SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 9

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

iFkom Oub Own Correspondent.)

The various stock sales have been well patronised, but have been lacking in the spirit of some previous sales. The slight fall in. prico has not been caused altogether by large yardings. There is generally a slackness just prior to the demand for breeding ewes setting in. Surplus store stock has to be cleared to allow for a. change and a renewal of stock. The prospect of winter feed in the splendid crop of turnips all over may to a certain extent be reassuring; but as so mwk depends upon the season later on and frosts holding off there is nothing like an absolute certainty, not even in a full provision for all requirements, and a superabundant supply is never looked for. It is- very pleasing to notice the splendid condition in which all kinds of stock at present seem to be. In any direction in which one may_ go the paddocks are looking well, especially where ewes and lamba are depasturing. The lambs have a fine, healthy, and clean appearance. Nor are the cattle one whit behind. The large number of fat and forward-con dit ; oned cattle helps to make farni3 in general look particularly well. Turnip-thinning machines do not do the work to perfection, but are at the same time highly serviceable, and aro an efficient check on crops gettimr too far ahead. The great bulk of turnip-thinning has been done by women, assisted in many cases by boys and girls, and all of »them have earned good wages. The thinning, even where it has been gone over after the machines, does not come up to the standard requirements of the Old Country, where tha drills are also well* cleaned of weeds, Labour is too expensive here to do so, and it is said the labour shortage at Home is telling on high-class cultivation. Be that as it may, some splendid crops are raised in Southland, although the cleaning cannot be done so thoroughly as the most fastidious could wish. At Wallacetovvn, close to the saleyards, a crop of softfleshed turnips of about 13 acres has been disposed of at £7 10s per acre. The position may have helped the figure, but it also indicates faith in the local sales hold ing out, and that lambs may yet be wortX more than just at present seems to b< the case. There has been no export of sheep anr lambs to the north for some time fo{ reasons quite apparent, and there is n{ movement apparent in that direction, There is abundant feed in- Southland, ane the increase of stock is not causing ai excessive demand on the food supply. The blight has for some seasons bacl damped the ardour and enthusiasm oj potato-growers, and this season alreadj gives every indication of no hope for 4, better state of affairs. The early crop< seem in some localities very much affeoted. The tops are fading rapidly, but some ol this may be due to the crops ripening. Those who have been digging for the early market say that any they have not disposed of show the disease so strongly and their keeping qualities deteriorate so rapidly 'they are very soon of no market yaluo. There will most probably be a considerable rush upon the market, and, un* sound supplies glutting the market, a fal in prices may follow. Then guarantee* sound potatoes will bo in deman i, and th( price will consequently rise. The Woodlands Branch of tb, Farmer* Union is protesting against the discrimma* 'tion of tho Government in the matter ol cream butter and whey butter. In th. 4 case of cream butter the- Government offer} Is 5d per lb and 50 per cent, of any profij made, whilo -Is 2d per lb is offered fo| whey butter, with no share in the } rofita^

EXPORT OF PRODUCE.

SHIPPING PRODUCTS. (Fbom Oob Own Corbespondbkt.J "WELLINGTON, February 12. Tho shipping available for the oommerca of this country has been rather better than was generally expected during the past two months, and the indications are that the supply of ships will continue to be satisfactory for at least a month longer. There are six steamers now loading for Britain, and seven more are due to arrive before the end of February. The difficulty now if that there is an accumulation of products

are not so urgently required as meat, .wool, and cheese by the Imperial authorities. These include tallow, frozen' rabbits, and butter, and shortly there will be apples. It is hoped that it will be possible to export some of the apples, of which 'there pwill bo a big surplus this year, to England. There are 400,000 boxes of butter in store in tho country now, but some of this will be getting away soon. All of it/has been taken by the British Government, and in view of the difficulty of getting it out of the country the. price of 157 s paid for it must now bo considered to have been satisfactory. LARGE QUANTITY IN STORE. WELLINGTON,. February 15. The Prime Minister stated to-day that ihere was a hugo quantity of butter awaiting shipment in different New Zealand ports. The wholo of it was the property of the Imperial Government, which was beginning to bo inconvenienced, but it was expected by the representatives of the' Government hero that the quantity would bo considerably reduced during tho remainder of tho present month and part of March.