THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24782, 5 December 1941, Page 8

THE RURAL WORLD

THE WINTON SHOW A SUCCESSFUL EXHIBITION The Winton Agricultural and Pastoral Association's annual show, held at Winton last Saturday, attracted good support in all sections, and proved a distinct success. ' A marked improvement was shown in the Clydesdale section compared with previous years. A daughter of Mr A. H. Gerrard's Netherton Mac, Tunima Violet, owned by Mr J. S. Anderson, was selected as the champion of champions. She well deserved the honour, being one of the best mares seen at Winton shows for many years. The class which attracted most competition was that for two-year-old Allies, and from the eight entries Mr T. W McKenzie's Calcium Sunbeam, another daughter of Netherton Mac. was singled out for first place. The working geldings were of a good type, A full brother to Phar Lap was included among the thoroughbred entires, but had no competition in his class for three-year-olds and over. Mr F, E. Gilligan's yearling colt, sired by Siegfried, was prominent inAis class, and in the two-year-old filly class the entry of Mr J. J. Woods was noteworthy for her excellence. The trotting horses, comprised a good quality section, the champion, owned by Mr J. C. Lindsay, being a splendid type of animal. Cattle Exhibits Only Friesians, Jerseys, and Milking Shorthorns were represented in the cattle section, and the competition was not keen in any section. Mr James Brown was the only exhibitor of Friesians, but he paraded a strong string from his well-known Waianiwa stud, the cattle being in superb condition and showing plenty of quality. lii the Jersey section. J. G. Pullar and Son were the most prominent exhibitors, and gained both championships, but there was a sprinkling of entries from other studs. The cows were well up to standard, but there were/few bulls except in the yearlings.'' The winner in that class was a bull of North Island breeding which Mr Pullar recently sold at the record price for Southland of lOOgns. The Milking Shorthorn classes were fairly well patronised. The entries were brought out well, the aged, class being the most strongly supported among the cows. The heifer classes were a credit to exhibitors. Only two bulls were brought forward, among which the three-year-old was a good level beast. New Sheep Exhibitors

The sheep sections brought out some new exhibitors who had not previously exhibited their stock. They took the place of several more seasoned breeders, and the policy of the association in encouraging fresh blood in the competition was justified by the excellence of the display.

The breed which is the basis of most successful, Southland flocks, Romney Marsh, was satisfactorily represented, and in several classes the competition was very keen. The entries, the general condition of which was uniformly good, were confined to local breeders, and the fact that the average merit did not suffer thereby was indicative of the district's ability to rival any others in the wealth of its pastures and the discrimination of its breeders. The entries from Mr John Ryan (Bayswater), which took most of the major awards, were outstanding. This breeder took both the ram and ewe championships, and won also in the two classes in which there was the greatest competition. The-rams in the 1 natural condition classes were showing the effects of the weather, especially in the case of the older animals. Less Bloom Than Usual

The wet weather in the spring was responsible for. the absence of the usual amount of bloom on the wool in the Southdown classes. The judge (Mr W. G. Ladbrook, of Benio) was of the opinion that breeders should pay more, attention to the lower jaws of the sheep,' there not being enough N room oh the narrow pads for the teeth. Several outstanding sheep included the champion ram, owned by Mr James Campbell,' whose honours were closely contested by a well-bred hogget owned by Mr W. S. Horrell. There was nothing outstanding among the ewes. The ewe hoggets were well grown, but not well matched.

The season has been against the production of the best of fat lambs, but the entry was very good. It would' be difficult to find in the province any better pen of six than that of Messrs S. and R. Evans which won the Winton lamb championship. They were exceptionally well finished. The winning pen of three fat lambs most suitable for butchers' purposes was composed of lambs which, having been born early in the season, were outstanding. In the Ryeland section all the awards went to S. and R. Evans, and in the class for English Leicesters S. and R. Evans and McLeish Bros, shared the honours. NEW QUARANTINE STATION New Zealand stud stock breeders will be pleased to know that a new quarantine station for cattle, sheep and pigs has been set up by the British Ministry of Agriculture to replace the London station closed down on the outbreak of war. The new station is at Netherton Farm, Westerton, Glasgow. It will be used for the detention and isolation, in accordance with conditions imposed by certain importing countries, of cattle, sheep and pigs, before their embarkation at Glasgow.

By RUSTICUS.

WHEAT VARIETIES CROSS 7 INCREASE The statistical return of the areas sown or intended to be sown this season in the Dominion shows that Cross 7 is steadily forging ahead of Tuscan as the main variety. The actual areas of Cross 7 sown for the 1940-41 season represented 41.63 per cent, of the total, Tuscan being 38.44 per cent. For the 1941-42 season the Cross 7 area has increased to 46.71 per cent., and Tuscan has declined to 34.52 per cent. Hunter varieties have declined from 8.39 per cent, to 7.54. Practically all the spring varieties have declined—Marquis from 1.01 per cent, to 0.48 per cent., and Jumbuck from 2.12 per cent, to 1.25. Tainui shows a very small fractional increase and Taiaroa remains the same—-0.08 per cent. These figures indicate that the amount of spring sowing this year has been very small. Of the total crop Tuscan varieties represent 90.05 per cent, as against 87.69 last year. RECORDING OF PROGENY BY PIG CLUBS The Canterbury District Pig Council, at a meeting this week, passed a resolution dealing with the recording of progeny by pig clubs. The text of the motion is: That a circular be sent to all pig clubs soliciting support for the recording of all club'progeny, and asking them to appoint small committees to look after this when the supervisor or stock inspector is not available. This is to be followed where possible by the carcass evaluation scheme and that a recommendation be made to clubs to offer a prize to their members or those owning club stock for the most points gained in the council's bacon competition.