THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 11

THE NORTH ISLAND.

(Fbom Oub Own Cobbespondent.) There are not a few sheep paddocks between Wanganui and Marton which carry large patches of gorse. The growth has been an eyesore for some time past to the good farmer, who likes to see clean land, and comments are frequent that holders of the affected areas should be compelled to clear them. The land in question, howover, mostly belongs to the Maoris, so that it is hopeless asking them to .do anything in 'the direction indicated. _ There is one thing, the heavy clumps justified their existence during the past week. The heat has been excessive, and registered over oOdeg in the shade. It is needless to say, therefore, that the sheep fully appreciated the friendly shade provided for them by Nature. Fullest advantage was taken by the animals, and this was evidenced by the hundreds that were to be seen daily huddled up sheltering from the heat of the noontide sun. The country has no't been struck by such heat for several years past, the sun s rays being fierce even in the early morning. Harvesters exposed to the sun had a warm time of it, and they all felt glad when knock-off time came at the end of 'the day. The country is pretty well parched, but the heavy rains of a week ago gave the land a .thorough soaking; otherwise matters might have been much worse One good thing _ is that stock generally is in good condition, particularly cattle on homesteads, 'the provident owners of which are ablo to feed out lucerne/ So many days of continuous hot, dry weather has borne home the need of providing such emergencies in the ehape of green feed. One man in the Feilding district is operating on a fine, field of lucerne, and the results are astonishing so far as his dairy herd is _ concerned. Sheep are still "being railed in _ very large numbers over the various lines of the Dominion. Tho sensible proposition, and one advocated in tho Witness last year, is that stock should be sent to tho nearest freezing works, and thus save what appears to be unnecessary long haulages. This is now being advanced ; but thero is not much chance of the proposal being adopted, as tho Government wants all the money it can get. Stock traffic is assuredly good for the Treasury, and that is all that counts these days In 'the Stratford district tho committee of the Model Dairy Farm have been ex-

j ceedingly active since taking possession of I the farm, and have erected a compact, up-to-date, and substantial cowshed. They have also 20 acres of land stumped and cultivated. This latter area now carries splendid crops of turnips, swedes, mangolds, carrots,, and numerous other fodder crops. Generally speaking, operations "are very satisfactory. COW-TESTING. The December-January cow-testing returns for Bell Block and Mangorei Associations, in South Taranaki, are now available, Bell Block being as follows: Herd' Averages. — No. cows. Milk. Teat. Fat.

405 .. •• 3.4 .. •• 13-" •Hoot herd—729lb milk, 5.2 test, 38.151 b fat. Wo«tSSa3Bb milk, 47 test, 26141 b at. Best oow-9301b ; milks.() test, 4650jb fa • Worst cow-2401b milk, 4.2 test fat Average association cow—6l7lb raUK, 4.a test, 29.631 b fat. MAN&OREI ASSOCIATION. Herd; Averages. — No. cows. . Milk. Test. Fat.

Best hord— 7871 b milk, 3.8 test 30.101 b fat. Worst herd—s34lb milk, 4.0 tfesf, 21.511 b fat. Best cow—S7olb milk, 4.5 test, 39.151 b fat. Worst cow—34slb milk, 4.1 test, 14.141 b fat. Average association cow—639lb milk, 4.0 test, 25.721 b fat. OVERSEAS SHIPPING. Farmers and producers generally _ are greatly pleased to learn _ that the position as regards overseas shipping is good as far as can be judged at the present time. There is now plenty Si storage space in the works, and, according to the Minister of Agriculture, the old wether and ewe mutton has practically all been lifted. LAND FOR SOLDIERS-POSITION IN POVERTY BAY. There has been considerable dissatisfaction at Gisbornc for some time past concerning tho non-acquisitioir of land for soldiers in Poverty Bay, and the matter has led to a great deal of correspondence. The position was further enhanced last week, when the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture, was deputationised on tho subject. Tho Minister said he had received many communications from people in this district regarding the matter. Ho could not say when the Land Purchase Commissioners would be visiting Poverty Bay, but he hoped it would be soon. Ho said that he had been informed by the Prime Minister that inquiries that had been made here did not reveal any place which coidd be purchased at a suitable price. Mr MacDonald agreed that something should bo done in obtaining land for soldiers in this district, but pointed out that it was necessary that they should be placed on the /land under conditions

that would make it possible for them to make a living, and not keep 'them slaving away all their lives. He went on to say that tho Crown was purchasing large blocks along the coast which would undoubtedly be reserved for soldiers. Then there were other private ventures in this district also. About 80 per cent, of the soldiers who had already applied for land had been placed on farms and were doing well; but tho number of applicants had not been so great as had been expected. The great majority of the soldiers when they were discharged Avere suited in their previous occupations. BUNNY IN THE KING COUNTRY. If there is no beer in' the King Country, it cannot be said there are no rabbits, for bunny is having a great time, and is increasing his breed in euch a way that settlers are becoming seriously 'troubled. In the Piopio district rabbits are particularly bad, and attempts at the extermination of the pest have been more or less ineffective, owing to the existence of areas of unoccupied Native land, which constituted a refuge and a breeding-ground for the rabbits. With a view to carrying but a campaign for the extermination of the peet, tho Piopio Branch of the Farmers' Union has formed a llabbit Extermination Committee, and steps are to be taken to lay poison throughout the district. The committee is co-operating with the rabbit inspector. WORK OF EFFICIENCY BOARD. The work of the Efficiency Board is appreciated in some, quarters, especially in the Taumarunui district, where there is close co-ordination between Mr T. Moss (Commissioner for Wellington) and 'the local trustees. Mr _ Moss has just paid a visit to th§ district to inquire into a report that the lands of soldiers were in danger of going back into scrub and fern owing _ 'to the absence of the owners. Mr Moss is a practical farmer, and if he and his associates are given sufficient power they will be able to' keep the farms of those who have gone to fight their country's battles in good order. As a matter of fact, I understand there is a farm in the district that is producing more and ie in better order under a capable manager than when the owner (who enlisted) was residing on it. DAIRYING IN AUCKLAND PROVINCE. Tho New Zealand Dairy Association (Ltd.) has paid to its suppliers the sum of £72,555 17s lOd, being the final payment for butter-fat supplied last dairying season. The payment was belated owing to delay in connection with the shipment of last season's dairy produce. The amount of dairy produce exported from Auckland during January shows a considerable falling off as compared with the quantity exported for the same period last year. Last month 63,000 boxes of butter and 8000 crates of cheese were exported during January last year. Tho quantity exported is no indication _ as to tho amount produced, though in respect to butter the amount received to date in the Government grading stores this season is considerably less than the_ quantity received during the corresponding period of last season. The production or cheese has been maintained, the amount received _ at the grading stores this season to date being practically the same as was received for the corresponding perioo! last season. / IN NORTH AUCKLAND. In North Auckland a good soaking rain fell throughout the Northern Wairoa in midweek, and tho most pessimistic of dairymen can hardly find fault .with the pasturage and with farming conditions generally. Sheep and beef cattlemen, however, declare that a good, dry spell is badly needed in order: that the grass may reach the stage of summer maturity desired by them. Orchardists also complain of the abnormal rains of February, and assert that each day's rain is causing them a heavy loss. In the Tangowahine Valley reports state that their pasturages now show a better growth than they exhibited in the spring, and although the benefit of such lush grass for woaner lambs is dubious, those of the latter which have been placed on clean areas are doing well, especially on paspalum. Sheepfarmers contend that paspalum offers a premier food for young sheep, and those removed inland from the coastal belt make surprising headway. HORSE SALE AT GISBORNE. A horse sale took place at Gisbornc during the week; but bidding was slow. Of five offered on account of Mr J. Clark, tho only one sold was a three-year-old gelding (Multifid —Karana), the purchaser being Mr J. H. Jefferd at 150gs._ Bidding started at 75gs. and rose in sgs bids. For the balance of Mr Clark's horses no offers were received. The brood mare and filly, on account of Mr W. L. Rutledge, were passed in, the offer for the marc being lOOgs. Mr Gaine Carrington's Gazeley gelding was passed in at 75gs. Tho well-known racehorses Zeiis and Tavistock failed to find purchasers, no offers being received. There were a good many sales of hacks and halfdraughts, the following transactions having been recorded: —On account Panikau Station: Hacks—Maro at # £lo ss, filly passed, bay gelding £lO, six-year-old bay gelding £B, four-year-old gelding (by Maestosa) £l2, Arab mare £l3 10s. _ five-year-old gelding £8 15s, six-year gelding £8 10s. pwo-year gelding £l2, six-year-old njaro £7 15s, gelding £9 ss, three-year filly, passed £4 10s, three-year filly no offer, filly £6.

On account Mr T. Jex-Blako: Light and' half draughts-VTwo, three, and four year olds,, unbroken —filly at £2, filly at £2, filly at £3 ss, mar© (broken) with foal £2, gelding £3 15s, filly at £2, filly at £2, yearling filly at £1 15s, yearling gelding £3, maro at £2 10s, mare and foal at £1 10s, maro at 203, two yearling geldings at £1 each. PRICE OF PRODUCE—AFTERMATH FROM THE WAR, A matter of very great importance was touched upon by tho Hon. W. D. IS. MaoDonald, Minister of Agriculture, at Gisborne a day or two ago. He- was referring to the reluctance of tho department to purchase land, and said he could quite understand the position in view of the present high prices prevailing. There were some people optimistic enough to believe that the producers were going to go on getting the same prices they were to-day. But ho (the Minister) thought thaf those 'with a little discretion realised that they' had to allow for some aftermath from this great war. He felfc that there would be a payable price, but that there would come a time when prices would not be so high. So those who understood the question and the prices of land and stock would realise that the Government had a great responsibility in putting men on the land with provailing prices. FROZEN HORSE FLESH. The Wairoa Branch of the Farmers' Union is asking tho Government to grant permission for the slaughter and export of horses; but most peop'e will agreo that such a suggestion is ridiculous, when it is impossible to find sufficient shipping to tako away all the frozen mutton, lamb, and beef that comes forward. The Wairoa farm cm may have a lot of old "has been*" they "want to get rid of; but to talk of asking the Government to find space for froze? horseflesh when space cannot be found fa a more delectable class of meat scentf almost tho height of absurdity. .

39 lb. 694 4.7 lb. 33.08 80 610 4.5 27.90 16 646 4.1 26.86 20 622 • •! 4.6 29.91 5 723 5.2 38.15 15 550 6.8 32.35 14 553 4.7 26.14 25 563 6.0 28.37 23 620 4.4 •.. 27.33 24 566 6.1 29.11 38 643 4.4 2S.56 16 612 4.7 28.79 •Highest Individual Yield — Milk. Test. Fat. lb lb. 825 5.5 45.37 690 5.1 35.19 705 4.9 »'•] ♦ • 34.54 855 , 4.6 39.33 930 5.0 46.50 690 5.5 37.95 780 4.6 35.88 735 " 5.2 38.22 720 5.2 37.44 660 5.7 37.62 780 5.4 42.12 840 4.9 41.16 _ -Lioweat Individual Yield. — Milk. lb. . 375 Test. 5.1 Fat. lb. 18.12 480 4.2 20.16 860 450 3.5 4.4 12.60 19.80 585 450 570 495 510 450 240 '" '*, 5.6 5.3 3.5 4.6 4.0 4.C 4.2 32.76 23.85 19.95 22.77 20.40 18.00 10.08 13 77

16 44 24 17 \i 13 lb. 787 3.8 .. 1U. 30.10 548 738 618 609 3.9 3.9 4.5 3.9 29.31 29.31 27.81 -24.00 ... 534 4.0 21.51 - Highest Individual Yield — Milk, lb. 870 870 780 825 780 555 .. .. Test. 4.5 8.6 4.6 4.4 4.3 5.1 Fat. lb. 39.15 81.32 35.88 36.30 33.54 28.30 -Lowest Individual Yield. — Milk, lb. 780 345 Test., 3.3 4.1 Fat. lb. 25.74 14.14 495 540 4.3 3.8 .., .. 21.28 20.52 435 4.1 17.83 390 4.3 16.77