STUD RAM FOR WANGANUI

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23118, 18 February 1937, Page 3

STUD RAM FOR WANGANUI

BRED BY WEALTHY AMERICAN ENGLISH MILK SALES AN ASTONISHING INCREASE (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Jan. 20. A stud year-okl ram from the flock bred by Mr J. Pierpont Morgan, wealth American who has an English property near Watford, Hertfordshire, has been bought by Messrs N. S. Hughes (Wanganui). It is to be shipped tr. New Zealand by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company on the Port Jackson, on February 2. It will be unloaded at Sydney for a period of quarantine before being sent over to Wanganui. The ram is a pedigree Southdown, born in February, 1936. Its sires are Ford Bounty 22020 and Aldenham Ewe 77 1933 It was bred from the flock numbering about 340 on Mr Pierpont Morgan’s farm, several stud sheep from which have already been shipped to New Zealand. It is reported that Messrs Hughes bought this championship Southdown for a fairly high figure, over £IOO.

MILK PRODUCTION Milk production and sales arc steadily on the up-grade in England. In November, 1936, 913,689 more gallons of liquid milk were sold than during the same month in the previous year. Similarly, in December, 1936, the sales rose by 1,606,430 gallons above those during December, 1935, to a total of 471302,941 gallons. Accredited producers, now supplying under the Milk Board’s regulations,, number 20,080. The increase in liquid milk sales is due to a number of causes. One is the rapidly increasing milk bar movement. There are now 587 of these establishments dotted about the country. At the end of 1935 there were 27, so that progress has been rapid. A.ll this is new business, and the combined sales must be considerable. It is difficult, however, to find any precise figures as to the milk turnover of these bars. There are now 127 bars in London. Of the total, 134 arc entirely devoted to milk drinks, 297 are in connection with dairies and cafes, 117 are m departmental stores, 13 are in k mem as, 17 are mobile bars (this figure is likely to be greatly increased this summer), and nine are at swimming pools. DEMAND FOR BRITISH PIGS

An increasing demand for British pigs was experienced last year. Of the 196 export certificates issued by the National Pig Breeders’ Association during 1936. 139 related to Large White, 22 to Middle White, 19 to Berkshire, and 16 to Tamworth pigs. The principal buyers were Belgium, France, Canada, Switzerland, and the Gold Coast, Big consignments have also been sent to Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. Other countries represented in the list of Large White exports include Australia, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Malaya, India, Kenya, Poland, Rumania. South Africa, and Italy. Middle Whites went principally to Australia, Japan, and India, while a second consignment to Canada evoked much interest in the Dominion. Berkshires are still one of the most popular breeds in Australia and Japan. These countries again provided the chief buyers for this breed. Tamworths have gone to Australia, South Africa, Peru, and France. DRIED GRASS FOR COWS Dried grass as a winter fodder for dairy cattle is increasing in popularity. One farmer, who reported the results of his experience to the Reading University Agricultural Club, said that 20 acres of grass will keep 100 cows for 20 days if grazed, or 54 days if dried. He said that his 360 Ayrslures had averaged 301 b of milk per day through September on a ration of 201 b dried grass and 61b hay for maintenance and the first U gallons. The aim in the future should be, he considered, to have a drier capable of producing Hon of dried grass per hour with mechanical devices to reduce labour—at present constituting 25 per cent, of the total cost. Small, low-priced drying plants were also in demand. He hoped to produce dried grass at a cost not exceeding £4 per ton, his present costs being well above that figure. FARM NATIONALISATION? A beginning is to be made this spring with an ambitious attempt to keep under close survey the day-to-day workings of 2000 typical farms throughout England and Wales. It will be the first large-scale survey of the British agricultural industry yet undertaken. The scheme is being organised by the Institute of Research in Agricultural Economics, whose principal, Professor C. S. Orwin, favours lands nationalisation. The object of the survey is to find out what crops are profitable on typical farms in various parts of the country. Vanatmns in the cost of production of foods like milk, meat and potatoes will also be studied. The inquiry is expected to last at least five years—a period which will enable variable weather conditions to be taken into account. The Ministry of Agriculture will contribute towards the cost. The belief that agriculture tiad started to recover has been expressed by the Earl of Feversham, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture. „ The volume of production in England and Wales had been increased by 15 per cent., selling prices were 20 to 25 per cent, higher than a year ago, and workers' wages were at the highest level for 14 years. Lord Feversham regretted the continued depletion of the country side of its most capable men. WOOD PIGEON MENACB The Hertfordshire branch of the National Farmers’ Union are to employ drastic measures in their new campaign against the wood pigeon menace, which is to be started on 100 square miles of land in the vicinity of Hertford, Baldock and Royston, and may be extended later to cover the whole county. Every day two professional pigeon catchers, expert shots, will travel the farms in the area, and at week-ends the “war" will be intensified by shoots organised by the farmers themselves. The farmers concerned will pay the pigeon catchers a penny an acre to cover the cost of ammunition. The catchers will dispose of the pigeons to their own advantage. SLUMP IN EGGS A severe slump in egg prices has occurred in England owing to the glut of cheap foreign eggs on the principal markets. In many centres, prices dropped suddenly by 4d and 6d to Is 2d per dozen. Many of the foreign eggs have been sold at less than a Eenny each. In London they have een sold at the rate of 16 for a shilling. South American eggs, diverted from Spain, are being dumped in England. Dutch and Belgian eggs, which would normally have gone to Spain, are also arriving. In addition, the British market is accepting large quantities of eggs which have been diverted from the German market. On country markets, the position has been accentuated by a plentiful supply of homeproduced eggs. At Brigg, Lincolnshire, recently buyers were able to take lots of less than six dozen at lOjd per dozen. At the previous market the price was Is 6d per dozen.