THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24327, 18 June 1940, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD

FARM AND STATION NEWS SHEEP DOG TRIALS DATES FOR 1940 ■ The Otago Provincial Sheep Dog Association has approved the following list of trial dates:— Tuapeka .. Jun 25 2G 27 Border Leicester Exports There has been very little slackening off in sales of Border Leicester rams to Australia. Recent sales have been made on behalf of the following New Zealand breeders: P. Campbell (Wynd'ham), ,W. Kennedy (Wright’s Bush, Invercargill), J. W. Blair (Outram), A. Ward (Timaru), JVC. Kelland (Timaru), S. Crossar (Ashburton), G. Letham (Ashburton). - Stud Stock Embargo The large consignment of various' breeds of sheep recently brought out from* Great Britain was stated to be the. last which it is possible to bring out for the duration of the war. This claim has been queried in several quarters, and in order, that the position may be clearly understood, the main regulations which must be complied with in all importations of sheep from Great Britain are set out follows: — The New Zealand Government regulations lay down that all sheep must do two weeks’ quarantine in Great Britain, and as the quarantine station has been closed for the duration of the war. the only way - of. importing further sheep is for the New Zealand Government to modify the regulations governing the importing of sheep and omit this quarantine. As this does not appear probable, it has been confidently stated that this will probably. be.thg last importation from England during the war period.,

NEWS / FROM CLUBS

The last meeting of the Palmerston Club was he|d on June 7, when there was quite a good attendance of members. The speaker for the evening was Mr George Ross, a local farmer of wide experience,, who gave’ a most, interesting talk on “ Dogs and Dog Trials.” * * - * . : * At the Clinton Club’s last meeting there was an attendance of 12 members. Following the formal business arrangements were made to hold a concert and community sihg in Clinton at the end of this month. It was decided to ask Mr Whiteman to address the club at its next meeting. The speaker for the evening was Mr A. T. Harris, of Clinton, who gave a very interesting talk on “ Farming in Europe.” * v At the meeting of the Upper Clutha Club, held on May 14, at the residence of Mr W. A. Scaife, Glendhu, the speaker w£s Dr Douglass, whose subject was “Evolution.” : V , -V- * A notice has been.sent to all clubs reminding them of the South Island Stock Judging Competition,’ which is to be held for young farmers on July 13, at Lincoln College. In the sheep classes, Romneys Southdowns, English Leiceslers and Corriedales will be , judged. The cattle section comprises milking Shorthorns and dairy cows, whilst the pig section consists of baconers and breeding sows. Trophies will, be presented to those gaining the first three places in the sheep, cattle, and pig sections A trophy will also be presented to the member gaining the most points in the aggregate. Entries should be forwarded to Mr R. G. Jolly, Department of Agriculture, Christchurch, on or before Monday. July 8. Those requiring accommodation should inform Mr Jolly as soon as possible. * * * Advice has been recently received to the effect that Professor Hudson’s series of- lectures to various Young Farmers’ Clubs and others in Otago has been postponed.

» The monthly meeting of the Dipton Club was held on the Ist of this month, 12 members being present. The business of the meeting consisted of a discussion on the proposed concert and the choosing of a team for a practise debate. Following this the club joined the Farmers’ Union to see some films and hear a talk by Mr G. Herron. ¥ ¥ The South Taieri Club has decided to conduct its ploughing match again this year. . The desirability of holding •such a match may be questioned by some, but as all profits are'to be given • to the Patriotic Fund there can be i little doubt that the match will be well supported in entries and by the public, for this reason particularly. It will be held on the property of Mr F. Heenan, Maungatua, on _ Saturday, July 13, entries closing with Mr A. , M. McKenzie, on July 6. Five classes : are being provided:—Horses, high cut; ’ horses , two or three-furrow plain | ploughing; tractors, I,wo or more fur- [ rows, plain ploughing: digger ploughs, , single furrow, coulters barred; and ’ digger ploughs, two or more furrows, horses or tractors. Good prizes are being given , and programmes will shortly be available from the ploughing match secretary. * * -y By now members will doubtless be I aware of the fact that New Zealand ['■ has-been asked to produce a consider- \ able quantity of linen flax. Some 14,000 : acres are required to be sown down ’ in the crop next spring. Otago has a quota to fill. . This amounts to 5000 acres, all of which will have to be sown in limited selected areas in the 1 centre of each of which a retting or processing factory will be set up. The centres and acreages required are as follows: , Clydevale, 1000. Tapanui, 1500, ; Winton, 1500. , Probably Otautau, 1000. ■ Trials over several years have shown that these areas are the most suitable for tbe growing of linen flax and it is hoped that a ready response will be made by farmers within 15 miles of each centre to the appeals that will be , made in the near future by .officers of | the Fields Division of the Department ‘ of Agriculture. • : 1 Because of the importance pf this crop and the fact that few, if any, farmers in Otago have previously grown it commercially it is intended to give each week in this column details regarding the cultivation and ■ properties of-linen flax. DISPERSAL OF SOUTHDOWN STUD 1 ■ AN IMPORTANT SALE »■ * ' ' *,s ■ " '• ■v. ■ , Otago buyers were prominent at the > dispersal sale at Palmerston North last week, of Mr. A. S. Wheeler’s Southdown’ stud. The sale, which was con- > ducted by Messrs Dalgety and Co., in • conjunction with Messrs Wright. > Stephenson, and Co., was very largely 1 attended, buyers being present from 1 Auckland to Southland. The auction opened with the _two- > shear ewes, which averaged £ls 10s 2 4d, with the top price of 28gns. The • one-shear ewes averaged £9 10s 4d, r . with 17Jgns top price, and the three--1 Shear ewes averaged £l6 2s lid, with 65gns as top price. One ewe which brought 421gns was purchased by Mr i D. Robertson, of Kelso, while Mr H. J. Andrew. Maheno. paid 36gns for i another. The four-year ewes aver- ■ aged £ll 6s 4d, and in' this age the Top price ewe of the sale,was sold at 90gns. The five-year ewes averaged , £lO 3s 2d, with top prices 32igns and J 27|gns. and the aged .ewes averaged ! £ll 2s 3d, with 35gns top price. The I ewe hoggets averaged £5 5s 2d. Mr H. J. Andrew, of Maheno. taking the | top price hogget at 18gns. The average , for-the females was £lO 12s. ; The head of the flock. Ford Chris-' 5 tian 110/35, went to the bid of Mr A. 1 W. Pannett, of Clinton, for 35gns. other \ rams bringing. 56gns and 55gns. t The I stud ram hoggets averaged £24 13s Id. ' Mr Allan Grant, of Waimate. securing ’ the top price ram hogget at 82Jgns. , other ram hoggets selling well at ’ 65gns, 50gns, 42Jgns. 40gn,s, 37Jgns, 32Jgns. and 32gns. Flock ram hoggets ' averaged £4 12s lid, with one pen ’ selling up to Signs. The average for ‘ the stud males was £29 4s 4d, and the general average of all stud sheep sold was £l2 16s sd.