PRICES,

Otago Witness, Issue 1959, 10 September 1891, Page 7

PRICES,

The oat market ia a somewhat perplexing thing ; indeed a farmer would almost need to be an Admirable Crichton in order to approximately foretoll tha state of this market. Nothing seemed more probable a while after harvest than something like a boom in oata about this time ; yet, while it is true that thera ib a Blight improvement (auffioient to cover Btorage only), there is nothing like the rise in values whioh a number anticipated. Indeed, thus far there is actually a loss in keeping them in the case of any who had to get an advance in Btore. Few who last year utilised the Btores of grain-dealers repeated tbe experiment this year, as their experience that season was nofc very pleasant. But for all that there ia a great deal stored on tbe farms, notwithstanding the faot that for nearly two months after harvest so muoh was sold that tbe Railway department oould not always onload trucks in due time. Milling oatß are worth at our railway sidings at the present time la 4|d|; second milling, |d less. Sheep are atill continuing high in price, to the disappointment of thoße who held baok from buying. The minor produots of the farm are also fetching good prices. Locally butter brings from lOd to lid per pound, but some are receiving la 4d per pound for it by sending it to distant markets. This product is very scarce m the towns— ssarcer than it has bean for some years; but except in the qase of thoße who have moderately large dairies it would not pay to send it a considerable by rail, even though the carriage is not prohibitive. Dairying, speaking generally, is but little understood, principally because, as I suppose, the price ruling for dairy products baa been anything but remunerative. There is evidently a good time coming, however, for those who have a desire to carry on dairying

for the majority of farmers, in view of tbo high priceß ruling for mutton, will find it to their advantage to keep sheep in place of cows. And already this idea seems to be rooted in the minds of many farmers, for among aupporters of tb.B dairy factories one will find that cowa aro being disposed of, and that others contemplate doing bo. To apeak in a hackneyed fashion, most farmers have now sheep en tbo brain. Farmere receive 4£d for cheese, and the demand is strong. The tactorieß have done much good in the way of openicg up new markets for our dairy products and Riving other countries a knowledge of this colony's capabilities, and the protr.ocers of the different factories deserve all the encouragement thatoan be given thorn in their somewhat difficult undertskiag of establishing these industries.