. In every case the underlying principle is the opening up of the crop to give it the maximum exposure to the summer winds. Sweeps and stackers are, of course, in very general use and they are without a /loubfi of great assistance in the rapid handling of a hay crop. The building of a hay stack is a sort of specialist job; anybody can build a heap, but it requires skill to build a stack that will settle down into a good shape and keep out rain. SALTING HAY. Good weather is probably the most important factor in the making of good hay, and it would always appear to be sound policy to take advantage of a fine spell even if the crop has not reached that state of maturity or bulk which one may consider desirable. At the same time much can be done in the way of curing hay successfully even under' adverse climatic conditions. Salting is a very old practice. In a report on the agricultural

conditions of the North Riding of Yorkshire, John Tuke in the year 1800 referred to the advantages resulting from the use of salt on hay especially “when it has received much rain in the field and particularly the second crop of clover. The salt checks the fermentation and prevents mould. If straw be mixed with such hay, the heating of the stack is still further prevented by the straw imbibing the moisture. Cattle will eat such salted hay and even the straw mixed with it more eagerly than better hay not salted, and thrive faster upon it.” From the Journal of the Ministry of | Agriculture we learn that the French i have a system of salting hay, known as the Solages method. This system provides | for the use of salt up to the rate of 90lb of salt per ton of hay, depending upon ( the moisture present in the material.' On the farm of the Midland Agricultural College salt has been used at varying rates up to about 281 b of salt per ton of hay put in the stack and in most years this has satisfactorily controlled the temperature of the stacked hay. Under any circumstances it is good practice to add salt to the hay during building operations. Even when fortunate enough' to have both the material and the weather ■perfect, a few pounds of salt to every ton of hay will greatly improve its keeping qualities and palatability. I have seen lucerne hay actually brought back from an extremely dry and brittle condition, with practically no odour left in it, to a comparatively succulent and green state simply by adding salt and sprinkling the stack every two or three feet with a watering can. I would not like to recommend the watering can to Auckland farmers, but the salt yes, and with every confidence.. If the hay is in good condition, with no outside moisture on it, then use' 31b or 41b of salt to every ton of hay; if 'the crop is sappy, then double the quantity of salt; but if the conditions are bad—that is, a crop that has been lying out wet and clammy—then use plenty of salt, say, 141 b per ton. LUCERNE HAY. The making of lucerne hay is just a little more complicated than is the making of ordinary grass hay. Lucerne needs to be cut just as the flowers begin to show; up and the swaths should be raked into windrows without delay. The thing to watch out for in making lucerne hay is that the leaves are not lost in the process; it is an easy matter to finish raking a crop of lucerne only to find that most of the leaves are (still on the paddock instead of in the stack. The leaves represent the best part of the lucerne plant, and the utmost care should be taken to ensure their being saved —cut early and handle quickly is the call when saving lucerne for hay. The falling of the leaves is only the natural result of the stems maturing, either through being allowed to stand too long before being cut or lie exposed too long after being cut. BALING HAY. The baling of hay right out of the windrow is a practice that seems to be growing in popularity, and it has much to commend it. Hay can be baled when it could not 1 safely be stacked because of its sappiness. F6r feeding out later in the year, the baled hay is very handy and not so heavy to handle. Probably when all the costs are taken into consideration it is just about as cheap to put your, hay into bales as it is to put it into stacks and, with the bales stowed away carefully under cover, one has a fine feeling of comfort - and security against a bad winter. TRIPOD HARVESTING. Prom England we have some particulars of a harvesting system known as the " tripod ” system, which I think lends itself admirably for use on small holdings where small areas are cut for hay, but where the saving of that hay is ah important matter. ' Under this system, which, by the way, was devised to suit wet weather conditions particularly, a number of tripods are set up in the field, and the hay or rather the green crop is built up and over them. The tripods themselves are made put of pieces of angle iron Bft to 10ft in length, three pieces of angle iron being fastened together at one end in such a way that the other ends open out to form an upright structure 4ft or sft across at'the base and about Bft high. For ordinary crops about six or eight tripods per acre would be required. Now these tripods are set up at _ convenient distances apart, and the crop is raked up towards them and then built up over them. If the crop to be handled has been lying out some time and is wet, or if it is being stacked green, a further precaution is taken. This consists of a sheet of corrugated iron six of seven feet long, bent over lengthwise to form a steepsided roof, only it is not to be used as a roof. These iron sheets are placed ocer the legs of the tripod, one sheet over each leg, so that you have what looks like three miniature huts at the foot of a miniature tower. Let the iron sheet straddle the leg of the tripod as far as it will, and then proceed to build up your rick of hay, and when the tripod has been completely covered, as far as a man standing on the ground can cover it, you will have a rick containing anything from one to two drayloads of hay with an air passage coming in from three vents on the ground and passing right up through the centre. Once the rick is finished the iron sheets can be pulled out, and for this purpose some sort of handle should be fixed on them, and they can be used on the next tripod. By using these tripods and iron sheets, I would say that a heavy crop of, say, red clover, lucerne, oats and peas, or even of pasture grasses, could be cut and put into ricks almost if not actually the same day. The material would have every opportunity of curing in these ricks, and at the same time be perfectly safe from any weather; the ricks could be left for a week or two or even a month or two without incurring any damage, and then the hay could be baled, stacked or stored as required. I must say the idea appealed to me, and I am sure it must appeal to some of you who are listening in—if you are interested in this suggestion and my description of it is not clear to you, let me know and I will send you a diagram of the tripod and sheets in position. HAYMAKING IMPLEMENTS. I just want to close this-talk to-night by reminding you that now is a good time to overhaul the haymaking implements. It is just possible that some of you may have put the mower away last year wanting some new part that Jhas not yet been secured, or it may be that the hay-rake or the sweeps are short of a few teeth — whatever it is get busy on it and do not wait until you want to use the implement before attending to the necessary repairs.