STOCK AID GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 6

STOCK AID GRAZING NOTES.

By DnovEß.

Wukly Stock Sales : " \ Fortnightly: Burnßide, Wednesdays Balclutha, Fridays Invercr rgill, Tuesdays Gore, Tuesdays. Ashburton, Tuesdays Oamaru, Juuction Addington, "Wednesd'ys Yards, Tuesdays. Monthly : Periodically : Clinton, Talmorston, Heriot, Kelso, and Eyeand Winton. burn.

I [Communications of Interest to stockbreeders and dealers ar« oordlallj lnrltct. All jommanio»tiona to reach Witness offlco | not later than Monday night, l There wa3 a small yarding of fat oatfcle at Burnaide last week— indeed, there was little i£ any, priino beef. The bsst quality were light weights, and brought from £9 to £10 sa, being eagerly competed for, as there were only a very few pecs of this quality. Tho reab of tho cattle were of very medium, nob to cay inferior, quality, but owing to the supply of beef being this weefr r aa well as last, on tho small side, they aold wfcll at froi! £5 up to £8, being a good advance on previous ratea. (Some good cows brought up to £3, and some nice heifers up to £7 12s 6d. The. market w»s, I am glad to say, on this .occasion all in favour of sillera, and provided ytrdinga are kept at about 120 head we may expeofc to ace price 3 well maintained ; and I still consider that holders of cattle stock with facilities foe feading through the ntxb few mouths will ba abla to shake bands with themselves over tha prices that will rule in the spring for primo beef. Sonle very fair dairy cows brought from £3 10s to £4 53, and there is as usual ab this season a moderate demand for early calving cows among town and suburban dairymen. In otor3 cittla there 13 an active demand for well-grown stesrs, bub young stock are cob much inquired for ab present, and there is also only a poor market for dry cowa, those offered bsing principally culls from dairy herda. A good deal of culling in cur dairy herds it going on, and more will yet ba\e to be done, as farmers will now endeavour if possible to make 20 covrß produce what 30 did before, and this can be attained by culling out unprofitable cowa and feecl'ng well those which t-how profitable results. These culls should be speyed and fat« tened off in tbe summer, as purchasers for them will bs hard to find later on ia their usual lon condition, A moderate entry of 1694 fat sheep resulted in a much-improved sale from a seller's point oi view, this improvement being perhaps more marked in medium quality, although prim<} wolhor mutton found ready buyers at from 101 to lls 6d. Medium quality brought from 8s up

to 9i 6d, and some prime ewes from 8s 6d to 10s 6d. Merino wethers brought from 7a to '7a 6d. They werenice quality, but I have seen is good sold at 2s less a few weeks ago. Tho flaeep market seems to have rallied a bit, And an improvement may, I thiuk, be looked for. There is cow an improved inquiry for store sheep at fair rates, good crossbred wethers in forward condition bringing from 5s 6d to 7s 6d, and other sheep areaho selling at improved prices, although low enough in all conscience. Still) the scare that appeared to exist for some time is over, and business can now be done at moderate rates. There must have been a good clearing out, as all boiling-down establishments have been busy, and an improvement may be looked for, although nothing in the way of a decent rite in values of a permanent character can tike place until there is a marked improvement in the frozen meat trade in London, or some considerable Bftving made in freight and other charges to meet the low rangeof prices if no means can be taken to improve them. This question is one that should arouse the interest of all farmers, and is really a matter for their consideration to a far greater extent than t hi y seem to think. It is not so much one for agents and shipping companies, as their commissions and profits may go on as long as the frozen meat industry lasts, whether it ruins i the farmer ultimately or not. Of course it is j of interest to them, bat tte producer is the ultimate sufferer or gainer to the greatest extent. Some may think that a policy of masterly inactivity on their parb is the best line to follow ; aud they jnay trust to the off-chance of a speculative " juggins " coming alcng to give gocd prices for their mutton. This, to gome extent, has been the case in tho past, and farmers bad a very short-lived, gcod time while it lasted ; but I think that good time has gone by. Our freezing companies, and those who speculated, have by no means had a good time, and the goose that laid the golden eggs has been practically killed. We shall see no more of that sort of business, and it must not bo relied upon. Mr M. C. Orbell (of Geraldine now, but for many years a well-known Otago settler) has propounded what he terms a rough sketch of the measures be comiderß should be adopted to put tho frozen moat trade on a fair and profitable basis to the producers. His scheme differs but little from that of Mr D. J. Nathan, but does not entail the employment of such a j large capital. The main question is not whether I either of these schemes should be adopted. It is the duty of producers to consider what can be done to improve the trade. Both these schemes sbould help as a basis for the discussion of the subject. It seems to me that, in whatever scheme may be devised, farmers should co -operate, perhaps opt to any great extent financially— that would cot be required; for if all farmers took an active co-operative interest in any scheme a very small expenditure of money on each of their parts would be necessary. Active co-ope-ration on their part is what is needed, as with this it seems to me th&t the financial question will ba easily arrang d. There is no use farmers blaming the wicked middlemen, salesmen, fee, if they themselves do nothing afc all by combination to htlp towards the solution of the problems which deeply concern them. Perhaps many fatm-ira are bo full up with the prasent trouble that they have little heart or energy to consider any question, even though it be of great interest to them. I sincerely sympathise with all such, for the times are sadly out of joint, and our surroundings and outlook are not so cheerful &s one could wish. Nevertheless, this is the time to face all these questions, and I think that if we do so we shall soon fight oar way through. Farmers have to contend with all sorts of rings and syndicates, formed for the purpose of making money out of them and their produce. Why not let farmers combine, aud have some say in matters which so deeply concern them ? The market for pigs at Burnside was not by auj me at s brisk. Bacoa pigs brought hardly 3d i>et lb dead weight, while smaller sorts v/ero neglected. It is perhaps just as well for Mr Vccbt and the Intermarine Supply Company that farmers were slow to accept the offer they mi>de Borne time ago, as the bott.m has been fairly kuocked out of the London bacon market. Long6ides, Cumberland cvt — that is, with the hsm on— are worth only 33s per cwt, or a little over 3£d per lb, pigs being much cheaper in Holland, Deamark, and Ireland than in Now Zealand. However, the world moves i&sb nowadays, and the reaction is expected to come about by next October, as already the breeding of pigs his to a large extent been stopped in j Canada, Denmark, and Holland. Two years ego appearances seemed to indicate a bacon famine in Europe, and now there is an oversupply. It will take a season before pigs will be brought down to the normal level in Europe and America, and then there will be a chance for New Zealand, and we fchall, it is to be hoped, be able by that time to start an export trade. I see no reason why pigs cannot ba as cheaply produced in this colony as in any country iv the world, and if there ia any good reason why we cannot prcduce pork as well as many other things as cheaply as other countries the eooner we knowit and applyaremedv tlebe'^e; 1 . It is not because oi any fault in our climate or Boil, for in these respects we are on fully rq.ial terms with any country. It may, however, lie in the fact that in the post we have as farmer* tried to make moDey tcore by speculation in whatevtrcd seem at the time to present the prospect of rapid money-making rather than in a Steady continuance in proper mixed farming, giviDg every branch of farming suitable to our land and conditions its due proportion of attention. I think farmers who have done this are in a belter position now than those who have not so carried on their operations. Doubt'ess ■ our bitter experience will by th's time fcave taught us some of those lessons, and we shall $ etHc down now to steady and profitable work. I am glad to think that there is something cheerful to say about the grain market. Wheat

a good slice of this money may get into the ] pockets of some of these in exchange for some very '• stiff" securities which they now hold instead of into the borrowing farmer's pocket. Some critics think it will cause money to be I withdrawn by present lenders and result in a still further scarcity. As a matter of fact the question whether the lending is to be managed on entirely business principles and quite apart from political or other influences will affect the result very materially. If this is done it seems reasonable to suppose that the Advances to Settlers Act may prove a great blessiDg and may be further carried on as required. Politics and political influences, however, are a sore temptation and stumbling block to any government (aud not to our present Government more than othera) in the administration of an act of this kind, but the results will, I hope, justify those who assisted to pass the acb by bringing relief and benefit to many a struggling farmer. If present values of land are taken by competent valuators there caunob be much risk, as surely we are at bedrock values now. At the Glasgow and West of Scotland Discussion Society's meeting lately, Mr Thomas Fulton, of Shiels Farm, Renfrew, read a paper on " Recent Implements," in which he gave the following early history of the plough :— This ia the principal implement of field tillage. It figured in the ancient monuments of Egypt, and is mentioned in the inspired writings of Moses. A law of the Romans was that no man should guide a plough till he could make one. The ol'i Scotch vlouah was a strong, heavy imi-le-ment, made of wood, 13ft in length, and 20in round the . iddle of the beam. A vartwright (or sho-iM I pl'iugliwj i^ht ?) went to the farm iv the morni»s, cut down a tree, made the plough, and fini lied it bif ore he t >ok his supper. The eh- .uijht of some of tlipm was 15cwt. The first to inn rovothe .Sc> teh plough was James Small, bom in lJt-rwickshiie about the year 1740. After that came the " Wilkie," named after the maker, who was a'bistcd in hi* ideas by Mr John Findlay, farmer, Cainbuslang. Since then we have had high-cutters which have neither been beneficial to the farmer nor to the crops ; very hard to hold, very hard to draw on account of the friction falling upon a few spots, whereas the friction on the "Dux" aud the Canadian U& plough h equally divided from the point of the share to the tail of the reUt. Mr Fulton seems, to my mind, to be very conservative— not to say High Tory— in his ideas as to ploughs. The essayist then proceeded to describe new Canadian and American ploughs, the flexible hatiMw, the new American cultivator or grubber, oil engines, the corn drill, the M'Cormick, Hussey, and Hornsby reapers and binders, the doubles-drill artificial

ideas as ib has done those held by their grand- ' fathers, who predicted awful results from Stevenson's railway engines. So far as Icm judge by the discussion this machine is not yet adapted for hand power, and I don't know that it is an advance on the Brook-iide milker, which ib woiking with "great acceptance" (as they say of the ministers) in many quarters north and south. Messrs Kith and Vernon, of Toe- Toes, near Fortress, only the other day told me that they were pleased with it, and intended using it more extensively. If it will enable us to cheapen the price of milk— that is, produce milk cheaper— l hops our farmers will tike a different and more enlightened view of the matter than our West of Scotland friends, for we at aHyrate do want to cheapen production. The outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia among the Queensland cattle on board the s.s. Perthshire en route for London will be a hindrance, if no* a severe blow, to the development of the trade in live catble for the London market. No doubt steps will be taken to let it be known that these were not New Zealand cat.le, aud perhaps it will be advisable to place restrictions on such shipments, or prevent vessels carrying cattle from Queensland calling at New Zealand ports at all. It is a matter of serious consequence, and though the cattle are not from New Zealand, we must regret it and sympathise with the Quoenslanders, who, it is to be hoped, will prohibit the export of cittlo from districts infected with this disease. Messrs Mori'zson and Hopkin intend to take advantage of the large number of country visitors expected in town during the Winter show week to throw open their extensive premises for public inspection. They invite all to call upon them while in town during the agricultural Winter show, as their premises and machinery will be open for inspection for the whole three days, the machinery being kept working, showing the whole process. They especially ask any farmers who have very foul ryegraas not cleaned yet to send it in, and they will clean ib their presence, even if it contains go:se and hairgra*s, cape weed, Yorkshire fog, sorrel, dock, turnip, rape, aud clover seeds, ergot, &c. As showing to what advantage clover may be grown in Otagoand Sjuthland, I may mention that this season 1000 sacks of cover haads in one line have been harvested iv Southland and shipped to Christohurch to be cleaned,

the fittings, which cost £40, should be worth something in London. The company put the cheep on board at 11s, and Tumbull, Martin, and Co. charged 10j for freight, but any surplus realised over 11s was to be divided between the two companies, and as there is » surplus of j 7s sd, tha New Zealand and Australian Land Ccmpany will get 14s B£d for tbeir sheep, and j Tumbull, Martin, and Co. will get 13s B£d per j head for freight. Mr Brydone, his company, and Mesflrs Turnbull-Maitin are to be congratu- , lated on this pioneering experiment being so successful. It was never anticipated that the 251 cheep would be all landed alive and in good j order. , The question of carrying sheep safely appears to have been solved, and now ib seems only » question of what the shipping companies can carry for. I tuva before pointed oub th»t they cannot profitably do it for 10a per head, but with a little more experience ib 13 probable that i savings can be made iv other directions wbioh would help. The fibtiugs, for instance, in the Banffshire's fhipment cost £40, which was excesaive, and should bs reduced in future, or the carrying steamers might have permanent fibtings ready for putting up when the trade is further developed. It is also supposed that had the sheep been allowed to have been sold alive in the Islington market instead of bsiug killed at Deptford they would have realised considerably more. Dear Dkover, — Your correspondent's ("Southland ") faith would be a little shaken in his idol MrM'Ewan were he to study the vagaries of that gentlem-ui's decisions at the Hawera show ; aud as " Sjubhland " seems to think Mr Sawers assisted there, let me assure him that Mr M'Ewan takes all responsibility for the awards as they were placed. Mr Sawers was there for instruction, which "Southland" will find to his cost at the Winter show should he come forward. I trust we shall hear from " Southland " when he wins the cup, and in the meantime I shall be pleased to give him a few of Mr M'Bwan's decisions to unravel (if he can), provided he understands the conditions of entry at Hawera. — I am, &c, Exhiuitob. I must leave some one who understands the question to answer this, but let it ba understood that I express no opinion as to the relative merits of Messrs Sawers or M'Bwan; indeed, I thiuk them both highly capable experts. I don't thiuk Mr S&wera would judge even were he asked, as the fact of his relatives being very , able competitors would make it a delicate matter for him.

scorns to be by no means in oversupply, and velvet and Tuscan are quoted locally at up to 2s lid, with an aotive demand for all good milling camples. There have been some large speculative purchases in Canterbury, and that made by Messrs R. Andersouand Co. of 120,000 bushelfl, the produce of Mr John Grigg's Longfceach es'ate, is likely to lead to litigation, a southern firm claiming prior right, I understand, to the purchase. This indicates tb.it more people than Messrs R Anderson and Co. consider that wheat is gcod property and likely to become profitable, and I am certainly among that number, and I rather think that farmers generally are inclined fco hold for better prices. In this they will almost Inevitably be right, as the London markets show marlud signs of improvement. In fact, judging by every condition except the bimetallic one, there seems no rceson why wheat has hitherto remained bo low in price, and there ia every reason to expact an improvement, as the production in the colony was small last season. Australian markets are also showing an improvement in prices. In oats there is also an improved demand. Shipping business is brisker, and as it is well known that supplies are not by any means excessive, an improvement may be looked for in this line also. The successful notation of the New Zealand million and a-halE loan is a matter for congratulation, and it is to be hoped that the distribution of tbi.i money will help our farmers who are able to take advantage of it, and have influence enough to secure their share of it. If it has the result of cheapening the rate of interest on loans to farmers it will be a good thing, and I hope this will be the case. Some critics outtide the colony seem to doubt this, saying that it will result in the Government Lending Board getting all the gill-edged securities, and leaving the ordinary money lender the inferior ones. Now, my fear is that the reverse will b8 the cane, as the ordinary money lender, though childlike and bland like the heathen Chinee, is very artful, and more than a match for Government Lending Board officials, and it is just possible that

tnftnuvaeower, &c. Most of these machines aro fairly familiar to many in Now Zealand, and could hardly ba called rocent implements hero. Ho also gave the Following account of the "thistle" milking machine. The milking machine on the ta'ile is that patented by Shiels and Elliot wiih Dr ShicK's jmlsatiup teat. As far as I have se<ui, this it> llio best milking machine which Ins yet ben iuventcd. I have si en it at work cm three hctfns, and it inilkeJ tlicm ns w.-ll us any du'rymakl could. I b.iveaLsO .-oen it <tt wcrk at ftfr Wallace's, of Au>\~ nbr.im, wliere f«T six months it lyts been use 1 on a herd of the (iutst onvs in Ayrshire with large teats., It lt.fi nothing in the uddtrs, but stripped the cows ks puifuctly as could htve been done by the bi ¥ st milkers. The machine had been iv opera tiou at l/mailc for 12 months, and at Aucbenbrain for six months, at the time of my visits. Several machines of a smaller size are at present beiug put up at one or two dairie?. 'Jhe groat principle in this m ichine is the vacuum. The exhaust is driven by an air pump, and a two-horse power engine is large enough to milk 20 cows at a time. The most interesting feature in the machine is the pulsating teat cups. Their t-imilarity to hand milking and the pulsating action of the calf's tongue on the teat is very marked ; and at an illustr.it ion of this it may be mentioned that the machine has been used on a cow whose calf had suckled her, and when it was withdrawn the cow looked rounl just as she would have done had her ctlf left her. It milks the cow in from 4jmin to 6min. A man and a boy cm work th i machine for an ordina y dairy herd. Some milking machines do not fiota the milk very well ; but this patent of Shiels EIH jt do sso quite as well as hand milkiug. You will notice that th's vessel i 3 fiitid with a glass globe, and shows the ri.-ing of the ftvth and also the method of w rkiug. These glass globes add considerably to the cost, but are n t c sentisil to the principle, and in fitting up the machine a considerable saving can be effected by dispensing with them. The teats after being operated on by this ciiu are left nice and pliable. Altogether Hie machine is likely to effect a revolution in many departments of dairy fuming. For one Ihiuir, it ■will without doubt, when it comes into general use, have the tendency to lower the price of milk. i Mr Fulton's remarks as to ths effect of the machine in lowering the price of milk gave the cue to his brother farmers, and th«y more or less " damned " (I mean, of course, condemned, bnt condemned hardly exprosses the feeling displayed, so I use the word in its Shakespearean sense) the machine on thig account. They are a tiifle conservative and old-fashioned, these West of Scotland farmers, but the exigencies of the times will lift them along and expand their

I have always had my doubts as to the bona fides of Nlw Soulh Wales freetrade. All best ib has never been anything but a sort of bastard freetrade. They never were "sound on the gooso," and even now, und-:r Mr Reid'B loudlyvaunled freetrade policy, they are to "ret tin all the old specific duties of the previous freetrade admuiUtiation until Juno 13, 1896. These duties of tho previous freelrnde administration iijc'ude 2'l on elites", butter, hams, and b.icon, | and on other New Zealand produce. I have my doubts, too, as to whether the duties on grain will be allowed to remain off. I don't think New Zealand producers have much to hope for in the New South Wales so-called freetrade p&licy, as none of our produce will, to far as I can see, have free entry. Protection is an almost incurable disease when once it enters the body politic, and is as hard to shake off as leprosy,, for it clings to the very bones. In connection with the Banffshire live sheep shipment, the New Zealand and Australian Land Company have received a cable from London to the effect that the shipment arrived in good order, that they were suitable for the croßsbreds, and 383 for tho half breds. This result Home market, and that they sold at 43s for the hardly bears oub the ii 6tructions which constantly come out from the frozen meat salesmen not to ship heavy sheep, as they are not in favuuc at Homo. The crossbreds by the B&nffshiro were big, caarae sheep, wh eh I estimated as averaging 80lb, but perhaps 751b would be a fairer estimate. The halfbrfcds were 101b lightat, ttnd of very good quality. Taking the erossbrtds at 751b, icalismg as they did 43% they give 6 88d per lb, and the halfbreds at 651b, realising 38<, give 7d per lb, so that tho difference is realty immaterial. The result of the shipment comes out as follows : — • Freight £0 10 0 Feed, fittincs, attendance, &c 0 13 7 Total charges £13 7 per sheep. Tho average price realised for the crossbreds and halfbreds, 251 in number, was 425, which leaves 18s 5d per sheep here. There may be some London chargeß against the sheep, but

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