SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3500, 12 April 1921, Page 10

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(From Oob Own Correspondent.) Harvesting operations, after being stopped for about a fortnight through stress o c "weather, are now in full swing. Slight frost-s having set in, carting in cannot be got on with until well in the forenoon, and with tne shortening of the days and no moonlight much cannot be accomplished. Grain that has been out for about three weeks and got all the wet weather in the sstook, is shelling out rather freely now when being handled. Late crops of wheat are just being cut, and when it is put into the stack so late as April it is not fit for thrashing until the spring. The wet weather experienced has protracted the harvest. but it has been highly beneficial to the late-sown turnips and the earlier crops, although browning in the leaf, are ripening and rooting well. On account of the state of the stock market more feed will bo required, and the extra improvement in the later turnip crops will improve the position materially. An abundant supply ol winter feed will very much help parties who are forced to hold stock, and a shortage would have been calamitous. The last Gore and Wallaeetown sales show no improvement in any direction. All the local or district sales are at a complete standstill, . and export buyers are not operating. Farmers and graziers cannot dispose of anything on hand, and consequently they have no room for fresh stock. There is not even the inquiry for breeding ewes of good quality ns there should be. Very few of any class are coming forward, and when pen after pen of either sheep or cattle is passed without a bid it is not encouraging, and dors not look particularly bright. Farmers, if they sell any fat stock, consider they are sacrificing it; and they, os also townspeople, cannot make out why there, is not a greater reduction in the retail prices in town. Farmers suffer first, as all expenses do not get reduced so quickly and not in proportion to the fall in the value of their

products. Butchers, also, do not get their expenses reduced all at once either, and they cannot make a rapid reduction. It is reported, and I believe fully vouched for, from actual gales, that meat is selling at Id per pound less in certain townships than in Invercargill. A forequarter of mutton is advertised in Invercargill at per ib, and is being sold at Gore at 3d per lb. Possibly working expenses are higher at the former town than at the latter. Pork is falling rapidly, too, and country people disposing of their pigs in town consider there is a great disparity between what they obtain and retail prices in town for bacon at per lb, and they charge it to excessive profits or simply profiteering. As matters now stand, we must have about £10,000,000 worth of exports unshipped or not realised upon, which in ordinary years would have been converted into cash. In the ordinary course of events, the production for the year will soon be falling off. Part of the wool has been put through, and tho disposal of the bulk of it has hung fire. The slump we> are experiencing is being most severely felt in the sheep districts. Taking everything into account in the immediate future the best would be tho clearance of our products at even only a reasonably paying figure. A not too high price for meat, wool, or grain, and cheese not coming too low in price, would be a great incentive and very helpful to the expansion of dairying in Southland. Southland generally is more adapted for dairying than any other agricultural pursuit. Where even only from 20 to 40 cows have to be milked, dairying is now being conducted under conditions infinitely better than what prevailed a few years ago. In proof of the machine being more serviceable and also most popular, no fewer than 70 of them w T ere installed where none w'ere . before, from Br.vdone to Thornbur.y,» not in an extended width of country. Many also were too late in deciding to use machines and in making application to have them put in. CANTERBURY CRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKET. (Lyttelton Times, April 8.) There is very little business being done in the grain market. Most of the farmers are not prepared to sell at the present rates, and are holding their crops, more especially oats, which are now priced at under the cost of production. There has been a little more interest taken in this line during tho past week, however, but tho demand generally is sla-it. Millers have full supplies of wheat for months ahead, and farmers desiring to do so are finding it difficult tp get rid of their holdings. Peas, which are now being harvested, are quoted at 4s 3d to 4s 6d : and the now crop of linseed is listed at £B. The demand for potatoes has improved recently, and a fair number of orders are coming in, particularly from the North Island. There are very poor prospects for onions, a few sales of which have been made at £2 10s. The following are prices of new season’s produce, to be paid to farmers at country stations, free of commission, sacks extra except. where otherwise stated :—- Milling Wheat (Government prices).— Tuscan 7s 6d, Hunters 7s 9d, Pearl Bs. (From May 1 next these prices will increase monthly |d a bushel.) Oats.—Gartons, Is lOd, to 2s Id (nominal); Algerians, Is 6d to Is lOd (nominal). Chaff.—£2 15s to £3. Partridge Peas. —4s 3d ■to 4s 6d. Perennial Ryegrass.—2s 6d to 3s. Italian Ryegrass.—2s fid to 3s. Cocksfoot. —4|cl to sd. White Clover. —fid to lOd. Barley.—4s. Linseed. —£8. Potatoes. —April, £3 to £3 lCs. Onions.—£2 10s (nominal). Flour. —Government price, f.0.b., southern ports. £2l. Bran. —Government price, f.0.b., southern ports. £6 to £6 10s. according to packing. .Pollard. —Government price, f.0.b.. southern .ports, £9 to £9 10s, according- to packing.