BUTTER AND CHEESE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2993, 26 July 1911, Page 19

BUTTER AND CHEESE MARKETS.

On the 20th inst. Mr J. R. Scott, secne- , tary to the South Island Dairy Association, j received the following cable from London:—- ■ “ Owing to serious drought in Britain, the Continent, Siberia, and heat in North America and Canada, expect high prices dairy produce next season. ” In connection with the foregoing cable it is interesting to note that Mr J. R. Scott has also just received a letter from London, under date Juno 9, from one of the association’s agents there, in which, it is stated that “ the cheese market has recovered from ''the depression caused by the manipulation of certain operators. Prices ane 6d to Is better per owt than they were a week ago, and it looks as if there would be a further rise in the near future. The hot weather in this country is also reducing the milk supplies in the cheese districts, especially in the Cheshire and Cheddar districts.” Mr Scott says that this does not mean to the local market a continuation of the present high prices for butter, as lid per lb f.o.b. for London is a very high export value. He states that when the London wholesale price of blitter goes above 112 s per cwt the demand declines very much, and people go in for margarine, which is now made containing 10 per cent, of butter, and satisfies anybody who does not know what it really is—and the bulk of the consumers do not know. The English grocers (continued Mr Scott) can always make a larger profit out of margarine than they can out of butter; and push the margarine for all they are worth. Referring to the New Zealand cheese market, Mr Scott said he considered the prospects for cheese looked remarkably good, as the latest cables notify that the Canadian market is short, and the exports from that country have also been a declining quantity for tho past six years. Ho was of opinion that the outlook for Now Zealand produce was certainly bright, and said this was evidenced by the fact that English buyers were already on the war path in the North Island advocating the claims of their various firms. Mr Scott said he had not heard so far of any price being named as a basis of business. Tho North Island Dairy Association was advocating a policy of concentration of consignments to Lovell and Christmas, Lonsdale and Co., Clements and Co., or Mills and Sparrow. The English agents for the South Island Dairy Association are Mills and Sparrow, Clements and Go.-, Weddel and Co., and Davidson and Co.,

and there will probably be another wellknown. firm added to the foiegoing firms this season.

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The weather during the past week has been of a spring-like nature, The Weather several of tho days being and wonderfully warm. Tho the harm. absence of frost in the early part of the week was a contributing factor to the improved condition of the roads, but a couple of frosts on the last two days of tho week made one realise that winter was still present. Tho shortest day has been passed, and the sun almost perceptibly gathers strength daily, so that the dreariest part of the dreariest season has been left behind. This is usually a very dull month in the matter of live stock transactions, but this year it has been an exception. Contrary to expectations, last Wallacetown stock sale saw a decline in the value of fat stock- —both sheep and cattle. There arc doubtless several factors contributing to this. In the first place, as far as cattle were concerned, there was an unusually heavy entry; in the second place, several 'butchers had been operating privately during the previous week, and occupied the position of onlookers at the sale; in the third place, the butchers who were operating were not stocking up, but wore buying on a hand-to-mouth basis; in the fourth place, graziers having discovered that the turnip crop is not standing "the feeding it has done in past years, are therefore desirous of reducing their holdings; and lastly, the consumption of butcher meat has shown a marked decline. There is no mistaking tho fact that a general da in css pervades the market, and butchers seem to Ire satisfied-that the last has been heard of famine prices for some time to come. No one thinks for one moment that prices will came back to what they were two years ago, but practically everyone agrees that beef will not touch 38s per 1001 b again for* many months to come.

Notwithstanding the marked depreciation of values of frozen meat on the The Sheep London market, prices for Market. both sheep and lambs are still firm. It is true that there was a drop at last Wallace town sale, but the inquiry is almost as keen as ever. Expo-rt buyers’ limits have been reduced, amounting from an eighth of a penny to a farthing per pound, equal to 9d and Is 6d per head'. Holders being aware of the reduction in London prices were prepared to accept a lesser figure than was ruling the previous week, so no deadlock occurred, and practically the whole cf the yarding was disposed of. Favoured by the mild weather which has prevailed throughout tho winter, a good many wethers are now coming on the market, and that being so, no perceptible increase in present prices is looked for for many months. There is some little excitement in the store sheep market at present, but it is not expected to be of long duration. The class of sheep which has caused the excitement are hoggets, and the buying has practically been confined to four or five large graziers. These men make an invariable practice of stocking up with hoggets at this time of year, and then unloading a part of their holding after shearing. Good young -ewes are -also in keen demand, especially even lines of well-woqlled two and four-tooths, which show a bit of breeding.

During the course of a conversation with a Victorian dairyman reCarrots for contly, the subject of the reDairy Cons. lative values of certain root crops as food for dairy cows cropped up, and my friend expressed himself to the effect that Belgian carrots wore an excellent fodder for milking cows, and was superior to sugar-beet or potatoes for producing not only an increased flow of milk, but also for adding to tho butter-fat, and he says that notwithstanding the arguments that have taken place on his question, and the contention of many scientific and practical men, that while it was possible to increase the volume of milk the percentage of butter-fat is not altered. He stated that he had recently conducted experiments in feeding on sugar-beet, potatoes, and. the white or Belgian carrots, making each of those the principal food for a given time to a section of his herd that was set apart for investigation purposes. He found that whereas sugar-beet and potatoes were about equal in value, and about 10 per cent, better than other ordinary kinds of food, tho Belgian carrots were 10 per cent, better still, both in respect to volume of milk and cream yield. As a consequence of this result, it is his intention to grow the crop last named more extensively than before, devoting a portion of the land he has hitherto put under the other classes of produce to Belgians. Ho gives it as his opinion that the white carrot is better for both cows and horses than the ordinary red variety, for not only does it produce more heavily, tut it also possesses fattening and nutritive qualities that do not pertain to the other. In his district, where the soil is any way deep, the Belgians grow to a considerable depth beneatji the surface, and added to the bulk gained in this way there is, under special conditions of soil richness, very often as much of the carrot showing above the ground as below. In cutting tho tops of carrots intended for storing away, he says he does not take them off

too close to the root itself, and by this means he considers it possible to ensure soundness for a longer period than when shorn low down. In connection with the use of bisulphide of carbon as a remedy for wireUso of worms, it may be noted that Bisulphide of this substance has been Caiboii Against used very successfully on a Wnevroims. largo scale against the vine phylloxera, and there are excellent records in its favour against other insect pests. lam net suggesting for one moment that its use would be possible on a large scale, 'but in. case of farmers who indulge in a little gardening, its rise could be taken advantage of. The character of the soil determines the rate at which the fumes diffuse through the soil. On heavy clay soils, especially if these bo ooaking wet, diffusion is very slow ; on clay soil, moist, but not too wet, diffusion takes place more quickly; and diffusion is most) rapid in sandy, porous soils; and if these be too dry at the time of treatment, the insects within range are not long enough exposed to the vapour to be killed. In using bisulphide cf carbon against wireworms, the following points must bo noted: —(1) the soil must not be too wet or too dry at the time of use, and after applying it there should be no cultural ojjerations for a week at the very least—longer would bo better. (2) The treatment should be in time—i.e., whenever the plants are known to be attacked, not when they arc dying off. (5) Make a hole (with a stick), beginning three or four inches from the plant, .and passing down in an oblique direction till a point is reached rather below the root. (4) Pour in a teaspoonful of bisulphide of carbon for each plant treated, and quickly stamp the soil in over the hole and press down. (5) The material must not touch the roots; the liquid will harm the plant, but the vapour is harmless. The plants treated will be quite free from any poisonous . properties, and thoroughly wholesome. If the pest be taken in time one injection will b© enough.