AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 19

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A resident of Canterbury who is visiting the Dtago Winter Show informs us that the terra “unprecedented drought” is an exaggeration that does the northern province an injustice. So far from there being an unprecedented drought, the conditions are nothing like as bad as they were in the summer and autumn of 1897-1898. There had been no rain in the winter or summer of 1897, and the autumn continued dry until May. The result was that there was no feed to fatten stock, and the harvest of 1898 was a failure, whereas this year almost a record crop has been harvested. Sheep and lambs also fattened well during last summer, and had it not been for the closing of the freezing works both agricultural and pastoral farmers would have had one of the most profitable seasons on record. What made the position worse in Canterbury so far as sheep are concerned was that Marlborough has had an exceptionally dry year, far worse than Canterbury has suffered from, and sheep were sent to Canterbury for sale. These, added to the forced holdings in Canterbury, made the feed position serious, and Otago and Southland buyers were welcomed. The sheep that have come south were mostly dry, and, by getting rid of these, Canterbury farmers have made more room for their breeding lines. As soon as the freezing works are relieved there will be large numbers of sheep and lambs frozen in Canterbury, and supplies for . local consumption are likely to be very short before the spring. The annual meeting of the Otago and Southland Sheep-owners’ Industrial Union of Employers was held on the 2nd inst. The proceedings were not open to the press The following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing term: —President, Mr John Angus; vice-presidents, Mr Watson Shennan and Mr R. M'Kenzio; committee— Messrs James Ross, James Bcgg, A. D Bell, R. Scott, J. Lethbridge, C. W. Rattray, J. C. Nichoils, James Elliott, R A. Adams, A. Murdoch, John Roberts, James Roberts, R. Charters, James Chapman, E. Laidlaw, W. J. A. MacGregor, and W. 0. M'Kellar.

In the monthly abstract of statistics for May of wheat and oats it appears that the highest yield per aero for wheat comes from the Bruce County (40.71), and then comes Taicri (59.70), Paparua (37.69), and Springs (36.57), while Ashburton yields 28.91 bushels per acre, Waimate 24.31 bushels. Although it is assuring to have the estimates exceeded, still the yield is not a high one in the case of Canterbury; but part of the Otago province and Southland is excellent. In regard to oats thrashed, the return equals 4,265,056 bushels, Clutha County averaging 45 bushels and the Taicn 48.7, and Southland, up till the end of April, -shows an average of 47.80 bushels. In Canterbury the highest average is 42.58 from the Ellesmere district, while Ashburton, the largest grower in the northern province, runs 33.5 bushels. The demand for oats for winter sowing for feed and for chaff for feeding stock has been strong, and nothing is heard to-day about the embargo bn oats, and the supply .of this cereal is at the moment of more concern than that of wheat.

The committee of the Manawatu A. and P. Association considered a motion at Tuesday’s meeting urging the Government that, in considering ways and means of collecting the necessary revenue to meet war expenses, the totalizator be o :1 o of the sources taxed for that purpose. The motion was lost-on the voices.

It is reported that young lambs are already making their appearance in the Fcilding district. Offers have been made (writes a correspondent) of 6s per bushel for next season’s wheat. It is reported that the war has created a scarcity of cattle in Russia and Siberia, and that large importations from Chosen. Korea, are under way to supply the deficiency. The latest order is for 50,000 head, and 20,000 of these are to be Korean cattle, while the remainder are to be supplied by Shantung Province, in China. If the venture is successful it is said that regular importations of cattle will continue from these countries. Brazil as a supplier of frozen or chilled beef, as forecasted years ago. is coming along fast. Recently (says the Pastoral Review) 1060 quarters chilled were landed in England, forwarded by the Compania Frigorifico e Paulo. The meat was plain, but generally of fair quality. They sold at 4s 4d to 4s 6d for hinds, and 3s 7d to 3s 9d for fores. It is only a matter of following Argentina’s lead, and breeding up, and Brazil will he a large and regular supplier of fresh beef. According to an Exchange telegram from Amsterdam, the Prussian Ministry of Railways has ordered all village stationmasters to plant sunflowers on every bit of available ground around their stations. Sunflowers, which are easily grown, are said to yield oil which can b~ used in the manufacture of margarine and other butter substitutes should butter become scarce. Owing to a congestion of frozen stock, and the inability of the company to immediately secure shipping space, the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Comnanv’s freezing works at Waingawa have closed down for c — fnvo fbr. Wai’rnrana Times).

Turnips are being 1 eagerly sought after in the Methven and surrounding districts owing to the great scarcity of feed for all classes Inf stock (says the Christchurch Press). Mr Huston M‘Lean, Highbank, lately' sold 40 acres of turnips at £6 per acre. The cron was not put" in until near "middle of January. Mr O. H. Druce, Kumeroa, received Is 7d for his lambs’ w©ol at Homo, which is considered a world’s record (says the Woodville Examiner). Mr J. D. Rameden’s fleece wool brought Is 7d, and the worst Is 2|d in the March sales at Homo. Mr Burnett, of Kumeroa, also got Is 7d for his fleece wool. A project for the establishment of new freezing ' works in the. Gisborne district is being 'freely discussed by local farmers. The Mataura works are putting through 1500 fat sheep daily, 19 butchers being employed. By special permission of the Minister of Cfusroms a quantity of butter is being exported from New Zealand to Australia, notwithstanding the prohibitory order (says the New Zealand Tic-cs). It Is stated that the

cool storage supplies, however, are being carefully chocked to guard against a local deficit.

A Native witness in a Maori law dispute said that, in the Chatham Islands, Romney halfbred sheep were most generally stocked (says the Wellington Pest). He was receiving from lOd to lid per lb for the wool of these sheep. The freight on the wool to Now Zealand was 10s a halo. Mr Morrison, K.C. : “That is lees freight than many farmers in the back-blocks have to pay to got their wool out.” . The heavy rain which fell in North Canterbury on May 28 and May 30 did not extend as far as South Canterbury (says the Press). There was a fair amount of rain at Ashburton, but from there onwards to Timaru signs of rain, as seen from the train, became loss and loss. At Timaru it was reported that there had been a few light showers. The settlers in the Pongaroa (Wellington East Coast) district are reported to be having a bad time just now. The draught and grass fires of the summer did great damage, and so little rain has fallen that the pastures have not been restored. In some cases the settlers are feeding their stock on chaff, which costs them about £l2 per ton landed in the district. Killing operations were recommenced at the Waingawa works on the Ist. A shipment of meat will bo got away by the Ruapehu in a few days. Some of the largest milk suppliers to the Rongotea Dairy Company intend giv'ng up milking after this season, and devoting their time to sheep and cattle raising. Two of the suppliers milked nearly 500 cows between them, and their decision to give up milking will make a material difference in the milk supply. There is unmistakable evidence that the ballot for the Glenmark sections will be a very largo one (says the Lyttelton Times). Daily largo numbers of prospective settlors are "to be seen spying out_ the land from one side of the estate to the other, many having come from distant parts of the dominion. A week’s instruction in scientific and, practical agriculture is-to be held at Apiti about the third week of July by the Wanganui Education Board’s inspectors. Messrs Banner and R. Brown will bo the demonstrators and lecturers, and it is confidently believed that the class will not only be attended largely by the farmers, but that excellent results will accrue, and that the settlers will be considerably helped by the course of instruction to bo given. Flaxmillors are still exbibit.ng a tendency to make their plants thoroughly up-to-date and to maintain their swamps in good order. Mr W. H. Ferris, chief flax grader, reports in the. Journal of Agriculture that considerable work is to be done this winter in introducing up-to-date appliances and in making drainage more effective. A new mill is being erected at Rangitanc, between Palmerston North and Foxton, on the most approved principles. It will be of four-stripper capacity, and will cost about £IO,OOO. The Euahine and Tainai shipments of Ballance butter, totalling over 500 boxes, realised on the London market the highly satisfactory price of 1445. Several of the Conical Hills settlers succeeded in saving their crops last week, and a few paddocks were thrashed out of the stock (says the Tapanui Courier). Some fields are still in stock, but a few days’ fine weather would see the grain safely stacked. The crops on the settlement arc exceedingly good, and the sample is bright and clean, so that the settlers at the Conicals will be rewarded for their labour, as conditions have not been too favourable since the estate was cut up.