Paspalum Grass.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 25

Paspalum Grass.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— ln the report which appeared in your columns a letter from Mt B. Harrison, Tweed River, New South Wales, re the ebove grass. Being interested in the article, I had some correspondence with the writer, and eventually purchased some seed, which I sowed oiose to the foreshore. I am pleased to be able to state that for * fodder grass it is coming along well, with a splendid sole. Of course, we have had an exceptional summer, and it nsay have been favourable to its propagation. It is a grass that, I. should think, -will suit lands in Central Otago. I have no doubt in my own mind that from the seed grown here there would be no difficulty, as the seed would be acclimatised. — I am, etc., Orepuki, March 11. Henhy Hibst. DTJNEDIN MARKETS. WHOLESALE PRODUCE REPORTS. Mr J. Fleming. Princes street south, reports under date the 17th inst. : — "Wheat per bushel. per ton Best mill: > ... 4/fi Barley dust ...120/9 Medium uo ... 4/4 Oatmeal, in 2&'s 210/* Towls' ... 4/o—4/4 Oaten chaff 75/o—B-76 Milling oats ... 2/4 Ryegrass hay 8.1/0-90/0 Feed oats... 2/2— 2/3 Straw ... 40/0-42/6 Malt barley 1/4-4/8 Pearl barley .. 310/0 Feed barley 3/6— 3/9 Onions 7/6 cwt Cape barley ... 4/0 per lb. ' Maize 5/6 Rolled bacon ... 9d per ton. Side bacon ... 9d flour, in 200 1 * ... 225/0 Smoked hams ... BJd Flour, in 50's ... 2JO/0 Cheese ... 6d— 6jd Pollard 120/0 Good salt butter, 9i to JVran 105/0 lOd, according t« I qnalirv New local potatoes arriving in market in good condition. Selling at £5 to £5 17s 6d per ton. Market bare of fowls' wheat. A good demand for straw of all kinds; market bare. TARU AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Messrs Irvine and Stevenson, George street, report paying for produce during the week ending the 17th inst. as follows: — Bacon troll), 9d per Id I Fresh butter, lOd to Ham, 8d per lb 1/ J per lb Fresh e(fg3. l/2 dcz I Salt butter ; not buying Fresh butter, eood ordinary (in lib and Jib prints), 9d to lid" per lb. Pigs, 1301b to 1601b, s§d. THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLEGRAM. WELLINGTON. March 16. The cablegram from the High Commissioner, dated London, March 14, reads thus: — Mutton. — The market is firm, but the demand is only moderate. The following are the current quotations: — Canterbury, 4Jd; North Island, 3£d; River Plate, 3Jd. Lamb. — The market is steady Canterbury brands, 6d; other than Canterbury, sJjd; Australian, 4Jd. Beef. — The market is quiet. New Zealand hindquarters, 3Jd; forequarters, 2fd. Butter. — The market is unsettled, Copenhagen quotations being unexpectedly lowered by five kroner. Choicest New Zealand, 118s; Danish 120s. Cheese. — The market is dull and temporarilydepressed as a result of heavy arrivals. White makes, 60s to 61s; coloured, 62fl per cwt. A moderate business is being done in hemp, but the market has declined further. Good fail grade on the spot is quoted at £23 ss; fair grade on spot. £20 15s; fair current Manila on the *pot, £22 per too.

March tp May finiptoenfa- ax« quoted: Good fair grade, £23; fair grade, £20 10s. There is no alteration in the cocksfoot s#ed market since last -week. The hop market is very quiet at last week's quotations. THE FROZEN MEAT MARKET. NAPIER, Maxch 12. * The C.C. and* D. Company's London cablegram reports the state of the Home frozen meat market thus: — "Market stronger. Today's quotations: Canterbury mutton, 4Jd; Napier, Wellington, and North Island, 3|d. Lamb — first quality 6d, second do, s|d. Beef — hinds 3id, fores 2|d." . GRASS SEED MARKET. AUCKLAND, March 13. Inquiries round the Auckland seed merchants to-day revealed the fact that grass seed stocks, with the exception of ryegrass, j are almost bare. The demand, moreover, is stated to be three times as much as in former years. The chief rise in prices is in cocksfoot, the wholesale cost "being 15s 103 f-°-b-from the south. CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS. CHRISTCHURCH. March 13. * The grain and produce market is extremely dull, and practically no business- of any consequence has been transacted this week. Growers still -have firm ideas in regard to values, and buyers are not inclined to operate at the prices they demand. _ , A.tjiuugii prices uu\e jardened slightly in *^crnrr! +o wWa^ We <j offering and few • lines have changed hands. Oats are coming forward slowly^ and prices remain about the same. Very little chaff has been offeTed, and £3 15s is the price quoted by those who are .at all anxious to obtain supplies- . The price of cocksfoot stilt remains firm, 6Jd to 7d being now the general quotation. This is accounted for by the fact that it is nearly all in second hands. OAMARU MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, M«lrch 14. The wheat market has been unstable this week, values fluctuating in sympathy with London advices. A fair amount of business has been done at somewhat varying figures. Early in the week velvet was' sold at 4s 2d net at country stations, but the market quickly advanced to 4s 4d net, and at thi# , price several parcels of up "to 400 sacks changed hands, one line of 1400 sacks bring- j ing 4s 4£d at a country station. Sales were also nuade at 4s 5d to 4s 6d, less commission, at sidings, and one small parcel brought 4s 7d on these < terms, and 300 -sacks of velvet 4s 6d, delivered, net. This was before the news of the easier feeling in London was ' received, and values to-day are below those indicated by these sales- During the last ' two days wheat has been placed at 4s 4d net at country stations for velvet and for mixed lines, while one p«rcel of red chtefi'S' brought 4s 3d net, one line of 400 sacks of velvet brought 4s 5d 'net at 'a country ' station, and 450 sacks of the same description ' realised the same amount, ihe sample in. each case being equal to the best- of the season. The week's transactions will probably affect a total of 7000 sacks. ( Oats opened firm at 2a net at the beiginning of 'the xreek, 700 sacks of A grade Gartoms bringing this aanoujit; but prioes advanced, and several lots of good feed Gartons have been sold at 2s ljd and 2s 2d net at country stations. For 700 sacks of A grade 2s 2jd net was given, and a specially fine sample of 550 sacks of Gartons brought 2s 3id net. To-day a parcel of 500 sacks of duns was quitted at 2a 3d net, all these being for delivery at country sidings. Potatoes are in good demand for shipment north, though the prices offering there are inclined to weaken. A number of parcels have been sold at £5 15s f.ab., sacks in. Several lots have been rejected during the week on the ground that they have not been well sorted. Locally, from £5 to £5 5s net at country stations is being paid for Up-to-Dates. Forward sales of Derwents have been made at £5 5s at country stations. • For chaff £3 and £3 2s 6d net has been paid, the market befng a trifle weaker than at the time of last report. Cocksfoot is in eager demand for the North Island, and sales have been made at 5d to 6d, according to weight and colour! Rye corn is quoted at 4s 6d. GRAIN. AND PRODUCE REPORTS. Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Ltd.) report as follows: — We held our usual weekly auction sale of grain and produce at our stores on Monday, when we submitted a small representative catalogue to an average attendance of buyers. Competition was stisfactory, and a clearance resulted at prices fully on «. par with last week's rates. Oats. — With good inquiry for export, this market well maintains its strength. Sales for local consumption, however, are slow. Quotations: Prime milling, to 2s 4d; good to best feed, 2s 2Jd to 2s 3Jd; inferior to medium, 2s Id to 2s 2d per bushel (sacks in). Wheat. — Latest cable advices to hand show a slight decline in the London market, and as every movement there is quickly reflected here millers are inclined to stand off meantime. To-day's values are as under: — Prime milling, 4s 6d to 4s 7d; medium to good, 4s 5d to 4s 6d; best whole fowl wheat, to 4s 6d per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes. — There is good inquiry for shipment end local consumption, and values are firm at late rates. Quotations: Extra choice, £5 12s 6d ; best, £5s 5s to £5 10s ; medium, £5 to £5 4s per ton (bags in). Chaff. — Supplies to hand are moderate, and with good demand for export and local use values are firm at late rates. Quotations: Prim* oaten sheaf. £4 to £4 2s 6d; medium to good £3 10s to £3 17s 6d per ton (bags extra). Straw. — Quotations: Oaten, 42s 6d to 455; wheaten, 40s to 42s 6d per ton (pressed). Messrs Donald Reid and Co. (Ltd.) report: We held our weekly auction sale of gsain and produce at our stores on Monday, when

■we submitted a representative catalogue to a good attendance of the public. Bidding for most of the lots on offer was good, and •we cleared the bulk of our catalogue at satisfactory prices. Prices ruled as under: — Oats. — The demand for shipment continues good, and all lines on offer are readily taken by merchants at prices fully equal to thosa lately ruling. Gartons have good inquiry, but there are not many offering. The demand for Duns and other seed samples continues good, and are worth up to 2s 6d per bushel. Quotations: Prime milling, to 2s id; good to b*st feed, 2s 2*d" to 2s 3Jd: inferior to medium, 2s to 2s 2d per bushel (sacks' extra). Wheat. — The decline in prices on the Horn* market has been reflected here, and buyera are holding off. Millers are buying very cautiously, and this only at prices snowing a fall on those ruling during the beginning of last week. Prime samples of velvet hay« most attention. Fowl wheat is more plenti* ful, «nd prices have eased somewhat. Quotations: Prime milling. 4s 6Jd to 4s 7Jd; medium to good and whole fowl wheat, £s. 5d to 4s 6d ; medium fowl wheat, 4s 3d to 4s 4d; broken and darpaged, 3s 9d to 4s per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes. — The market has been mor* heavily supplied, and prices are difficult to maintain. Several lots on offer are not quite ripe, and these require to be quitted at once. Choice samples freehly dug are in most demand, both for shipment and local consumption. These are worth up to £5 10s, while medium samples are rather more difficult to sell at from £> to £5 Ss ; stale aad inferior and small, £4 to M 10s per ton (bags included). Chaff. — Heavier consignments have been coming to hand during the week. At onr sale this morning prices for anything but the very choicest samples were slightly lower, Inferior- and medium- quality is in fair supply, and to effect sales lower prices have to be accepted. Quotations:' Prime oaten sheaf, £4 to £4 2s 6d; medium to good, £3 12s 6d to £3 l&s 6d; light and inferior, £3 ta £3 7s 6d per ton (sacks extra). Straw.— Quotations : Wheaten, 40s to 43» 6d; c«ten, 42s 6d to 45s per ton (pressed). OAMARU STOCK MAEKET. (From Oxib Own Coeeespondent.) „ . . OAMARU, March 15. The improvement in the prospects or winter feed is affecting the stock market, and has occasioned a goad demand fpr certain descriptions of sheep. The late rains, followed by nijld weather, are bringing grass away at a great rate, and so long as frost keeps away the prospects for the winter ara daily improving. - For really forward rape lambs 13s is being paid, for medium 11s Jjdi to 12s, and ior tussocfe latmbs 10s to 10s Bd. Good two-tooth ewes are bringing up to 19s, and medium up to 17s 6d. Four and sixtooth 1 ewes- are held very firmly, and are hard to get, being nominally worth up to 21s; full-mouthed, 13s 6d to los. Forward wethers are being 1 inquired for by farmers in South Otago and Southland, good four and sfxtooths being quoted at 14s to 14s 6d, end •two- tooths at 11s and 12s. No little interest has been -taken this week . in_ the landing from, the s.s. Ripple of 1300 sheep • from ■ the Chatham Islands. They are chiefly two, four, and six-tooth, ewes and four-tooth wethers. The shipment is regarded with favour by all who have seen them as sheep "which are described as having fine frames and in good condition." ; Cattle are attracting ITtrie attention, -flic only 'noticeable feature being that beef- is getting a hftTe scarcer. Prices are unchanged from" lost week. - ' At the closing sale, held during the week good mares and geldings sold at up to £50. fIIDE SALES. MELBOURNE, March 12. At the hide sales medium and light sort] were easier, but other sorts were firm. STOCK SALE. The National Mortgage and Agency Con* pany (Ltd.) repoxt having' held their usual fortnightly sale at Clinton on Thursday last, at which there was an entry of from 6000 'to 7000 sheep of all descriptions. There was again a large attendance of the public, who competed spiritedly for every lot, the result being one of the most successful sales held 1 in this district. Our sales comprised the following:— For Mr James Begg (Cairn), 867 ewes at las 8d; Messrs: Beswick and Co. (Crested Hills), 700. wether lambs at 10& Bd, 250 ewe lamhs at 12s sd; Mr J. R. Roy, 208 two-toeth ewes at 21s; Mr John Clarke, 74 ewes at 7s 4d, pen fat ewes at 13s, 150 lambs at U& 7d; Mr R. Orr, 90 wethers*, at 15e lid; Mr J. Johnstone (Anise Hill), 60 ewes at 14s 3d, 400 lambs 13s 6d; Mr John Bowers, 120 two-tooth ewes at 20s, 100 two-tooth wethers at 17s; Mr W. Pagan,' 95 ewes at 21s 4d; Mr T. Banks (Waipahi), 700 wether lambs at 11s Id; Mr Joseph Turabull, pen fat ewes at 19s 2d, 76 fat wethers at 17s Id; Mr James Begg (Cairn), 400 ewes at 13s 5d. — The same firm also report having held their usual fortnightly sale at Balclutha on Friday, the 13th inst. The following prices were realised: — For Mi A. M'Vicar (Puerua), 50 lambs at los, pen. fat wethers at 17s 9d ; Mr James Raiti (Stirling), pen fat wethers at 18s 7d ; Messrs Simpson and Son (Kakapuaka). pen wethers' at 219 3d, pen wethers at 21s 7d; Mrs Moir (Balclutha North), fat cows at £5 2s 6d and* £3 12s 6d; Mx James C. Anderson (Stirling),fat heifers from £5 10s to £i 10s. OTAGO FARMERS' HORSE BAZAAR. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Associ^ tion of New Zealand report: — We held ovt usual weekly horse sale at our Bazaar, Craw ford street, on" Saturday last. There was ( good attendance of farmers, town carriersand livery stable-keepers, most of whom wer< on the lookout for horses to go into immej diate wcrk. "We had several horses of real good size and quality among the draughts, as well as several good useful spring-carters and stylish harness horses. There was an entry of 39 altogether. Bidding was good throughout the sale, and most of the lighte-

torses were keenly competed for. Draughts Sold readily up to a price, but buyers do not peem inclined to give much over £40 unless they have something exceptional offered them. We had several first-class draught mares and geldings, which found ready purchases at late quotations. Included in Saturday's entry were horses from Oamaru, Gore, Ryal Bush, Waihola, the Taieri, and surrounding districts. The whole of the country consignments changed hands at satisfactory prices. We quote: —Good useful draught *m:.res and geldings (young and sound), from £35 to £45; lighter sorts and older, £23 to £33; heavy lorry pairs, from £80 to £100; useful plough mares and geldings, £30 to £40; pedigree Clydesdale mares, to £150; good sorts of Clydesdale mares, suitable foT stud purposes and general farm work, £40 to £47; carr;ege pairs.' £80 to £100; spring-carters (good sorts), from £90 to £32; upstanding buggy marcs and geldings, from £15 to £22; hackneys, from £12 to £18; lighter sorts, from £7 to £12. DUXEDIN HOBSE SAI-EYARDS. Messrs Wright. Stephenson, and Co. report as follows: —The number of horses coming forward is very small. For Saturday's sale there was not a first-class draught in the yard. The principal entry was made up of second-rate draughts and spring-carters and aged and stale light harness sorts. The attendance of buyers was better than it has been for some weeks past, and the consignment from the south met good competition, and changed hands at prices ranging up to #35. In draught horses of good stamp, young' and staunch, a very good, business could be done if any such were coming into the market. Your.g, sound spring-dray and spring-cart horses are wanted, and a few could easily be disposed of at quotations. We quote: — Superior young draught geldings, at from £45 to £50: extra good do (prize-winners), at from £50 to £55; superior young draught mares, at irom £50 to £60; medium draught mares and geld'ngs, at from £30 to £40; aged do, at from £15 to £20; well-matched carriage pairs, at from £70 to £100; strong spring-van horses, at from £25 to £30; milk-cart and butchers* ordier-cart horses, at from £18 to £35; light hacks, at from £8 to £13; extra good backs ■nd harness horses, at from £13 to £25; weedy and aged do. at from £5 to £7. PROPERTY SALE. Messrs Alex. Harris and Co:, auctioneer?, on the 11th offered at auction at their rooms a freehold farm at Romahapa, containing 78 acres, etc., being sections 9 and part 11, block IV. Mr C. King secured the property at £78.