STONE FRUITS

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 14

STONE FRUITS

HANDICAPS ON GROWERS. UTbom Oim Own Cohbksx'Ondent.) AUG'IvLAND, January 13. Willi tho exception of Japanese plurns, thoro seems to bo a shortage of stono fruits in Auckland this year. One grower, when asked regarding tho position, said that he was practically giving up growing stone fruits. There aro too many pests to oe combated to make it profitable, "'lhe brown spot, one of the latest evils to be faced, simply ruins the crop," he said. " You pick fruit that is looking all sound, but unless it is very quickly sold, quite a lot of the iruit will bo rotten." \ English plums appear almost out of the market, and it looks as if Japanese products will have to keep the market going. A retailer, when asked about the brown spot, said: "Itis a serious source of loss to shopkeepers. You buy some cases of fruit and decorate your window, and then, until they are sold, you have to pick out. the half-rotten fruit every morning. As far as I can see, stone fruits will be scarce, and of course high in price." Another grower said it was a question as to whether he would not cut out peaches and plums altogether. What with leaf curl, silver blight, and a dozen other pests, the production becomes too expensive, and then the seasons are so variable that the yields are uncertain. Added to these troubles, growers have now to suffer from the ravages of the brown spot, which develops when the fruit is just ready for market. Plums and peaches are likely to be luxuries in the future unless a remedy is discovered for brown spot.

COMMERCIAL CABLEGRAMS. ■ LONDON, January 4. Bubber: Para, Slid; plantation, 27Jd; smoked' 26Jd. Manila hemp has been reduced to £25 owing to tie decline in the Philippines and cheaper transport. New Zealand prices are unaltered.—A. and N.Z. Cable. January 7. During December the imports increased by £31,422,129, and exports increased by £1,141,521, while re-exports decreased by £66,880. . The Union Bank of Australia has declared a dividend of 10 per cent, and a bonus of 2 per cent. A sum of £25,000 is added to reserves, and the amount carried forward is £78,000. Dead imports, 14,851 tons; exports, nil. The Ministry of Munitions announces that the following stocks are held in Britain: — < ■Copper, 36,000 tons; spelter, 30,290 tons, aluminium, 11,957 tons; lead, 62,852 tons, nickel, 2096 tons; antimony, 3508 torus. —A and N.Z. Cable. January 9. Bank of England Beturns.—Gold coin and bullion, £79,845,000; reserve, £28,830,000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 17.12 per cent.; notes in circulation, £70,141,000; deposits, £28,163,000; other deposits, £140,188,000; Government securities, £71,877,000'; other securities, £85,493,000. Discount on short loans, 3£ per cent.; three months' bills, 3J per cent. War loans: 3£ per cent., £BB 12s 6dj 4 per cent., £94 12s 6d. The following are the quotations for colonial stocks, as compared with those for the previous week:

* 1921-6 currency, t 1920-30 currencj-. Butter and cheese: Unchanged. "Wheat and flour: Dull. Australian: None offering. Oats: Quiet and unchanged. Beans and peas: Steadily held. Sugar: Unchanged. Wheat: -Visible supply, 81,798,000 bushels; forward, 45,798,000 bushels, The Ministry of Food has fixed the maximum wholesale price for imported flour for bread at 46s 3d. —A. end N.Z. and Reuter. THE OAMARU MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, January 11. The only business reported in the grain market is the sale of a couple of lines of oa ts—one of good feed Algerians at 5s net, a. a country station, and the other a small lot of Duns, for which 5s 8d net was given at

a country station. Thoughts are now generally turned to the incoming harvest, which ia certain to be lato owing to sunshine and warmth being wanted to complete the development of the grain. The yields of both, wheat and oats will bo good, the ears being long and well filled. A few early oats have been cut, but these will probably be used for chaiT. Generally speaking, the potato crops are looking well and healthy, but it is reported that in some few places disease has appeared, but it is not certain whether or not it is Irish blight. DUNEDIN MARKETS. Mr B. J. M'Arthur, George street, report* paying fox produce during the week ending the 14th inst., an follows :-t----auiaped treaii Kgg» | liou«y (J lb pat), 5/1/6 dox Honey (bulk), 9d lb Salt Butter, 1/2 lb | Honey (section). 7/6 doa Hup. Butter. 1/3 lb | Honey (Cartoai), lib, 6/Pnme Sep. Butter 2lb, 15/- doi wanted, l/.i* lb j Bes«wax, 2/Bacon Pigs, M lb | Com pressed yeast, 9d packet. Beetle's Rennet, la 3d. SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. (From oub Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, January 11. Stocks of oats available for sale have almost disappeared, the bulk of those in etore being held for the execution of orders taken month! back. The quantity in farmers' hands ia almost negligible, and: the impression is general that there are not enough oats remaining for even local requirement. There is not, however, much apprehension on thle score, as there is still a fair quantity of Btufl in stocks, held for chaff, which must corns into local conumption owing to the absence of shipping facilities. Those who have been doing business in oats for forward delivery are now disinclined for further business oi this description, and it is expected that prices will rule high during the coming year. The growing crops are in a very backward condition, and only real summer weather from this onward can save Southland from a disastrous year as far as oats are concerned. The chaff market is still firm at from £ti to J£6 10s, according to quality and distance from sidling, but as it is considered that a greater part of the new crop will be reserved for chaff than in 1918, the idea is prevalent that values will recede as the harvest of the new crop approaches. There has been a considerable inquiry for ryegrass during the last 10 days or so from the north, and it is evident that buyer* have now realised that the new crop is going to be very much lighter in weight per bushel tfhan last year. Holders are decidedly firmer in their ideas of value, and sales made during the week were at prices 'showing an advance of fully 6d per bushel on buyers' ideas o| values some three or four months ago. Local merchants now consider 281 b to 291 b seed to be worth at least 6s per bushel for machinedressed.

The hemp market is still in a quiet condition, no business worth recording haying taken place for some months past, though a sale of a small quantity was made during the week at £34 10s for low fair. This about represents normal values to-day, with high fair £36 to £36 10s. Merchants" are not, however, disposed to do business at these figures, owing to the big stocks held at Bluff stores* which at present amount to about 1300 tons. GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORTS., Dolgety and Co., Limited, report as follows—Oats: All classes of oats are in short supply. Offerings of late have been except tionally light, and consignments have met ready sale at prices which show a hardening on late rates. Millers have been operating for any suitable lines. We quote: Primemilling, to 6s lOd; good to best feed, 5s 6d to 5s 8d; medium to good, 5s 3d to 5s 6d per bushel, sacks extra. Wheat: Practicallj no business passing in this cereal. Potatoes J Season over for old potatoes. New season's are offering more freely. Good local-grown lines are in good demand. Heavier supplies of Auckland-grown tubers have come forward since our last report, ■ but the quality varies considerably. We quote: Best local grown, to 2Jd per lb; Auckland-grown, from Id Chaff: The market of late has been barely supplied, and all consignments hare been cleared on arrival at quotations. Bright heavy oaten sheaf continues in better demand than medium quality, although the lattei quality has been receiving more attention in view of the lighter supplies. We quote: Choice quality, £8 10s to £8 12s 6d; good oaten sheaf, £8 to £8 7s 6d; fair to good, £7 to £7 15s; medium, £6 to £7 per ton, sack* extra.

Donald Reid and Co., Limited, report:'.We held our usual weekly auction sale of grain and produce at our stores yesterday, when values ruled as under: —Oats: There is good inquiry for oats of all descriptions, but local stocks are now very low, and few samples are ooming forward from the country. Prime milling lines have most inquiry, but all sorts have good demand. We quote t! Prime milling, 5e 3d to 5s 8d; good to beat feed, 5s 3d to 5s 8d; inferior to medium, 4s 6d to 5s 2d per bushel, sacks extra. Wheat: No milling lines have been offering of late. The few lots of fowl wheat coming forward and ready eale on arrival at eatiafactory prices. Potatoes: The last potatoes are now quite off .he market. The new crop is being offered in moderate quantities, and best lines are saleable at 2d to 2Jd, others, Id to 2d per lb. Chaff: Shipper* are not operating freely, and business in tnia respect has therefore slackened considerably. The market, however, is almost bare of prime samples, for which there IS good local demand, and all lots coming forward find ready buyers at quotations. We quote: Best oaten sheaf, £8 5s to £8 10s; choice, to £8 12s 6d; medium to good, £7 to £8; light and discoloured, £5 10s to £6 15s per ton, baga extra. CLEARING SALES-. Wright, Stephenson, and Co. (Limited) report as follows: —We held a clearing sale* of dairy cows at Mr H. Winter's farm at Mount Cargill on the 7th, when we offered his entire dairy herd. There was a good attendance of buyers, and keen competition througl*out the sale. The following would give an idea of prices obtained:—l at £l7, 8 at £l6 10s> 2 at £l6 53, 2 at £l6, 2 at £ls 10s, 1 at £l4 2s 6d, 2 at £l4, the herd (including' heifers) averaging £l3 2s. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of N'ew Zealand, Ltd., report having held a very successful clearing sale of dairy cows, bullocks, pigs, and implements, on account of Mr Wm. Kirkland, at his homestead, Elm Grove, East Taieri. It was a perfect day for the sale, and there wae aj capital attendance of buyers from as far north as Palmer ston, also from Clinton, Otago Central, Balolutha, Milton, Taieri, Law pence, and other districts. The dairy herd comprised 76 first-class cowe, in good condition, which sold from £lO to £24 7s 6d; bullocks, from £ll 5s to £l7 15s. The pigs, being extra well bred, sold under keen competition, at extreme rates. Sows in pig, an<J with litters, realised up to £ls fig. Implements and sundries all realised -good price*.

Competition was keen, and bidding fast, from start to finish. LONDON RABBITSKIN MARKET. LONDON, January 10. Anning and Cobb's report on Ihe rabbitskin market states: 371 bales of Australian and New Zealand were offered and 185 sold. hatters declined 70 per cent., and furriers 60 per cent, compared with February. New Zealand hatters declined 30 per cent, and furriers £lO 15s per bale compared with November. —A. and N.Z. Cable. RECENT LAND SALES. Messrs Battersby and Co. report having completed the following land sales during the past six weeks:—On account of Mr J. King (in conjunction with New Zealand Loan Company, Ltd.), his Blackmount Station, of 66,000 acres, together with all stock, etc., as going concern, to Mt M'Lean, at £43,500; 60 acres freehold at Waitati, at £2OOO, on account of the owner; 66J acres at Herbert at £IOOO on acount of the owner; 400 acres Waitahuna, at £4 per. acre; 3£ acres St. Leonards at £425; 260 acres Herbert, at £10; 35 acres Invercargill, at £1800; 60 acres, Catlins, at £275; 77 acres, Owaka, at £1300; 80 acres leasehold, Leith Valley, at £375; 10 acres, Woodlands, at £800; 400 acres leasehold, Milton, £SOO. The following house properties were also sold during the past few weeks: —11-roomed house, South Dunedin, at £1100; five-roomed house, Kaikorai, at £350; seven-roomed house, oity, £700; shop property, Mosgiel, £1200; five-roomed houso, Bridgman street, £575; five-roomed bungalow, St. Hilda, £735; sixroomed house, Musselburgh, £850; five-roomed house, Musselburgh, £900; three house pro perties in Owaka township, at £1150; fiveroomed bungalow, North-East Valley, £7OO. OTACv/ FARMERS' HORSE BAZAAR. . The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of New Zealand (Ltd.) report: We held our sale in our bazaar on Saturday, when we offered a catalogue of 25 horses, the bulk of which were mares and geldings from four to six years. The attendance was small, and Ridding was not keen, but the bulk of the catalogue changed hands at qatisfiaotory prices. Quotations: sound, sharp, olifty geldings, £25 to £26; extra heavy horses, £26 to £32; seven-year-old and over, mares and geldings, £l3 to £2O; and what Is usually termed aged, £lO to £l2; vannera and epring-carteTS, £l4 to £2O; light sorts of harness horses, at fluctuating prices.

Jan. 2. Jan. 9. Commonwealth 5£'s ... ... ... 99 99 Commonwealth 6£'s ... lOOJ 100J Victorian 4's ,. ... 98 98£ Victorian 3's <.. „. 74 74| Victorian 3J's •• ... m 89J Viotorian 3's ... 668 66J New South Wales 4's ... 85J 86 New South Wales 34's f ... ... 75J 76J New South Wales 3's ... 72* ... 94j 72J Queensland 4's 84 Queensland 3J's ... 90 DO Queensland 3's ... ... 66 65} New Zealand 4's ... 89* so| New Zealand 3J's ... ... ... ... 774. 77i New Zealand 3's ... 69 68§ South Australian 3i's ... 77J 77 South Australian 3's ... 68g 68J lasinanian 3J's ... 77£ 77* Tasmanian 3's ... 69 71 West Australian 3£'s ... ... ... 79J 81 West Australian 3's ... 75* 74