THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22546, 13 April 1935, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

WOOL SALES, 1934-35 Wool sales for the 1934-35 season have been arranged as follows: Apr. 13—Wellington. 1934-35 SHOW SEASON ROSTER OF DATES Agricultural and pastoral shows have been arranged as follows for the 1934-35 season:— 1935. April 22.—Strath-Taieri, at Middlemarch. April 22.—Mackenzie County, at Fairlie. OTAGO PROVINCIAL SHEEP DOG ASSOCIATION

Affiiated clubs of the Otago Provincial Sheep Dog Association have arranged trial dates as follows: Omarama —April 11, 12, 13. Tokarahi.—April 29, 30, May 1. Palmerston.—May 7,8, 9. Waihemo.—Mav 15, 16, 17. Ngapara.—May 20, 21, 22. Miller's Flat.—May 23, 24, 25. Wanaka.—May 28, 29, 30. Lowburn. —May 31. Dominion Wool Trade The total exports of wool for the nine months ended March 31 last, according to Dalgety and Co., amounted to 426,079 bales, or 209,248 bales less than for the nine months ended March 31, 1934. Business done in New Zealand for the period in review likewise shows a falling off. The quantities offered and sold lor the nine months, July 1 to March 31, for this year and last, are given as follows: — 9 months, 1935. 9 months, 1934.

The quantity offered for March last only was 130,820 bales, of which 118,960 were sold. Commonwealth Exports Exports of wool from the Commonwealth from July 1 to February 28 totalled 1,800,290 bales, a decrease of 424,891 bales, compared with the similar period of last season. Shipments to the principal consuming countries for the eight months of 1933-34 and this season

The exports to the United Kingdom show an increase of 54,321 bales. They include wool which would subsequently be re-exported to. the Continent partly through sale in London. Considering the decreased total exports, Belgian ' and French shipments have been well maintained. The German total shows a reduction of 286,037 bales, and Italy a de-cline-of 128,254 bales. Notable improvement is displayed in the quantities sent to the Netherlands, which show an increase of 30,557 bales, Spain 16,856 bales, and Sweden 2724 bales. Restrictions on imports to Germany have probably influenced those figures*

Continental Tops The total stock of tops at Continental centres at the end of January were 54.423,6001 b, being 5,249,2001 b less than at the close of January, 1934. merinos showing a decrease of 3,289,0001 b. Holdings in Germany totalled 12,513,6001 b, a reduction of 4,340,6001 b on the figures a year before. The quantity on hand was, however 772,2001 b more than at the close ot December, which denotes that Germany was not "pushed" for supplies. French stocks were 29,950,8001 b, a decrease ot ],586.2001b on a year previously, and showing an increase of 741,4001 b, compared with December, 1934. In Belgium the quantity on hand was 7,405,2001 b a reduction of 470,8001 b on a year before, but being 424,8001 b higher than a viously. Italian stocks were 4 554,0001 b, showing an increase of 1,148,4001 b on the total 12 months previously, but a decrease of 387.2001 b for the month. The ppsitiou of stocks of tops T showed a satisfactory situation on the January, 1934, total, but the fact must be kept in muid that arrivals of wool at the combing centres during the seven months ended January were sn.aller owing to the reduced volume. ol sales in the primary producing countries. The peak point of stocks on the Continent was June, when the total held was 12 432,2001 b greater than at January. Consumption has, therefore, exceeded the output of the combing establishments French Trad"

The report of the Uoraite Central de la Laine covering January, refers. to the impetus given to values for wool in that month, .due to the larger imports permitted in January by the German Government, and the easing in prices which followed on the cessation of that business. The ""port states that during MM Itajd. exports of tops decreased 12,526,140 b, or 22 per cent., and yarns 3,913,1401 b, or 11 per cent. German and Belgian buyers took considerably reduced weights of those products, but sales to other Buiopean countries increased. Exports of cloths and dress goods in 1933 were 00 per cent, below normal, but in 1934 they were lower, and the return of the Saar territory to Germany was expected to cause a further decrease. In late January" however, tops and yarns were in better demand on foreign account. Respite the generally adverse tone ol tne report orders from France for wool in Australia have latterly decidedly increased. Australian Butter Exports Exports of butter from Australia for the current season, July 1 to March 16 at 04 410 tons, show an increase of 14,101 tons over those for the previous corresponding period. According to figures supplied by the Department of Commerce, exort" from the various States for the current Period were (those, for the corresponding term last season in parentheses New South Wales, 20.2;)4 tons (18,o95); Victoria 33.042 tons (27.487); Queensland 35.194 tons (28.855); South Australia, 2327 tons (3153); Western Australia 1019 tons (920) ; Tasmania 1634 (1239);—total. 94,410 tons (80,249). Exports to the United Kingdom this season to Murch 16 were 89.140 tons, as against 74990 tons for the corresponding period last year, while shipments to other countries were 5270 tons, against 5329 tons. Southdowns for Export ■\ prominent pastoralist and sheep breeder. Mr H. Williams, of Scone, New South Wales, while in the Dominion recently, visited a number of sheep stations in both the North Island and South Island, and has selected 300 Southdown sheep for export to Australia. He described the sheep breeding industry of New Zealand as progressive. In Aus-

By Rusticus

Items of Interest to those engaged In agricultural and pastoral pnwußj with a view to their publication in these columns, will be welcome* They shonld be addressed to "Rusticus," Otago Daily Times, Dunedißi

tralia, he said, the Southdown sheep was comparatively rare, but an attempt was to be made to develop the fat lamb industry on a larger scale, and it was probable that Australian breeders would be paving frequent visits to ISew Zealand to cull from the various flocks the best eheep for the purpose. Rayon Manufacture Expansions costing roughly £6,000,000, adding another 30 per cent, to production, were mentioned by Mr Samuel Courtauld, chairman of Messrs Courtaulds, Ltd., at the recent ordinary general meeting of the company in London. The principal item is a new rayon yarn factory at Preston. Lancashire, which, it is hoped, will be producing by the end of 1936. Another development is the new staple fibre factory at Greenfield, North Wales, now in course of erection. The company have acquired about 340 acres of land in Preston. This will be the largest unit Courtaulds have yet installed in the United Kingdom. The £6,000,000 set aside for developments compared with £1,380,000 on capital account spent on extensions during the past year. Most of the money will be spent during the next two years, and all of it would be spent in the United Kingdom.

Polled Cattle A writer in the Hawke's Bay Tribune says that a noticeable feature of the present season's stock sale in Hawke's Bay has been the increasing numbers of artificially and naturally dehorned Hereford" cattle that have been offered for sale in both the fat and store cattle sections, and farmers have undoubtedly realised better prices for their stock as a result of this. The last year has seen a number of Polled Hereford sires purchased by Hawke's Bay farmers, and each year should see increasing numbers of Polled Herefords coming on to the market. The Polled Hereford bulls have made an excellent name for themselves in siring hornless calves, and up to 00 per cent, of naturally polled animals rave been obtained by using the polled bull on horned cows. Hjgh percentages have been secured in this way by Mr F. E. Humphreys, of Gisborne, in building up his herd of Polled Herefords. His first importation was the original Polled Hereford importation into New Zealand, imd good results were secured from the very first by mating this bull with horned cows. Gradually, Mr Humphreys is building up a herd of Herefords which will be entirely of the polled breed, but in the meantime the use of horned cows in breeding Polled Herefords has not interfered with the desired result. Out of the last crop of 50 calves, only four are showing signs of horns, meaning that 00 per cent, are naturally polled animals.

Omarunui Dispersal Sale Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., announce that a complete dispersal sale of the well-known Omarunui Aber-deen-Angus stud of Mr W. Kinross White, of Hawke's Bay, will be held at the homestead on Tuesday, April 23. The offering will include some of the best of the celebrated Gwavas stock in the province, among which are numbered Royal Show championship and class winners. In all, over 162 head of cattle will be sold, without reserve, the entry being made up of three stud sires, 86 stud cows, 19 rising two-year-old heifers, 12 two-year-old bulls, and 52 yearlings of both sexes.

FARMING IN NORTH OTAGO MAKING SNUG FOR WINTER A METAMORPHOSED COUNTRYSIDE (Contributed.) It is difficult to recognise the farm lands of North Otago as being the same farm lands as existed before the splendid March rains. Yet they are the same, with a difference—whereas before the rains they were brown, parched and uninviting in appearance, now they are covered with a mantle of green which looks most attractive. There has been a splendid autumn growth, and, if past experience counts for anything, grass and roots will continue to grow to some extent until June. The way stock has picked up since the rain is really surprising, and the outlook for winter is now very different from what it was a month ago. On all well-ordered farms hay and straw have been stacked in the most suitable locations to be easily got at in the winter, pastures have been, or now are being, top-dressed, roots have been freed from weeds, stock has been given that attention which it requires at this time of the year, and all has been made snug for winter. At the present time North Otago is looking really well and is a credit to those who work its productive soil.

Of course, the long-continued dry spell seriously affected the growth of roots, and these will not be so plentiful in the coming winter as they generally are, but, if the present genial weather conditions continue, the shortage of roots will to some extent be compensated for by a late growth of grass, and, if there is a pinch in July or August, spring will then be in sight, and one will have the hope which spring always engenders to buoy us up. The aphis made very nearly a clean sweep of the swede turnins that were sown early, and the Diamond Back moth has left very little of the later-sown ones. Soft turnips are not so susceptible to the aphis as arc swedes, but the Diamond Back moth has been very bad during the past month, and in the past we have noticed that the only thing that kills it is a good sharp frost. It has been reported that the white butterfly has put in an appearance, and that it is as bad as the aphis and Diamond Back moth put together. If this is correct, farmers will have to find some other kind of root crops to grow. Let us hope that it is not correct. In any case, we should not sing out before we are hurt by it. EAPE AND LAMBS.

The first feeding off of . rape disappeared very quickly. The rains promoted a second growth which in many cases will provide more feed than the first; but second growth rape is very slow in fattening lambs as a rule—they are inclined to scour and it takes a long time to make them prime. Why this is so perhaps the experts can tell us. THE MANGEL. The one crop that has come through the ordeal created by the drought, and has resisted the attacks of aphis, Diamond Back moth and dry rot without a mark on its escutcheon, is the mangel, and there are some splendid crops of mangels to be seen in various parts of the district. These are for the most part in very small areas, of about two or three acres. We ought to grow at least ten times as many mangels as we do. If we were to do that there would be no fear of a shortage of winter feed. Some farmers think that sheep do not like mangels. This is a belief that is entirely erroneous; they like mangels and will thrive on them just as well as on turnips, if not a little better. Mangels ask for good ground, and now is the time to start preparing for the crop to be planted next spring, by skim ploughing. If this work had been done two months ago it would have been all the better, but by skim ploughing now and deep ploughing in July the turf will be rotted and the ground softened by frost; it will be pulverised and asrated and a good mould made—a most important essential for a good strike. It is true that thinning and weeding mangels is a back-aching job, but the crop is worth all the work it gives. A much greater weight of feed can be obtained from an acre of mangels than from the same area sown in either sott or hard turnips. And mangels provide the better quality feed. If I were asked for a slogan for the farmers of North Otago. I would say: "Grow mangels and lucerne." WHEAT AND OATS. The threshing mills have nearly all pulled in, having just about finished the stack threshing except for the little that

will be threshed in the spring. The yields seem to be from 15 to 18 bushels less than last year in the case of wheat, and about 20 bushels less in the case of oats. In addition to this, the oats are not up to the standard of those of last year. Very few farmers have oats for sale, preferring to keep what they have in case they may be required for winter feed for sheep. No doubt, we all read with satisfaction last week the statement in the Daily Times that, according to the Wheat Research Institute, bread is not fattening. Surely there will be no more slimming on the part of either men or women after this. If the statement results in an increased consumption of bread, it will be productive of good in both town and country. THE TEAMS. The teams and tractors have been going all the month, putting in green feed. The ground was so dry at first that the hist rain merely moistened the surface; later falls, however, went right to the subsoil. \ very large area has been sown in oats and Western Wolths grass to provide spring feed. In many cases a good bite will be provided by these crops before the winter. There are some excellent strikes both of oats and grass. Cape barley is also very good and has come away very quickly; it provides more green feed in less time than anything else, its chief disadvantage being that it often causes dietetic trouble among ewes in the spring. Many farmers have suffered a heavy death rate through putting mlamb ewes on barley. After the 191 •> drought we had very similar conditions to those ruling now. and green feed, kept the stock in splendid condition all winter, in spite of the fact that there were scarcely any turnips. DIPPING.

There has been a great improvement in dips in recent years, and now on some securely-fenced and well-managed farms a tick is never seen. On such places any bought sheep are dipped as soon as they come on to the farms. Most of the good paste dips can now be depended upon to kill all the ticks, and all the eggs too, if the directions are faithfully followed, and if the farmer gets a full musterit is the odd ones that are sometimes overlooked which cause the trouble—he should be able to get a clean bill. The rams frequently cause infection. J.he ram fair is held early in April, and if the rams have ticks on them it is too late to dip without running some risk of hurting the rams. Rather than take this risk the rams are turned out as they are, with the result that the tick nuisance is spread. Ewes should be dipped at least a fortnight before the rams are turned out, and they should be put on some fresh feed to flush them. Second growth rape is excellent for this purpose, but there should be any amount of nice fresh grass paddocks after the recent rains. LAMB FATTENING AND PRICES. Lambs have not been fattening well and the fat lamb drafters have had to work hard to get many. After three weeks on feed in a good season two-thirds or threefourths would go away fat, but last month only about one-third went off fat. It is a good plan to have oats in troughs in the fattening paddock so that the lambs can go at these whenever they feel so inclined. The price of lambs has been dropping steadily during the past few weeks, and farmers have been drafting everything that will kill; in fact, 2Glb to 281 b averages are very common. The lambs are lighter this year by about 6lb per head, which means 16 per cent., and this, with a decreased lambing of about 9 per cent., makes a total reduction of approximately 25 per cent. There is a similar state of things in Canterbury. Ewes have also fallen a little in price—a farthing—while weathers have eased back a halfpenny per lb, and some farmers who paid fancy prices a few weeks ago are not feeling too happy, as a result. Good young ewes are selling well, and up to 34s has "been paid for two-tooths; four-year-old ewes average about 21e to 225, and five-year ewes 15s to 17s 6d. Last season a large number of ewe lambs was retained by farmers, and some people predicted that there would be a slump in prices this season for two-tooths, but they have been proved wrong; as a matter of fact, twotooths are dearer this year than they were last year when we consider the value ot lamb wool, and it is evident that there is no lack of confidence in the future of meat and wool. There is a very keen demand for all sound breeding ewes, and although the last few sales at Waiareka have seen bumper yardings, with every pen occupied and nearly every race tilled, the strength of the buying has not been exhausted, and many farmers have not yet filled their requirements. Our best twotooths generally come, in the main from the Tapanui district, and there is always keen bidding when these sheep are torward, but we have seen very few ot them in the yards this year. Strange to say, sound-mouthed and full-mouthed are being bought in North Otago and railed to Gore. It is very seldom that this has been done in the past. THE RAM FAIR.

North Otago is a fat lamb producing district, and the most popular breeds are the Border Leicester and the Southdown. Of late years the Southdown has come very much to the fore, but as the Southdown ewe lambs are too small to retain in the flock for breeding, a certain proportion of fanners go in for the Border Leicester, the lambs of which come quickly to the knife, and those not sent to the works fat can be retained and used to replenish the breeding flocks, until a few years ago Southland provided North Otago with most of its breeding ewes, but Southland has now discovered the value of the Southdown in the fat lamb trade, and it looks as though North Otago will have to provide its own breeding ewes in the near future. In the meantime ram is the best seller, bringing from 6 to 9 guineas, while Border Leicester fetch 2 to 5 guineas. The largest entry at the local Ram Fair this year was of Border Leicesters, but most of the Southdowns were sold privately apart from the' fair. Very few English Leicesters or Corriedales were seen at the fair, but with the keen inquiry which exists for well-woolled sheep it might pay farmers on the colder type of land to specialise in well-woolled ewe lambs instead of growing a lot of feed and fattening.

VACUUM-PACKED PRODUCE SMALL PUBLIC RESPONSE NEW ZEALAND BUTTER JFrom Uor Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 9. Mr Archibald Jack, C. 8., C.M.G., C.8.E.. presiding at the statutory meeting of Vacuum-Packed Produce, Ltd., at Southern House, on March 4, mentioned the disappointment of the directors that, in response to the offer for sale of their shares, only some 25 per cent, of the issue had been subscribed by the public. They had met another disappointment when they had found on November 30 that the trust, to whom the whole issue had been sold, were unable to provide on that date the funds necessary to complete the balance of quotas of £45,000 then payable. The adjustment of that liability was at present under negotiation, and the directors had proceeded entirely in accordance with legal advice. Mr Jack, who occupied the chair as Sir Thomas Wilford has not yet returned from New Zealand, further remarked: "Our operations are strictly confined to selling on a commission basis—we do not purchase butter or cheese, but simply receive and distribute it at owners' risk. The capital required is, therefore, limited to the purchase of snares in the New Zealand company, and to the financing of stocks as and when taken out of London stores for delivery against the ordinary trade term payments, which financing the banks willingly carry for approved trading terms. Our trading to date has been quite satisfactory, although we have only touched the fringe of it. Our experience is that wherever vacuum-packed products are given a trial there is invariably a repeat order. There appears to be an especial demand for our cheese, which, as cheese requires some months of maturing in our containers, we are unable to cope with at the moment, but the future organisation for a steady supply has already had our attention. . . . FUTURE OUTLOOK. " The last thing I should wish to do in my acting capacity to-day would be to paint too rosy a picture of your future prospects. But may I just say this? I know well those splendid New Zealand pastures which, thanks to the courage and the hard work of the New Zealand farmer, and the enterprise and scientific skill of the New Zealand dairyman, are to-day producing butter and cheese of a quality that can compare favourably with the

best products of any other dairying country in the world. I know, ae indeed do you all, that generous reception which New Zealand products have always enjoyed in this country. I believe that in the process of vacuum packing we have the best available method for the delivery of these products unblended, uncontaminated, unadulterated, and as fresh as they left the churn. If one takes the long view of these three factors —producer, consumer, and the connecting distributing link which we supply—l think we may look forward to a sound business future for your company. And, as a considerable shareholder myself, I ehall indeed be disappointed if, at our first annual meeting, our chairman is not able to give us a thoroughly satisfactory account of the first 12 months' working."

Among those present at the meeting was Mr Thomas Reynolds, the managing director of Vacuum Products (N.Z.), Ltd. Mr Jack remarked that Mr Reynolds had had to prolong his visit while negotiations regarding the formation of the marketing company were being brought to a head. Mr Reynolds had throughout shown a remarkable amount of patience and a spirit of reasonableness and helpfulness which had greatly assisted all their negotiations. He wished, on behalf of the board, to thank him and to wish him bon voyage and good luck to himself and the New Zealand company which bo so ably represented. SURMOUNTING DIFFICULTIES.

Mr Reynolds, it may be remarked, has undoubtedly had a trying time. If the New Zealand fanners and dairy factory directors knew the amount of work and its attendant anxieties which had fallen to his lot. and the almost insuperable difficulties lie had to overcome in a scheme of such potential magnitude, tnc> would the more appreciate what he has done for the dairying industry of New Zealand. One so often sees references to the visits of trade representatives opening up new avenues for trading which have only been opened by making a cut in prices that Mr Reynolds's achievement in proving what quality of the product, and the energy of those handling it, can do is the more Welcome. Mr Reynolds is returning til the Dominion with orders for butter and cheese which will keep his factories busy for the next few years in packing butter at 12s to 14s per cwt over the price of finest New Zealand ordinarily packed and cheese at 20s and 22s per cwt over finest New Zealand cheese ordinarily packed. Farmers will have little difficulty in realising what 12s or 14s per cwt extra on butter and 20s or so per cwt extra on cheese means to them over the season's output.

Bales Bales Offered. Sold. Offered. Sold. Invercargill 38,575 33,882 50,058 48,910 Dunedln .. 67,510 63,957 89,441 87,407 Timaru 31,154 29,444 33,734 32,799 Chrlstchurch 70,585 64,954 82,014 79,104 Blenheim .. 54 54 28 25 Wellington 92,463 80,532 123,523 116,502 Wanganui 41,294 35,045 66,745 58,667 Napier 88,462 78,724 104,515 95,884 Glsborne .. 1,764 1,493 3,403 3,322 Auckland .. 45,567 34,992 69,833 67,165 477,428 423,077 623,294 589,785

were as follows: — 1933-34 1934-35. Bales. Bales. United Kingdom 700,416 754,737 435,296 356,757 290,361 276.270 194,337 177,256 352,721 66,684 169,049 40,795 Netherlands 6.570 37,127 33,207 28.299 2,967 19,823 5,543 8,267 United States .. 15,773 8,182 — 6,80S Switzerland 6,795 5,697 Czechoslovakia 2.3S0 3,994 6,035 3,811 2,700 1,998 451 1,019 599 China and Hongkong 402 496 New Zealand — 448 — 405