STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3444, 16 March 1920, Page 11

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weeklv St"rV Saten. Monthly (continued). Burnside, Wednesdays Woodlands, 2nd Thtirß" A6hburton, Tuesdays day Addington, Wednesdays »Vyudfc»m. last TbnrsWaiareka Railway Juno- day tion, Tuesdays Dal/our, 3rd Thursday Wallaoetown, Tuesdays Thombury, Ist Friday Heriot. Thursdays Duntroon & Otantau. Fortnightly. „- nd Friday Cilnton, Tharsdaya nr ,l rs 2 a,e ', Brd I r ,L dar Owaka, alternate Thur- aka ; laß , t F r £ ay days with Clinton Clydevale, last ThursBalolutha, Fridays day Gore, Tuesday* Periodically as Adver Oamaru, Tuesdays Used. Wallaoetown, Tuesdays - Lumsden, Mosabuin, . Monthly. Orepuki, Mataura, Palmerston, Ist Monday Waikouaiti. iliveriWinton, Ist Thursday ton, Ngapara, and Duntroon, 2nd Friday Otago Central Sales. OTAGO. The weather has been fairly good, permitting of general harvesting, while the root crops appear to have made some headway,- although there has been little enough rain. South of Gore it is not so bad, but many of the root crops further north have not bulbed as one would like. Still, it might be worse, and the area in turnips down this way will help if the weight per acre may not bulk yery heavy. . One hears on every side about the dim culty of securing sheep trucks in Otago in sufficient numbers, and the ease with which other provinces get. supplies. Why is it ? If the sheep sold at the various sales in Otago during the week had not to travel by road prices would have been much higher. Indeed, the road travelling is becoming a problem, as it is next to impossible to get drovers. They are after Brer Rabbit's pelt.

BURNSIDE MARKET. The yarding of fat sheep at Burnside was of ragged quality, few pennings being prime. The demand was very good, such prime sheep offering making about' Is a head advance, with _ unfinished sheep unchanged, compared with the previous week's prices; but plain sorts of killable ewes were cheaper. Exporters secured a lot of very medium quality stock. In a poor quality lot of fat lambs were some few outstanding pennings. There was a good demand at previous week's prices— viz., 18s to 30s. The \ entry of fat cattle was satisfactory, both in quality and' numbers, and sales were made at up to 45s 6d per 1001 b. Over 300 head of store cattle were yarded, allwith the exception of some-50 very fair two to three-year-old steers, comprised of cows, heifers, and young sorts. The demand was inactive, and a number of pens were passedj_jwhile "canning' sorts were several shillings a head cheaper than at the previous sale. Dairy cows were in demand, but few good sorts were penned. Both fat and store pigs realised recent good rates. COUNTRY SALES. At Oturehua about 6000 sheep were yarded,, and sales were made much on a parity with Middlemarch, lambs 9s' 6d to 16s, two-tooth wethers 18s to 22s 6d, sound mouth ewes 235. At Ranfurly about 4500 sheep were sold, two-tooth wethers 24s Id, extra good lambs-'22s, fat lambs 31s, very forward failing mouth ewes 17s lid. At Waipiata some 12,000 sheep were forward, the Kyeburn Station supplies being included. It was a good sale. Station eighttooth ewes made 28s 6d, mixed sex Jambs 14s, eight-tooth wethers 19s lOd, six-tooth 21s to 245, two-tooth 23s 9d, merino Wethers 173 3d, cull lambs 10s 3d. Other very forward lambs 20s, wether lambs 13s to 16s, culls 8s to 10s 6d, two-tooth crossbred ewes 25s 9d, halfbred four-tooth wethers 22s 4d, old ewes 7s to 13s. Generally, one may consider sales inland quite satisfactory, as all sheep were sold, a goodly number being bought by north men. _ There is nothing much in the way of winter feed about, owing to lack of rain, but sheep were in very fair trim. If those interested would but wake up and see that trucks were on hand waiting there is little doubt prices would have been many shillings a head better. It is the same everji- year. What a blessing it must be to live in a climate where the cost of living is not noticeab'e, but- one would think thai stock and station agents would look into the matter from the business point of view. ■ At Clinton about 5000 sheep, made up of ewes, lambs, and wethers, were yarded. The attendance was good, but here, too, trucks seemed hard to secure, and consequently north men who were itching to wade in had to restrain their speculative faculties. Growers, of course, suffered by securing prices shillings per head less than the stock warranted. Good ewes were selling well, but others neglected. Some prices include open wool two-tooth ewes to 29s forward, failing mouths to 18s, "potters" from 4s upwards, two-tooth wethers 22s 4d to 255,. culls 15s, four-tooths 27s 7d to 31s lOd, open wool mixed lambs, the tail-end of station lots, 4s 9d to 7s Id, fair 8s 6d to 13s, good 16s 6d, rape sorts 17s 6d. At the Balclutha fixture about 7000 sheep, mostly owes and lambs, with a few pens of wethers, met with dragging demand,

but practically all were sold. Two-tooth owes made 25s 6d to 28s 7d, thin fourtooth ewes to 24s 9d, good six and eighttooths 26s cd, big guaranteed sound moutn. ewes 22s lOd to 235. others 5s to 17s, good two-tooth wethers 25s 9d to 265, fair fourtooths 24s 7d, extra good six and eighttootha to 345, culls to 20s, best mixed sex lambs 18s to 19s, good 13s 6d to 15s, cull lambs 4s 6s 4d. - ---'-■

OTAGO STOCK SALES. The second sale of the Central Otago stock series was held at Middlemarch on the Bth inst, when some 7000 to 8000 sheep were yarded, chiefly cast ewes, more or less sound, together with wether lambs and a few yards of mixed sex lambs, as dropped. The demand was poor, but vendors were sellers and all sheep were sold. Northern buyers secured two-thirds of the entry. Six and eight-tooth ewes sold to 28s 6d, soundmouth ewes 24s to 30s, ewes not guaranteed 10s to 17s, very fair mixed sex lambs to 19s 6d, hill wether lambs 8s 6d to 12s 6d. As observed before, lambs were irregular in size, indicating the necessity of more pains being shown in the care and culling of the ewe flock, and retrieving the rams on due date. At Milton on the 9th inst. about 3000 sheep were submitted to a good attendance of buyeis, who, however, lacked animation to a degree depressing to shcep-owner3. Some 500, Avethers and 300 medium hill lambs were included in the entry, the balance being cast ewes of fair size and condition. Several lots were passed in at auction. Good -four and six-tooth fine crossbred wethers made from 27s 9d to 30s, fair twotooths, mixed fine wools, 225; fair wellgrown store lambs, more or less "seedy," to 17s 3d; others, 10s to 13s 9d; culls, 6s 9d. A number of the Jambs were only fair, but all were strong and thrifty, the only deterrent to an active demand being the lack of adequate rains. Only a few fats were penned and sold at market rates. NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Sheep are selling fairly well at recent rates, but cattle for the most part are quiet. In the Auckland district, at, the best field market, beef touched 57s per 1001 b, forward wethers 27s 6d to 30s, fair store lambs 16s 6d to 20s 6d. In Poverty Bay, two-tooth wethers 24s to 26s 9d, forward two and four-tooths 28s 9d, young ewes„2Bs 6d, lambs 15s 9d, fair two-year-old steers to £B, three-year-olds £lO. In Tarahaki, two-tooth wethers to 27s 6d, rape lambs to 16s, small from 9s, good Shorthorn weaner steers £2 10s, - other weaner steers £1 ss, Jersey weaner heifers to £5 17s, two-year-old steers (good sorts) £8 ss, three and four-year-olds £l2 to £l3 ss. In _the Wairarapa, twotooth wethers 25s 6d to 28s, shorn wether lambs 13s, small do. 7s, medium yearling steers to £4 10s, two-year-olds £7, good young ewes 295, heifers in milk to £l4, cows to £2O, herd averages £ls. In the Wanganui-Feilding areas, good two-tooth wethers 26s 6d to 295, fair lambs to 14s 6d, small from'7s 6d, fair year and a-half steers to £5. In Hawke's Bay, two-tooth wethers 225, four and six-tooths to 27sj fair lambs from 8s to lis, good 18s, young ewes 26s to 30s, small two-tooths (mixed) 17s to' 19s, aged from 15s to 22s*

STOCK NOTES, No appreciable i movement upwards in store stock is apparent in Otago, but rather a slackness than otherwise. Prospects would appear, however, more favourable since lastwriting, and one should not be surprised to see halfbred lambs hardening, ewe lambs carrying the finer quality of wool should be good property. This factor in itself, if there is any sort of relief at all in-respect to space available at the various works, should tend to lift values • of all classes of store sheep forward—always granted that we have weather suitable for root crops. It is a pleasure to record anything out of the ordinary in the way of wool prices, and Mr C W. of Outram, whose "4S" brand was submitted for valuation (by the National Mortgage and Agency Company at Dunedin), must be congratulated in seeming for the whole of his clip—fleece, locks, etc. —an average of over 20d per lb. Although a small flock comparatively, the average price for the whole output must be about a Dominion record. The various lots were made up and sold as follows: —Four bales merino 25d, seven bales halfbred wether 24£d, two bales halfbred ewe 23d, two bales halfbred hogget 23d, two bales crossbred _2od, two bales dingy 17£d, three bales pieces 17J»d, two bales bellies 15Ad, and four in bins; total, 28 bales. The fleece wool averaged just upon 22£d per lb,, .and the total clip 20d. This compares very favourably with the Wilden Station clip, sold by_ Dalgety and Co., the fleece wool of which averaged 21d per lb. The Bargenoch Ayrshire sale, held in January on behalf of Mr J. Logan, was most satisfactory. For 21 bulls the sum received was £2347 12s, giving an average of £135 and for' seven heifers £4-86 13s Gd, an average of £69 10s 6d; total result, £3334- 5s 6d, giving a general average of £ll9 Is Bd. Last year the general average for 21 head was £133 13s 6d, but one bull then fetched 1400 gs. - A proposed scheme for the establishment of a compensation fund for diseased cattle com.pulsorily destroyed has been submitted by the Chamber of Agriculture, Victoria, to its branches throughout the country for an expression of ' opinion. An .exchange advises the shipment to Sydney from. England of a valuable consignment of cattle of -various breeds, on behalf _ of Sir Samuel Hordern. His shipment included the dark roan heifer Lady Clara, selected at Mr Wm, Duthie's sale, by Knight of Lancaster; dam Collynie Clara 3rd by D'anesfield Storm King, and going back to Clara 53rd and Clara- 42nd, sired respectively by Captain of the Guard and William of Orange. Lady Oathcart also supplied two good animals in the blood-red heifer of the Missie family, Cluny Missie 4th, by Edgcote Sirius from Proud Missie 15th, by Royal Leader and Cluny 'Primrose 4th, a nice red heifer, also sired by Edgcote Sirius from Cluny Primrose 2nd, by President of the Mint. Junior Lai, the grade Hereford supreme champion at Chicago, was a January calf of 1919. He weighed 10251 b, and was sold by auction after the judging at 9s 3d per lb. AMBERLEY EWE FAIR. The annual sale of sheep at the Amberley Ewe Fair in North Canterbury was held last week, when 36,636 sheep were penned, made up of 35,086 ewes, 1461 lambs, and 220 wethers. Last year there was an entry of 49,469, and in 1918 some 35,000. Competition from the big attendance present was animated, and prices realised for all classes were highly satisfactory. A line of 403 halfbred two-tooth ewes from Sir George Clifford's Stonyhurst flock made the

highest price—viz., 583 per head, the purchaser being Mr C. Peter, of Anama. Last year the highest price was 42a 9d for-a line from the Glendhu estate. Some other notable sales included Mr JD. Archibald of Overshiels, two-tooth halfbred ewes at 535, four-tooth at 50s and six-tooth at 42s 6d. Special mention should also bo made of Mr G. D. Greenwood's sound-mouthed Oorriedales, which sold at 41s each; and the Mount Vulcan four : year-olds, which made 41s 9d each for a line of 776. A line of 631 hclfbred ewe lambs from the latter estate also brought 'the record price of 37s 6d each, Mr J. C. Gibb, of Scargill, being the purchaser. A small line of two-tooth ewes from Messrs R. and J, Little, of Seaview, sold at 52s 6d. The range of prices was:—For best halfbred two-tooth ewes 50s 6d to 5Ss; others, 31s 6d to 47s 6d, four-tooth 37s 6d to 50s; six-tooth, 41s to 42s 6d; four-year-olds, 30s to 41s 9d; sound-mouthed, 24s 9d to 41s; failing-mouth, 20s 9d to 29s 8d; three-quar-terbred two-tooth, 27s 3d to 425; halfbred ewe lambs at 25s 9d to 37s 6d. The range of prices last year was:—Best two-tooth halfbred ewes, 30s to 42s 9d; others, 24s to 29s 6d; four and five year halfbred ewes, 21s 6d to 365; soundmouthed, 23s to 28s; failing-mouth, 10s od to 18s; halfbred ewe lambs, 21s to 26s bd; two-tooth three-quarterbred ewes 21s 3d to 27s 9d. AMERICAN STOCK SALES.

In December last, at Chicago, 53 Shorthorns realised a total of £20,536 (assuming £1 ;s equal to 5dol), an average of £478. During the International Show a sale of Aberdeen-Angus was held. at Chicago, where eight bulls sold for £1892, 32 females for £12,397, an average of £387, and 40 head sold for £14,251, an average of £356. The top price was £920, paid for Pride of Meadow Lawn CXXII (271141), a two-year-old heifer exposed by Messrs Carpenter and Ross, Ohio. Other good prices were £520 for the cow Erica of A., £720 for the yearling Enquiry of Glen Mawr V, £6OO for Erica C. V (175331), £6lO for Pride of Kasio, £760 for the heifer Edella of Page (260328), and for the two-year-old Blackbird of Glyn Mawr II (263593). The Shorthorns of Messrs W. A. Forsythe and Sons realised an average of almost £253 ,for 62 head. Four bulls brought an average of £306, and 58 females an average of £238. The imported bull Bapton Mariner went for £5lO. Mr Frank R. M'Dermand, Kansas City, paid £6OO for the cow Gwendoline VII, £520 for the show cow Amy's Princess, and £350 for the white daughter of Bapton Mariner, Clara Hedgwood. The grand champion cow at the later American Royal, Lady Supreme, went for £950 to Mr Park E. Salter, of Kansas City.

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF FOR ALLIES. A splendid record of work has been issued by the Agricultural Relief of Allies Committee, a body which was initiated by the j Royal Agricultural Society (England) to afford practical assistance to farmers in the ruined districts of France, Belgium, and Serbia. Since the inauguration of the fund the amount of cash received is £193,718. To this is to be added £9501, the value of seeds, live stock, etc., given in kind, and £2237 estimated yet to be received from county committees, etc., making a total of £205,456. After _ the signature of the Armistice the committee at once began to make arrangements for the purchase end distribution cf live stock on a considerable scale, and appointed buyers, and it was decided that male animals should be pedigree stoclt, and that the females should be of good foundation type. Of the thousands of head of stock dealt with by the fund, only three heifers, two pigs, three sheep, and one goat have Been lost by accident during trans-' port, and as these' were insured no financial less was incurred, whilst at the depots- the deaths were only three heifers, two pigs, three sheep, and 10 goats. In addition to the generous financial support of subscribers to the fund, the commitee have received valuable donations in kind from individuals, and especially from the breed societies for sheep. ! Summary of Relief.— ! The following shows at a glance the re- : lief given by the committee since the commencement of the fund: Franoe. Belgium. Serbia!" Poland. Total. Bulls .. 55 48 30 Heifers .. 782 732 550 Rams ..224 65 Ewes .. 1,560 1,475 i Boars 45 63 Gilts .. 471 593 Goats .. 2 413 Poultry c j and I Eggs for hatching 7,042 7,664 2,000 362 17,068 ' Agricultural Implements (Belgium).— Binders, ploughs, thrashing machines, cultivators, harrowa, drills, 151. ■Seeds (Finance) — Wheat • .. .. 800 sacks Oats and barley .. .. 2056 sacks Potatoes .... .. .. 892 sacks Miscellaneous (France) — Binder Twine 5 tons Scotch Pine Tree Seed .. .. \ ton Fruit trees'.. .. 8850 AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. A circular has been issued to all branches of the Farmers' Union in New Zealand by the Dominion Executive with a view to ! ascertaining the opinion of farmers with regard to the control' by the Government of the primary products. A reply is asked to the following questions:—(l) Is the branch favourable to the Government fixing the price of farmers' produce? (2) Does the branch favour the sale of the following classes of produce to the Imperial Government: (a) rnsat, (b) wool, (c) butter and cheese, (d) any other produce? It is anticipated that the replies will be received in time to be placed before tha dominion con- | ference of. producers and those interested in the meat industry to be held in Wellington shortly. The Wheat Controller has definitely stated to the Dunedin millers that the Government had commandeered stocks as from February 29, and has given millers permission to sell flour, bran, and pollard at the ' new prices fixed for the current year. Bakers have been permitted to advance the prices of bread to cover the increased cost. Owing to the steadily advancing prices of raw material the price of pearl barley has baen raised to £35 per ton. j A traveller who haa just eeen a considerable part of South and Central Otago and Southland has given the Oamaru Mail a

somewhat dismal description of the appearance of the country. He states that owing to the want of rain feed has dried up badly, while grain crops aie stunted in growth and light-headed, and turnips are languishing for want of moisture. Of course, there are many striking exceptions to the general rule. These are found in favoured situations where either the soil is of a more retentive character or where the full effect of the sun's rays is not experienced. In these circumstances meadows are green and fresh, grain crops, chiefly oats, look promising, though backward, and turnips have made good headway. Of all the country seen the worst is Southland, usually accounted a wet region. There everything wears a parched and disheartening appearance, and the outlook is in the aggregate most discouraging, alike in regard to grain yields and feed for stock. So far neither sheep nor cattle seem to have felt the pinch of hunger, but unless rain comes soon all animals will have a bad time. As to the crops they have gone too far to be benefited to any material extent by an accession of moisture, and, as the area under contribution is a good deal below the average, the output of oats in Southland will fall a long way short of the average. There are some well-grown fields of oats that promise fairly good retui-ns provided the heads fill well; but they are as oases in a desert of stunted, thin, and poorly headed crops. These the impression of having been sown in damp and cold seed beds, with the result that they failed to obtain a good start, and when the warmth came the accretion of moisture was dissipated readily owing to the elod not being well covered. The subsequent _ absence of helpful rain did the rest. Of course the flow of milk has been materially reduced, and .the dairying industry, which looms large in Southland,, has been prejudiced. Altogether the season is the worst experienced in Southland for many years. The Lawrence branch of the Farmers' 1 Union adopted the following resolutions at its last meeting;—"That the Government be urged l to have_ some cheap rabbit netting and other fencing material put upon the mai'ket a 9 soon as possible. That the Provincial Executive foe asked to obtain the opinion of all the branches as to the working of the Arbitration and Conciliation Acts in their bearing upon the farming industry, and also an expression of opinion as to the advisability pf having them repealed."

Our Waikoikoi <orrespondent writes: "The cutting of the oat crop in the 'Koi district is almost general. The ground is very dry and hard at present, and would benefit greatly with a good day's rain; but this seeiu« tar away -at time of writing. The grass seed harvest is past now, the acreage under this crop being smaller than in former years. However, to those who have anv to sell good nrices are ruling. About 7s per bushel seems to bo the usual price for good seed from the mill. . A satisfactory trial took place in Christchurch the other day of a mill for converting lucerne chaff into flour for use for stock food and also for poultry. Such mills are in use in different parts of the United States, and the lucerne flour produced, in addition to being used for stock and poultry, has also been used for human consumption. The State Treasurer (says the Australasian) has approved of advances aggregating £95,000 to two freezing companies. The Donald Inland .Freezing Company is to receive £55,000 for a term of 12 years, at 5£ per- cent, interest. The company has the right to repay the advance at any time on giving the Minister six months' notice. No dividend is to be paid until the loan from the Treasurer is discharged. The company is putting new capital to the extent of £40,000 into the business. The' M-urtoa, Freezing Company was granted an advance .of £40,000 for seven years at per cent. The conditions as to repayment are similar to those provided for in the Donald grant. The Murtoa Company is putting £30,000 new capital into its business. In each case the grant is to beused for the purpose of extending the company's workd.

In the third cotton forecast of India for 1919-20 the Department of Statistics, India, gives the area sown to cotton as 22,186,000 acres, against 19,677,000 acres at the corresponding date in 1918, or an increase of 13 per cent. The final estimate for 191819 was 20,497,000 acres. The forecasted yield for the 1919-20 season shows a heavy gain on that for the preceding season, being 73 per cent, greater. The yield is given as 5,668,000 bales of 4001 b each, as egainst 3,282,000 bales at December, 1918. Compared with the final estimate of last year, the present forecasted yield shows an increase of 54 per pent. The report states that weather conditions, on the whole, have been favourable, and the condition of the cron is stated to be generally s-ood. The chairman of directors of Elder. Smith and Co. (Ltd.). at a meeting on the 26th February, said that he was not one of those who thought the British Government were making undue profits on wool, as, with onethird of the wool still to be.sold, including a large proportion of lower grades, the final result might not be so good as at present. They had to remember that the wool was sold to the British Government at a fixed minimum price, with a half-share of the profits to go to the Australian woolgrowers, and, although there had been some criticism lately, it must not be forgotten that the wool was sold while the war was on, and when the outlook for marketing the wool was most uncertain. The growers were thus guaranteed a minimum price, which was mostly valuable and reassurinjr to all concerned, especially at that time. They then had their wool appraised, and were paid for it, whether shipoed or not. On June 30 last year 1,330,000 bales, or two-third* of a clio, remained in Australia unshipped, although paid for by the British Government; and there would probably b« a large carry-over in Australia on June 30 next—possiblv over 1,000,000 bales. That would include a proportion of more or less tvnattractive classes of wool. As regarded iho future, a wool council was projected to deal with the next clip, and the company was supporting it. ■A dispute between the Oanterbuiy Sheepowners' Union and the musterers. packers, and shepherds' section of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Union of Workers was before the Conciliation Council on the Bth, but a deadlock was reached, and the cirse will go to the Arbitration Court. The Sheepowners' Union relied on the- Otajro award, but the men said that was unsatisfactory. Some 1410 acres of settlement lands in the Auckland land district were gazetted

reosntly as set aside for soldier ■ settlement, Some 87,000 acres in Canterbury land dis* trict have been set aside lor leasing' ail small grazing runs under the Land Act^ A return of £55 from a cow for a period of 12 months is getting near a record. This, however, is the value of the milk supplied from one animal, the property of a Levin resident. On- a Rakaia estate recently, one mill thrashed 40,000 bushels of grass seed and grain. As showing the productiveness and fattening qualities of the Ashburton County, what is believed to be a record for New Zealand was established at the Tinwald Saleyards recently by the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association's local branch, penning 7223 fafc wethers, ewes, and lambs, which averaged 30s per head. Tho oldest buyers state this is a record for numbers and price for any firm at any one sale (states the Ashburton Guardian. At the recent Amberley Ewe Fair somewhat sensational prices were realised for good class ewes, special lots selling up to £2 18s per head, and a very large number realising over £2 a head. Halfbred ewe lambs sola up to 10s and 17s 6d a" head. - -

FARMERS' MEETING. PRODUCERS' DIFFICULTIES. MASTERTON, March 10. At a large meeting of farmers held at Masterton to-day the following resolutions were carried: 'That the Wairarapa dolegates support a reasonable proposal which would assist to remove the glut of meat in New Zealand freezing works; that failing a satisfactory reply being given by the Iniperial Government, that the New Zealand stores will be cleared of meat by December, 1920, the Imperial Government be tressed; to oontinue the commandeer of meat until Juno, 1921, with a condition that the stores be reasonably cleared by December, 1921; that a representative committee he set up by a conference with the Board of Agriculture, to assist to push the meat difficulties! to a satisfactory conclusion.. That should fair and reasonable freight arraifgements for New Zealand produce not be possible with the shipping companies trading to New Zealand, the Board of Agrjoulture, with the consent of the t Government, be asked to call at the earliest convenient date_ a meeting of delegates from all the freezing companies", dairy companies, A. and P. associations, and other producers' associations to discuss the position, and to formulate proposals for " the establishment of \an independent shipping line, or some other effective method of dealing with tho position. A resolution was also passed asking for legislative power to take a vote of tho freezing companies and dairy companies as to raising a sum of £4,000,000 to invest in shipping. - . Another resolution supported sending m commission to England.