STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 7

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

By Dhoteb. Weekly Stcck Sales : Fortn'ghtly : Eurnsiae, Wednesdays Invercargi'l, Tuesdays Askburton, Tuesdays u™ti,L,. Addington, Wednesdays nr , Mon^- „ I Clinton, PalmerßtorFortnightly: Winton, and Wai- . BaJclutba, Fridays kouaiti. Gore, Tueadayg J'enodicalhj Oaiuaiii, Tuesdays f-Heriot, Kelso, and Kye burn. Since the Dunedin winter show I have been on a visit to the Pahnerston North winter show, and therefore' have nothing to say on the subject of the sales at Burnside and Addington last week. Prices seeir to be well maintained, and the only thing worthy of notice is that North Island sheep continue to be landed at Lyttelton. La?t week some 1800 -were brought down from Auckland in the Wanaka. It makes one think that sheep values in Auckland are hardly appreciated, for, I should think, that province cannot be overstocked with sheep, nor can winter feed be scarce there

unless there is some great want of for< r thought on the part of farmers in the [ part of the colony. Sheep continue, als< "" to go through Dunedin .Railway fclfcaiio ' to Canterbury, and yet the turnip crop i " the south is surely good enoughT I truf 1 farmers have read and digested Mr Gilbei 1 Anderson's very able and useful paper o [ the frozen moat trade, read at the Dur edin winter show. I shall deal with thi subject in my notes later on ; meantime ; desire to say that I am pleased to see tha \ so high an authority as Mr Gilbert Andei \ son agrees with ,the views. I have ofte expressed in these notes, 'that • Otago an Southland could, and- should, do a grea [ deal more in fattening for the frozen mea , j trade than they do, ancl that affnoug i climatic conditions are possibly not quit I as good as in Canterbury a great deal mor ' could be done in this direction than in th« past. And it is mainly for want of effoi in this direction that the meat export tradi from Otago has dwindled to such insignifi cant dimensions. True, the plan adopte< by. farmers in Otago and Southland of sell ing store sheep and lambs to Canterbury buyers for fattening in Canterbury has pos sibly paid them well, and better than th< Canterbury fatteners; but this conditioi of affairs may not, and probably will not last long. Canterbury may ere long be come blocked up, and then that district may have (I hope not, however) a drj spring and summer, in which case oui Otago sheep would not be wanted there. On the whole, I think prudent farmers J should prepare- to fatten sheep and lambs by providing rape and other suitable feed. I hear it said that this cannot be done, but I am loth to believe that this is the case. I hear the same- thing said' by dairy ! farmers when I urge the making of ensilage — viz., that ifc does not pay. I am oei'tain ■ensilage is much easier and safer to make . in Otago and Southland than to attempi j making hay. Wet weather is not nearly I so disastrous to ensilage as to haymaking. The fact is that in both cases— the fattening of sheep and the making of ensilage — the matter has not generally been given serious consideration ; but the time has now, I think, come when to delay active work in these directions is dangerous. The old methods 'may have suited in the past, I aoid some may say they are "good ' enough" ; but in these days of progressive farming- nothing is '"good enough" : we must advance in all methods or e!s-e go back. The latter, I am confident. Otago and Sotxthland farmers will never do. The West Coast and Manawatu A. ancl P. Society's winter =how of 1905 was a j gieafc success, and a distinct advance on all ' previous efforts, good though these, we^e. The attendance of dairymen especially, and all classes of the farming community, from ! North Cane to Bluff, was very large and representative. The South Island farmers might, I think, attend this show in much larger numbers with advantage, and xhe same may be said as to the advisability of North Island men attending the Dunedin winier show. Travel for such a purpose as this is very useful and desirable. The meeting together of farmers from ail parts to chat and confer with one another cannot but be beneficial to the whole agricultural interests of New Zealand. To this end it is desirable that the two shows should not come so clcse on one another as they hare done this year— viz.. one week after the other. The Manauatu show adhered to it* previous year's date, but the Dunedin show was later than that of the previous year. In the interests of both shows, between whom there is, J am sure, nothing but a healthy rivalry — both hjing actuated by a de°ire to benefit agriculture all o\er New Zealand — this matter should be bettor ar-rang-e.l In fu'uie. This jear an exhibitor had either to duplicate hi» exhibit, or eKe decklo to bo at only one show, whereas under otlur arrangements he- could have chovs n at both, ro the benefit of all concerned. Both chows are important fixture*, raid each N a great success and benefit to f.unrer-. so that everything should, be done to make arrangements mutually beneficial ou the hno?> indicated. The show at Palmcrston North is strong in dairy machinery exhibits. Nothing could be, better, I think ; and in this line only they mx exoel the j

Dunedin sho.%-. Want of room only, I think,- makes the show a little less attractive than the Duuedin show in other respects; but the committee and the members have shown, such indications of perseverance and pluck in the past that I see nothing aheadf of them in improvement that will causa them the expenditure of anything like the energy they have displayed in bringing their show to its present position. One is» immediately struck with admiration of their excellent suite of offices, consisting cf secretary's offices, committee rooms, library, and m the upper storey a magnificent 'large hall, capable of seating 600*^ir, 700 people; and all this on their own show ground l^ with its fins grand stand and other stands and sheds, and all in the flourishing town of Palmerston North— the centre of perhaps the very finest and largest agricultural district in the North Island. The secretary and all ihe officials and committee are Jrmd and obliging to visitors, and the arrangements all reflect great credit on Mr" Lane, the- able secretary, who works hard to execute the well-thought-out arrangements of the committee, headed by their -president, Mr Cohen, Mayor of Palmerston, managing director of the United Farmers' Co-operative Association, and many other things "besides, all of which

omces ne nils well, as he is able, active and tactful— not a figure-head by any means, but a worker. The committee all seem built the same way; but best of all— and here I hope Otago farmers and Dunedm townsmen will take a hint— the membership of the Manawatu A. and P. Society is 1600, besides life members. The whole district and the town of Palmerston Norii* take a real live interest and pride in their Agricultural Society. Now neither farmers in Utago nor townsmen of Dunedin take a like interest in the Otago A. a.nd P Society whose success is due to not a We body, but to a comparatively small body of energetic workers, the membership beinoonly about 600. No need to form mot% leagues m Otago till we support such an institution as our Otago A. and P. Society H*u !f ? a P able . of, ■doing for agriculturists all that is required, and all that .can bs done, by the multiplicity of leagues now in existence. Support our A. and P Society increase its membership, to 16Q0 (equal that of the Manawatu Society), and its influence lor the benefit of the farminocommunity would be very great indeed!! Waikouaiti and Ominu cheese "factories were the only exhibitors from the south and I hop© to see this improved upon next year. In the white cheese class Waifeouaiti took second prize, and was just 1 point behind Turataki, the winner. The number of exhibits at the Palmerston show was large, the poultry and pigeon exhibits, which add to the attractions of the show being over 1100 ~f The meeting of the North Island National Dairy Association was very instructive, and. I shall deal with it lat«s>.*as also with the conferences both of the National Dairy Association and the Butter and Cheesemakers' Association, at which many most useful papers were read and diooussed. Among these— and I put it first, although all were of a high standard — I commend" to dairymen Mr Cuddies paper, which is needed, and strikes— yes, strikes— hard at the weak spot in our dairy industry. Don't let readers get angry, as some did" at the-, conferences. It may not apply to you, as you may be one of those" who have improved and are on right lines. You need" not put the cap on if it does not fit, bus like some of the clothing advertised, it will suit all in want of it, and they are many. j If the cap fits put it on, and don't growl at our experts because they speak of evils to be remedied plainly and fearlessly, instead of dealing in pleasing platitudes. Mr Cuddie is known among dairymen as the apostle of the scrubbing brush, and does nof; object to the title. The freight question was fully discussed at the meeting after, and explanations were made by the secretary of the South Island Dairy Asso ciation, the chairman, and Mr Harknesa (tne secretary). The following resolution was unanimously carried in a full meeting of members from Auckland to Wellington;

"That tho members of this association ap1 proves of the action of ' their executive in entering into a fresh contract with the shrp---'ping companies for a term of five years, »nd ratify the same."