THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD

rrv — - By RUSTICUS.

FARM AND STATION NEWS —

Items of interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, frith a view to their publication in these columns, will bo welcome®. Thsy should be addressed to Rusticus. Otago Daily Times, Dunedi*.

WOOL-SELLING SEASON ROSTER OF SALES The following wool sales have yet to be held in the Dominion this season:— 1936 Mar. 1G —Wellington. Mar 30— Christchurch. Mar. 20—Napier. Apr. 2—Dunedin. Mar. 24—Auckland. Apr. 6 —Wellington. Mar, 27—Wanganui. Apr. B—Napier. Otago Provincial Sheep Dog Association Sheep dog trials for the 1936 season have been arranged as follows: — Wakatipu.—March 12, 13, 14. Clutha. —March 16, 17, and 18. Warepa.—March 19, 20, 21. Kuriwao. —March 24, 25. Patearoa. —March 26, 27, and 28. Strath-Taieri. —March 30, 31, April 1. Kyeburn.—April 2,3, 4. Waitaki. —April 13, 14, 15, 18. Omarama. —April 17, 18. Tokarahi. —April 20, 21, 22. •Tahatika.—April 22, 23, 24, 26. Waihemo. —May 13, 14, 15. Ngapara. —May 18, 19, 20. Tarras. —May 21. 22, 23. Wanaka. —May 25, 26, 27. Lowburn. —May 28, 29. 30. , June 16, 17, 18, and 19—South Island Championships, at Mosaburn. •Otago Provincial Championship. 1935-36 SHOW SEASON FORTHCOMING EVENTS Shows have been arranged for the following dates during the 1935-36 season:- . . 1936 March 2l.—Temuka and Geraldine, at Winchester. April 13—Mackenzie County, at Fairlie* 4 April 13—Strath-Taieri, at Middlemareh. , . , The New Zealand Championship Trials Will be held at Haw-era this year, commencing on June 1. The Wool Season The Wool market this Season has been satisfactory to everyone except to the few whose lot it is to report the conditions and changes of the market. The conditions have been the same for weeks, healthy and strong, and there have been very few changes. During the slump years there was journalistic pasture in abundance, and in the boom times happenings of interest —food for the writers — were frequent. But this season, week after week, one has been obliged to report widespread competition, full clearances, buoyant markets, no fluctuations, and the like in rather monotonous regularity. One might have expected that the wool market would have been disturbed by the upheavals abroad in Europe and the East, but no, the demand was not affected. It is pleasing to be able to report another satisfactory -week of sales, however. All is well with wool just now. Current rates are generally at the highest level of the season, and the outlook, at least for fine wools, could scarcely be better. The only wools which have been nelgeeted this season were the crossbreds, but these have come mofc into demand at recent sales, although they arc still relatively cheap. Qualities of Lucerne Lucerne possesses many valuable properties. 1. In fertile soils it makes a rank, rapid growth, producing from two to sis crops annually, depending upon the locality and season. It is not uncommon to secure from five to six tons an acre where conditions are favourable. 2. Lucerne has the power to take nitrogen from the atmosphere’ and fix it in the soil. Nitrogen being absolutely necessary to plant growth, and being expensive in the commercial form, this valuable plant has proved a boon to fanners in that nitrogen can be secured and made available without cost. 3. As a feed lucerne is extremely rich in nitrogen, an element necessary to promote a rapid growth of animals. When mixed with carbohydrates in the right proportion, its value as a feed is greatly increased. As pasture for dairy cows and pigs it has no equal. 4. Lucerne lias a splendid effect upon the physical condition of the soil. This is due to its large, abundant, and extensive roots. The roots grow to a depth of from five to 16 feet if not hindered by standing water. They improve the chemical condition of the soil jjy the formation of humus, resulting from the decaying of the roots. The humus thus formed, together with the air and water, combines with other elements in the deeper subsoils, rendering them soluble. Such compounds are then carried to the seed bed by capillary attraction. This accounts for the increased yield which the farmer is sure to secure from any crop planted where lucerne has grown. An Even Clip The Strathfieldsaye estate, Stratford (Victoria), clip of 113 ,bales of comeback wool which was sold by the Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Company, Ltd., on February 11 reached 24d a lb for 15 bales, and the average price for all fleece wool (78 bales) was 23.03 d, and for the -whole clip 20.07 d a lb. Pieces made to 10|d, bellies 16Jd, and locks Old. The average weight a bale was 308ilb. South African Fine Wool South Africa has made great headway since the war in the production of fine merino wool, and, according to Mr W. A. O’Shea, will soon rival Australia in fine quality types. Mr O’Shea has just re- | turned to Victoria after 30 years in South I Africa. For the last 18 years he was chief stock inspector of the Cape Province. He said that the Karoo country of South Africa produces fine sheep, equal to the best in Australia. Australian merino importations have laid the foundation of tile flocks, and experts who were trained in Australia are hoping to maintain and improve the standard of South African sheep and wool. The Governments also assisting the woolgrower by liberal subsidies. South Africa could never compete with Australia, however, said Mr O’Shea in siinh products ns lamb, mutton, beef', and dairy produce. Fish and Chips In England there has been a protest from consumers against the high price of potatoes. The increase in prices has been caused, it is said, by the enforcement of regulations imposed by the Potato Board. Considerable areas have been withdrawn from production. Largo quantities of good but small potatoes have been withheld from the market, and there have been fewer importations. The National Federation of Fish Fryers has directed the attention of the public to the scarcity of potatoes, and lias been largely responsible for the protest. The fish fryers claim to handle, in the form of fish and chips, more than 40 per cent, of the potato crop that goes into consumption in Great Britain-*

BROWN TOP CROP REDUCED RETURNS IN OTAGO COMPARATIVELY LITTLE SEED The unseasonable weather of the past few -weeks will seriously reduce the quantities of brown top, which can be harvested in Otago and Southland. Throughout South Otago the drought conditions experienced during the summer months, and the consequent close grazing of the paddocks, have resulted in a virtual absence of seed in sufficient quantity to be worth stripping. In parts of Southland more favourable conditions prevailed in the early summer, and prospects for brown top were encouraging. Unfortunately, before stripping could be commenced, the adverse weather had set in, and prolonged periods of wind and rain appear to have knocked out the great bulk of the seed. In the inland districts frosts are now becoming common, so that most of the later-maturing seed will be impaired in germination. As a rule, export business does not properly develop until July or even later, but, since brown top does not lose its germination to any extent with storage, those farmers who are fortunate in being able to save some of their seed in good condition should secure high prices when overseas orders have to be filled. STUD SHEEP EXPORT DEMAND FROM AUSTRALIA LARGE SHIPMENT OF SOUTHDOWNS The demand from Australia for Southdown sheep continues to be very active, and during recent weeks Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., have sold to Victorian and New South Wales clients a total of 283 Southdowns. Victorian clients have purchased the complete breeding flock No. 243 established by Mr Robert Buick, of Maetcrton. in 1916. This flock has always been a noted one for high quality in the Wairarnpa, and should prove an excellent advertisement for the Dominion's Southdowns in Victoria. To the same buyers has also been sold flock No. 467 established by Mr W. 11. P. Cooper, Waimana, Gladstone, in 1924. In addition to the breeding ewes they also include the rani and ewe lambs. Along with these flocks were also shipped two high-class one-shear rams bred by Messrs Ellis Bros., Killemoon Bulls, one of these being the first prize ram hogget at the recent Marton Show, and sired by the imported ram, Luton Hoc Premier, while the second ram is a grandson of the imported sire. The noted young New South W ales breeder, Miss Joan Harrison, has also completed the purchase through Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., of 137 stud Soutlu)own ewes. The selections made by Miss Harrison, Who made a complete tour of the Dominion’s leading studs commencing at Auckland and going right through the North Island and then through the South Island to as far as Oamani, comprise 30 one-shear ewes from flock No. 00. established in 1908 by Mr A. C. Greenwood. Waikcwni, Southbfidgc; 30 onc-slienr ewes from flock No. 420, established in 1925 by. Mr John Brooks, Invell; and 10 two and three-shear ewes from flock No. 190, established in 1014 by Mr D. W. WeStenra, Camla, Dunsandcl —all Canterbury studs; 37 one-sbear ewes were also purchased from flock No. 306, established in 1920 by Mr R. M. Perry, Kohatu, MaeteTton. Ryeland sheep are also in keen demand by Australian flock masters, and recently Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., shipped 10 ewes and five each of ram and ewe lambs bred by Mr W. G. Shannon, Glenburn, Palmerston North, to a client, in New South Wales. For the same client they have now selected a one-shear stud Ryeland ram from the flock of Mr H. C, Bnyly Withell. Ealing. Ten ewes from the latter flock have also been shipped to a client in Tasmania, and a further Ift have been shipped to a client in New South Wales. It is difficult to cope with the inquiries for Ryeland ewes coming to band from Australia as Now Zealand studmasters are not keen to-day to export ewes of this breed, although high prices are offered. BREEDING STUD SHEEP UNUSUAL OCCUPATION OF 19-YEAR-OLD GIRL DOMINION STOCK BOUGHT Although only 19 years o£ age, Miss J. Harrison, of New South Wales, is rapidly becoming well known as a breeder of stud Southdown sheep and she has the distinction of being one of the few women and almost certainly the youngest, to be engaged in this occupation. Since the beginning of February, Miss Harrison has been touring New Zealand, inspecting sheep, and she has bought about 100 ewes to be added to her stud. She leaves for Australia by (he Wanganella. Her stud is the Lowanna Southdown Stud-, at Aylatoiic, about 150 miles from Sydney. For the last three years she has been exhibiting at leading shows in New South Wales, and has met with no little success. Dark and attractive. Miss Harrison I shows no signs of the hard work which accompanies her occupation. She is like any other girl of her age one would expect to find in a stenographer’s chair, except that her complexion bears evidence of a healthy outdoor life. “ I have always been interested in farm life,” she said, when asked bow she had come to choose stud sheep breeding. “Daddy bought me some sheep when I was at school four years ago. I used to help him with his sheep when 1 was home on the farm. I cannot imagine doing anything else now. I think it ( is quite a suitable life for a girl to-day. Asked whether, on the farm, she missed the attractions and pleasures of the cities, she replied that she could not stay in a city unless she had some definite purpose for being there. “I only go to Sydney for business purposes,” she said. "The pleasures and bright lights of the cities don’t attract me very much. Its all right for a little while, but one soon becomes tired of those tilings. Ido anyway.” ___________