STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2231, 3 December 1896, Page 6

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

B? DaovEß. Weekly Stock Sales : Invercargill, Tuesdays. Burnside, Wednesdays Monthly: Ashburton, Tuesdays Clinton, Palmerston, Addtngton, Wedneso ys an Jj ■\V[ n ton." Fortnightly : Periodically : Balclutha, Fridays Heriot, Kelso, and Eye Gore, Tuesdays 1 burn. Oamaru, Tuesdays. | [Communioatlonu of interest to itooltbreeders ani dealers »ro h)rJl«lly iuTited. All aommunlontiom to roach Witness office got later than Ifondaj night, 1 Ehe sale 3at Burnside last week were afailure, and in future on show and race time ib j would be well to give Burnside yards a h«li- j day altogether, and pass the sales for that week, as is done at Addington when the Christchurch people have, their racing carnival and i show week. The yarding of cattle was only , 100, about 40 of which were fair beef. The j attendance of buyers was small, and most of j the cattle were passed in to wait till the majority ! of butchers and other buyers are in attendance. The butchers generally may be regarded as a sporting section of the community, and during thia week they generally take a holiday, some of them, along with some farmers alto, preferring legitimate gambling at the races to the uncertain and expensive exoitemenb of the kind protided at Burnside generally. On any sales that were made prices showed a decline, but I don't consider this as a criterion of the value of Battle. In a rectufc issue of the British Journal of the Board of Agriculture a detailed account of the progress of the weighing of cattle in public markets in England and Scotland is given. In gcotland, out of 74,785 head which entered the icheduled markets during the second quarter of 1896, no less than 22,176 wore weighed. During the corresponding quarter of 1895 the number was 19,887. This shows a considerable increase. With regard to England, it is stated that neither Ashford, Birmingham, nor Lincoln show a single use of the weighbridge during the quarter, while the weighing of four animals only cut of 16,000 at York places this city in the same unsatisfactory category, and indicates the failure of the cattle-owners in these districts to appreciate the facilities which the Legislature has provided for the marketing of their stock. These defective returns contrast very strongly with others, and particularly with a case like that of Dundee, where, in a relatively small market, out of 4916 cattle exposed for, sale during the quarter the weighing of 3294, or jaearly 67 per cent., is reported, and the prices "of all the weighed animals have been duly xecorded. --^.. Mr. M'Jannefc still perseveres with his advo- * sacy of selling by weight, and sends ma the following copy of a letter he has addressed to the Scottish agricultural papers : — SELLING OATTT.E BY THE OWT. Sir,— lt beine now six eioatha since Mr Binaifl.

auctioneer, Falkirk, started to sell fat cattle by the cwt, it may be of interest to your readers to know what progress he has made. At first a few old farmers had doubts about the introduction of the American system of selling fat stock, but they appear to have been gradually convinced of its advantage*, so that now every beast sold at Falkirk is exposed at so much per cwt. Mr Binnie's weekly advertisements state, t 'All consignments sold by the cwt, live weieht," and these announcements have attracted the atten- i tion of feeders of fat stock all over Scotland— from Eo3B-shire in the North to Kirkcudbrightshire in the south— with the result that splendid animals. | both cattle and sheop, have been sent from all J parts for sale by weight, and this, beyond any- j thing else, has convinced Mr Binnie— -who is > simply an auctioneer— that there are among , Scottish farmers a large number who believe in the system, and will gladly avail themselves of n when proper facilities are given. A reference to any agricultural papers shows that in July 1895 Mr Binnio had at his weekly sales an average of 88 head of fat cattle, while in July last his average was 106, or an increase of 18 head per week. Again, in Augu -t 1895 his average was 106, against 116 in the corresponding month of thi» year, an increase of 10 head per week. All these extra cattle, I believe, came from farms beyond Mr Binnie's district— from the districts, in short, of other auctioneers who are opposed to the system, or at least deUy its adoption in their auction marts. It will be seen from the foregoing that Mr Binnio's adoption of this system has been highly successful, and it has also proved beneficial to himself otherwise, as it, not only enables him to^get through his work mora quickly, hut allows him longer time to give three fair calls" before the. fall of his hammer, thereby obviating complaints of stock being knocked down to buyers " rather sharply," which are frequently heard in some auction marts. The clerk of the sale is provided with a ready reckoner so arranged that whenever an ox is sold he can place j his ringer on the exact price— there being thus no ! delay. In many auction marts, although the weights of cattle are exhibited or declared to buyers, the auctioneers continue to sell by the slump, saving their clerks turning up leady reckoners, but really compelling butchers to make rapid mental calculations based upon the live weight exhibited or declared. Cattle being seldom more than 20 seconds under the auctioneer's hammer, it is hardly possible for buyers to calculate the value 'of the odd stones— if any— which are consequently lost to the seller. The fairest method, thei efore, ! to both buyer and seller is to sell by live weight, j ! and I hope that the successful 'introduction or j this system by Mr Binnie may induce other i auctioneers to follow his example and adopt it, out and out— l am", 4c., . John M'Jannet. Stirling, September 3. j New Zealand has bow become a spectacle to the whole of Europe — if not for admiration, ; | certainly for wonder and keen interest in our ! experimental legislation and the dashing and almost reckless manner in which we oast aside all the old-world notions of political economy, | finance, and legislation generally, and execute reforms in a month that would take these slowgoing people a century to effect. I don't i express any opioion regarding these matters ; j I am over 40, and perhaps don't see things in the same light as our young people of 20 or ! 80, who constitute the main body of those who I have the destinies of the colony in their handa ; but some of these rapid moves rather frighten me as to their ultimate effect. I like reform, however, and especially in some matters appertaining to farming. The Eelling and marketing of both live stock and frozen mutton interest me greatly, and I am sure much reform is needed in these matters all round. The selling of cattle and sheep by live weight should be given a trial, and I am of opinion that at Bnrnside this could be done if those who generally supply the stock made it plain to the agents that they would like ib tried. lam confident the Saleyards Company would lend their assistance too. At our forthcoming winter show one of the most interesting items would be the weighing of stock, with a series of guessing competitions going on. This would be interesting to the public and I am sure profitable to the A. and P. Society, and I hope they will gire the matter consideration, There was a very small yarding of sheep (only i about 500), but it was quite enough at that time, i as butchers were well supplied on the previous week. Prices, in consequence of the small yarding, showed a 6light improvement on those of the previous week. At present the Canterbury market is duller than our own, and generally speaking the prospects for big prices, or even decent prices, are nob hopeful. I have before pointed out that the prices given for freezers during the past winter and spring were nob legitimate values. Those speculators who bought on their own account will lose heavily, and the shipping companies who'boughb to earn some sorb of freight or to fill their steamers will make no freight at all as far as one can judge from the London prices cabled. Farmers, however, have benefited, especially if they have been careful to eschew buying stores at prices based on the ratea that have ruled for fab sheep. Prices for the next six months will be. based on London values only k the eiaosius

companies will have no need to buy against one another ; so that farmers will have to rely on buyers at true commercial value. Certainly > that value might be increased greatly by the reform and better conduct of the trade, as advocated by myself and others, and it would bo well if a little more steadiness prevailed in the business. After the six months are over, if sheep are not too plentiful, we may again see the shipping people competing against one another, and prices may once more go up in the astounding manner they did last winter and spring. Ido not think, however, this ia likely j to bo the case. All competing in this bu-iness must have burned their fingers severely, and they will certainly try to arrange matters among themselves to avoid giving more than value for j mubton with a view to securing their own ! freight, which they have nob had lately. These j are my ideas ; bub the uiwxp; cted often happens, and it does nob do bo hi " cockouro " about anybhing nowadays. Nearly 400 lambs were yarded— far too many, — and. prices were down Is or 2s. Farmers make a mistake in sending their best lambs to this market at present. They will do batter to keep the " tops," and let them go to help up the whole lino when the buyers for freez- i ing come round. I anticipate fair rates for lambs for early shipment. The Victorians h*ve foresballed us in the erection of refrigerating stores at Freemantle ; but I think there is room for New Zealand there yet, and that such a store would prove profitable. Something really should bs done ; to secure a fair 3hare of this trade. We could i supply frozen meat, 'butter, cheese, and all ] other produce better than even Victoria, and i the trade is worth securing. Already in tinned meats some of our most enterprising manufacturers have secured a large portion, if not the bulk; of the trade. The show was a gre&b success, and must have gratified the management as much as ifc reflects credit on Mr Dufchie, the energetic secretary, and his hard-working committee. The clerk of the weather was kindly disposed, and everything wenc off well. The reports in the Witness are so full and complete that really nothing is left me to" say on the matter. Now our thoughts and work must be concentrated on making our great winter show and the inauguration of the big Agricultural Hall a success ; and ib will undoubtedly be one of the greatseb and moat useful shows ever held in New Zealand. The j great thing now required is plenty of competition by dairymen and all farmers iv every branch of agriculture. The objeofc aimed at should be to compare our products with those of others. It is not a question of winning prizes merely : don't leb us make ib a mere *' pot- i hunting " affair, but one of keen friendly competition and comparison. The grain market is active, and a sharp rise is bo be recorded, »3 I was far-seeing enough to predicb some time ago. In wheab the market is very strong. Sales were frequent both in Oamaru and Chrisbcburch last week at 4s 4d to 4s Bd, f.0.b., and at the end of the week 5s was reached for several large lines. Holders in Oamaru are evidently nob satisfied thab the top i has been reached yet, as some still refuse even | ss. The weather all over Australia is unfavour- j able for crop prospects, and it is hard to say how j prices will open now. At one time I thought 4s ' would be as much as could ba hoped for, bub I do not despair of even 5s being the opening rats now. South Australia must import, and ib certainly looks as if Victoria will nob have sufficient for food and seed requirements. The Australasian, early in November, pointed this out, and since then the weather and prospects of even a fair estimated average yield of five bushels to the acre, which was then calculated to about supply food and seed, have by no means improved, and ib is almost certain the estimate will nob be nearly attained. Be Californian wheat and what ib ca« bo imported for, the Australasian of November 6 says t — " The coet of importing Californian j wheab in the present etate of the outside market would probably be about 6s 3d to 6s 4d." I presume thia price includes tho Victorian protective <iu»y ; bus looking at; present European and , American markets, I should say ib would cosb at least 5s 6d to import Californian whoafc. We shall hear a lob about Californian wheat and what ib can be imported for. Speculators will ; play it off ag&insfc us, bub they won't plunge, ag , some did laat season, as they lost heavily on ib. , fl#the»ejMoteebivo duties ia Queensland, Vio-

toria, and South Australia, ib strikes mo that the bulk of the people will have an experience of the " blessings " of protection this season that will make them think it "a blessing in disguise"—very much so indeed, I should say. O*bs are right, and holders s-hou'd be firm. At this time of year the demand is iu.t usually quite so great. Prospects for the opening of the season are good, and I should thick ifc" will open at over 2s. The small birds are causing much growling and very emphatic exprecsiors of opinion on tho part of farmer?, bu*i it striken tne wt arf too late again to do anything, and so must content ourselves with protesting in language possibly "frequent and free." Next yew we should arrange matters ahead, as the birds do, and act together. Nothing bub combined and simultaneous action will be effective. There is no use one farmer botheriug himself fco poison or destroy birds. All must 'do ib if we are. to cope with the pest, and we must have something done to make all baar a hand in this — " Lifting the aisy ones," &c. The stormy and web weather lately prevailing has, I can sco, prevented pollard poisoning being carried on, and tbe rabbits are getting ahead rapidly. I would urge all to take advantage of the dry weather oau carry on this goad work energetically. If the rabbits have received a check, and I think they have, ib is largely due to active summer poisoning. Therefore let us persevere, for this. summer poisoning as a check on the rabbits is in my opinion more valuable bb.au winter poisoi.ing, although perhaps not so profitable bo the rabbiter. Tnat, however, is of little consequence in considering the question at large. Farmers' interests lie in destroying rabbits ; rabbiters' interests lie in th< direction of an increased supply of these animals. We should always bear this in mind. 16 reminds me of a ?aying often used — viz , " What is one man's meat is another man's poison."