FARM & STATION

Otago Witness, Issue 1784, 30 January 1886, Page 6

F ARM & STATION

AGRICULTURAL AM) PASTORAL AFFAIRS THK SITUATION* Apart from the direct influences exercised oh agricultural and pastoral pursuits following the all round depreciation in values of products; the unprecedented drought of this season lias intensified the p Tplexities of farmers and graziers. Althoiuyi last autumn was on the whole favourable, i 0 is well understood that a less area than usu»l was put under wheat, and spring sown occupies a very inconsiderable extent. Until some six weeks ago the crop, however, was favourably reported on, but since then a continuance of bleak winds has left it on all but the most f srtile lauds so stunted that the prospects of aay thing approaching former averages appears t ) be out of the question. In portions of Canter^ ury and occasional districts in Otago early sevn wheats are still looking fairly well} but tin* later sown ( as Well as oats and barley all over the country, are short and weakly. A good rainfall three weeks would have repaired liiucli of the injury inflicted by the drought, becirtse had such occurred the cereals would ha\ a filled well in the ear, although short in btraw, but the only gleam of hope now entertained is that the quality of the yield will be superior provided propitious harvesting weather be experienced. The most discouraging outl >ok, however, is in regard to the pastures and green crops. These generally in this variable climate have hitherto been exceptionally luxuriant. At tne time of writing thu pastures, whether natural or artificial, are brown and scanty, with the additional drawback lll1 1 it the grasses are lebs nutritious. Oattle and -.heep do not fatten up to the experience of prevl him seasons, and milk yields le&s butter by 20 p t cent. Owners of stock are marketing cattlo ;.ud sheep at ruinously low prices, notwithstanding the improved rates for frozen mutton in 1 lie London market. This is solely attributable ' o the fears justly entertained of short supplies ot • winter food, for turnips — if not an absolute failure, as the crop is in the majority of instances — will be far short of usual requirements. Latterly farmers have adopted the Home country practice of manuring and drilling for turnips, but rom plaints are general this season that the dri.led crops, owing to the drying winds, have ei'licr never brairded or have been destroyed by the fly. The present portion as sketched above and without exaggeration fairly represents the adverse circumsta; r:es which immediately affect farming and gras-'mg pursuits iv the South Island. The pei fcinent question arises, and even now is very w idely discussed, how are the difficulties to be o\ >rcome ? Some will have jt that owing to the low yield of wheat in Victoria and South Austral : a, as well here, the available surplus for export from the Australasian Colonies will this year be inconsiderable in the extreme. This idea is strengthened by the fact that prime wheat > are now hardening in our local markets ; ami. further, that the few holders of such parcels are indisposed to sell. Superior qualities of oats are .scarcely obtainable, although the prices offered preclude, at the present time, shipments to Australia. The conclusion to be arrived at is that never before were stocks of wheat and oats at i.iiis time of the year so light. This, combined -with the short crop of the season, would appear, in connection with European and A nerican advices, to justify expectations of ■■uhanced values during the coming cereal se-uson. Farmers who purpose and can afford to hold their grain must perforce sell to meet engagements immediately after harvest, aud therefore unless speculators operate extensively the mn rkets will probably be glutted for a time, and }> rices consequently moderate. But the wheat ci ops in America, Russia, and several European states are now known to have been indifferent, a id the perfectly safe inference here, with the Knowledge that the Australasian returns will exhibit a great falling off, is that later in tl. >. cereal season of 1886 better prices will be obt-tined. The effect of th • drought is, however, of paramount concern bo in to farmers, who now largely depend on returns from cattle and sheep, and, necessarily, to extdisivo graziers. Sure indication of the pressure anticipated during the incoming winter are afforded by the general debire to reduce stock, i^at cattle and sheep now hell at a shade over bcvling-down prices, aud yet still the glut in the mil rkct continues, because there are no prospects of whiter feed. Seasonable rains now would p-bUbritate the pastures, nevertheless everything in condition will be sold during autumn because of the scare. The inevitable result will most assuredly be that next spring fat stock will be scarce and dear. There has been one imu.sdiate benefit which has accrued from the altered circumstances, viz., the subsidence of pri.-os asked for stores to their relative value to fatted stock. Dairy farmers are in a better position than others, because, with their land well in hand, catch-crops may be grown which would materially provide for tho ilpficient turnip crap and further help on well into the spring, when the roots have been consumed. Just as there are indications of an unusual scarcity of beef and mutton next spring there is almost the certainty of a scant supply of dairy produce. Cowkeepers should remember that " poor grass lands and no cultivation won't pay." Their cultivation of turnips this year is not a success, and they must avail themselves of other means at hand to supply the deficiency. To sum up, it is already apparent many devices will be resorted to which would have been scouted in previous seasons.