SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 19

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

| (From Our Own Correspondent.) The live-stock market is exceptionally i brisk at present, and large numbers of both sheep and cattle are changing hands. I The greatest interest is centred in fat stock, and the question that really concerns most people is how higti will Values go ? No one interested in tiro stock business ever seriously contemplates that there will be a decrease in prices ot either e-heep or cattle for <it i&ix I months, and present indications point to i boaf prices ruling high for at least a couple l of years. The fact of the matter is tnere is not sufficient live stock in the country to cause any serious diminution in values, and until - the calves which were reared, during the past spring and summer have reached maturity, no particular alteration in the market need be looked for. i here is no gainsaying the fact that were it not for the large number of dairy and breeding cows which have been fattened up and put on to the market, prime ox -beef might easily be worth from 42s to 45s per 1001 b at the present moment. Of course, the grazier knows sufficient to fatten these animals to a prime condition, for did he not do so he would find a difficulty in disposing of them, but when in a prime condition the carcase looks well, and as far as 90 per cent, of butchers’ customers are concerned, might readily pass for ox beef. The consumer will have a somewhat better idea of what he ha® purchased when the eating stage arrives. The same remarks apply to the mutton market. The plethora of old e.wc6 on tbs market has a tendency to keep mutton easier. Summed up, one is safe in saying that three-fifths of tas fat stock purchased by butchers at the present time in Southland consists of old cows and old ewes. These are purchased at prices quite 40 per cent, cheaper than i prime bullocks and wethers, so that the butcher stocking this cneap class of stuff must be making a good profit, or, on the other hand, the man who kills the better class of meat is working at a heavy loss. 1 ~

The litre Stock .Market-

The limekilns in Southland have been exceptionally busy this season and this must be attributed to the general prosperity prevailing. It - cannot bo said that agriculturists have only just realised the advantage of lime, dhat, I think, is generaly recognised; but according as the farmer increases his yield, so is he prepared to spend more in increasing the productivity of his farm. The effect of lime is threefold —nourishing, chemical, and physical. First, as regards its nourishing effect: Lime is absolutely' essential for the growth of plants; without it no crop can prosper, although the requirements of the various crops are very different. Leguminous plants of • all sorts are specially exigent for a liberal supply. By an application of lime, soils unable to support a crop of clover may be brought into a condition to grow a plentiful one. Potatoes, roots, and fruit tress also require a soil well stocked with it; indeed, nearly all plants exhibit a strong, healthy growth in soil where lime is present in a plentiful supply, assuming the other plant foods to be also in abundance. Under its influence the plants develop more powerful root growth, more solid structure, and greater capacity to withstand disease. Fodder crops produced in lime-rich soils contain better nourishing qualities than crops grown in lime-poor soils. Second, the chemical effect of lime: The soil is sweetened by the application of lime. The mineral food constituents in the soil, -such as potash and phosphatic acid, are rendered more quickly available by its action, and it causes a more rapid decomposition of the organic substances by encouraging the activity of bacteria. Soils that, in consequence of sourness, are unable to grow satisfactory crops, aro soon changed by the action of lime into a healthy condition. Third, the physical effect; of lime: The physical and mechanical condition of soils is improved by applications of lime; it makes the soil more loose, warmer, and more friable, raoro easily tilled, and not so liable to cake or crust on the surface. Cold, stiff clays are wonderfully improved by its action. As supplementary to these remarks on tlie actvantages of the application of lime, it must be added that, when applying limb, it is necessary to bo careful that the soil is not deficient in the other essential plant foods—nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. Lime is a constituent which acts partly as nourishment, but still more in rendering

Impovtan o of Lime.

| the other plant foods more easily available, and its advantage is lost to a great extent ; unless the other constituents are also in a sufficient supply. How can a farmer know whether his land requires to bo limed . xleio is a very simple and very cheap test: Take » fov f shovelfuls from different parts of the farm and drv pulverise and gar&s n £ Xswith a glared or wooden-stick, but wlt J fft metallic To this paste add loz of hydro chloric acid, which is commonly as muriatic acid, or spirits of saits. thc m tune being stirred all the time- « » brisk effervescence takes place the veil <xm tains little or no lime. If tnero is no :hn* enough in. tbs soil it must be acid, tdere fore needs liming. This is far better, and probably more positive, than the litmus test, which amounts to little enough sometimes in the laboratory when conditions »-« far more positive than they aio samples of field soils are involved.

Testing tlie Soil for Lime.

Those who are new to the growing of potatoes are heard to remark how quickly the tuber deteriorates; they seem to forget, or are ignorant pi the fact, that few plants 1 under cultivation are more * variation than the potato. plant varies the greater » ° h f n °f. °* J™ ptovement with proper ™th°tndLcvlotion, and also a tendanoy to deteriorate when poor met:,ods tised We are all interested n the im usea. »»o notatoea This has been provement 01 our poiatot—. * brought about from the fact that frequently get a variety that gives good eatwfactionf fora few years, and then the .yield decrees and the tubers lose their uniform appearance. Almost as many theories are Advanced for this running out and ramedgs ; given as there are growers. A few of the Remedies given: Always plant large tubers; never plant seed ends; always leave one or two eyes to a piece as toe ; case may be; exchange seed, etc. None of these remedies will prevent varieties fiom i running out. The changing cf seed may be beneficial, provided the person from whom the seed is procured Poetises good methods of selection. The benefit derived is not from the mere fact that the seed is changed from one farm to another Varieties run out when the seed is not properly selected from year to year Ino place to- select is in the field. If the i variety is a good one any farmer with the ' proper knowledge can maintain its productiveners and quality with comparatively j little time and expense. As we dig potatoes 1 or look at thorn in the bin we must note the remarkable lack of similarity or the tendency to vary that is exhibited It is a noticeable fact that eome hills will, have a lartre number of tubers, uniform in size and shape, while other hills, grown under I the same condition®, will have a few mI tihap>ed tubers or one large tuber and a ; few" small ones. A tuber from vigorous, ; productive plants, although it may be the only small one in the hill, because it ! started late and did not have time to de" I velop full size. wilKpossess and - transmit the characteristics of its worthy parent. So ' al?o the only larjre tuber from the poor hill, in which it a'one attained marketable nw will transmit the tendencies of the jhilL.

Deterioration of the Potato.