AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 9

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

No decision has yet been come to (says our Wellington correspondent) regarding the proposal to make a charge for the grading of dairy produce, but probably at the end of the present season something will be done in this direction. The charge will probably be a small one, and one that the producers will have no reason to complain of.

! A conference of New Zealand wheat ; growers has been called for January 19, | at Christchurch (states a Christchurch Press i Association telegram), to meet the Minister i of Agriculture to discuss wheat prices. Harvesting operations in the district are now in full swing (reports the Nelson Mail). Most of the oat crops have been 1 cut, and in some cases put into stack. The wheat crops are well forward, and are just turning colour. In the Waimea West district some particularly good fields are to be seen, and the yield should be a good one. Other cereal crops are also well 1 advanced, while most of the hay crops have been gathered. The weather < ontinues exj cellent for harvesting, but showers would i be welcome for the root crops. | A Press Association message from Christj church states that the North Canterbury Freezing Company has arranged that in a i month’s time or so a sailing ship will be j available for the conveyance of wool to . London.

The milking season in Otago is proving ! most successful, and heavy supplies of | butter-fat are reaching the Dunedin fac- ! tories to be made into butter. The supI plies, in fact, constitute a record, and the ! Waitaki Dairy Factory alone will pay out no less than £40,000 in a few days to cover the cost of tho butter-fat purchased by it for the past month. When it is considered that other districts are also paying out j large sums to tho dairymen—in Taranaki, i for instance, the amounts must bo very large indeed —some idea of the value of the dairying industry to the dominion may be gained. The price paid for butter-fat I to-day is 2s 6d per lb, but whether this value will be obtainable when the contract with the Imperial Government expires on March 31 cannot be stated with any certainty. As a matter of fact, the opinion ! amongst those who may be considered to speak with authority is that the price will j ease, but that tt will not drop to such a figure as would make dairying unremunerative.

Entries for the Otago A. and P. Society’s Summer Show are being made daily, and intending exhibitors are notified that the closing date for receiving same is January 29. It is anticipated that the large prize-

money which is offered will induce many) entries from far and near. Present indications point to a very successful exhibition of live stock during Carnival Week. Numerous entries have been received {of the Palmerston Show, which is to be held on Friday, and promises to be a most suocessful event The committee is introducing a new feature this year in adding a poultry section to the show, which should increase its attractiveness to town and country folk. Tho new section will be greatly strengthened by an exhibit from the Government Poultry harm at Milton, and Mr Brown, the head of the poultry division, has kindly promised to give a lecture to those interested in th® poultry exhibits. One result of the dairy companies changing from cheese to butter-making has been to considerably reduce the amount of employment in the factories. A good many men have been rendered idle by the change. Owing to shortage, dearness, and uncertainty of labour for harvesting, a number of settlers in the Pohangina Valley combined and arranged to shut up their hay paddocks to come in a week apart in rotation, and thus enable each to assist the others with the harvest. Consequently, the Manawatu Times says, a small army of willing helpers have quickly saved many good crops. The average yield this season in that locality will tie three tons to the acre, and the quality will be above the average. At the meeting of the Timaru branch of tho Farmers’ Union last week (reports the Post) the chairman (Mr W. J. Bassett) expressed <he opinion that this season's wheat crop in South Canterbury would average about 20 bushels to the acre.