THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3512, 5 July 1921, Page 11

THE NORTH ISLAND.

(Fhom Our Own Correspondent.) Over the greater part of tho North Island there swept a severe gale at last week-end, and both wind and rain were cold. Then followed frosts, and the weather is more like winter than any experienced this season. The dairy industry has been well maintained, arid the abnormal production of butter, owing to so may factories going, over from cheese to butter, has resulted in stocks being enhanced to such an extent that there are no fear of a shortage occurring. n the Auckland province, where butter manufacture goes on all year, a fairly large quantity is being made, and is going straight into consumption. It is estimated that there will remain about 40,000 boxes in the grading stores after the last of the Imperial stocks have been removed, and, of course, the new season’s supplies will be coming to hand in about six weeks’ time. It can .confidently be assumed, therefore, that there is no likelihood of a shortage in butter supplies for the north, particularly as there is very little demand from tho south, owing to the extended manufacturing season caused by the mildness of the weather. A fair amount of cropping is being done, and there is every prospect of a larger area than usual going down in wheat. Along the west coast a percentage of Major seed is -gping in, the variety being rather popular in view of the fact that an area of 150 acres sown in Major wheat between Waitotara and Marton averaged 51 bushels per acre, the highest yield over the same area being 74 bushels. According to all accounts millers speak well of the Major variety for milling purposes. DISQUALIFICATION OF ABERDEEN ANGUS BREEDER. A question of some interest was discussed at the annual meeting of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Breeders’ Association, held at Palmerston North during show week. It was the diqualification of D. G. Grant, of Waitahora, by the council of the association for tho alteration of certificates of stud catt-le, which he had imported from Scotland and had exhibited at shows in New Zealand. The Dannevirke A. and P. Association urged that the matter' be reconsidered, but after discussion it was resolved that the meeting entirely approved of the decision of the council in regard to the suspension of Mr Grant’s three imported cattle. A further resolution was carried: “That Mr Grant be written to when the final decision of his case arrived from Scotland, and if the council then so desires he may be called upon to give further evidence.” PIG RAILAGE. An anomaly exists in connection with the railway - transit charges -on pigs, and evidently the department does not recognise the axiom that “pigs is pigs.” According to statements made at the meeting of tho New Zealand Pig Breeders’ Association meeting at Feilding last week, there is a very big difference made in the charges for carrying over the railways, the common garden-rooting kind of pig and the pedigree pig. (he former animal being carried at a much cheaper rate than the pure bred. Why such an anomaly exists no one seems to understand, but it is the general opinion

that if there is to be any difference it should be in the direction of encouraging the farmer to grow the quality pig. As the Hon. D. H. Guthrie is a practical farmer, it is confidently hoped that now his attention has bee.n drawn to the matter the anomaly will be removed. NORTH ISLAND FARMING METHODS.

Wanganui district has just been visited by Mr James Robertson, a well-known farmer of Kaka Point, Port Molyneux, who has been on a tour of the North Island. In giving hi 3 impressions of the north, Mr Robertson said that he considered the country between Weliington and Wanganui could be greatly improved as far as tho carrying of stock is concerned. What took his attention was that the bulk of the sheep in sight as he travelled north from Wellington were of the coarse-woolled type, and he considered it would be a good move if good Corriedales were introduced into the district, thus getting the wool into a finer class to meet the higher prices. The introduction of the merino strain would, furthermore, improve the quality of the mutton. ITo contended that by introducing that strain farmers could carry five to every four of Lincoln or Romney sheep they now carry. Mr Robertson a'so noticed that with many of those who were just growing sheep alone they had nothing else. He considered it would be a stop in the right direction to put young cattle on their holdings, as cattle will make tracks for the sheep to break through to pastures which they now do not attempt to touch. Mr Robertson considered that the district had vast possibiliies, but it required closer settlement and more intensive farming. The southern visitor was impressed with the Auckland district, but, he said, c'oser acquaintance with the farming community there led him to think that they are unsettled, and were prepared to quit their holdings as soon as a buyer hove in sight. ITis observations led him to the conclusion that land in the Auckland province was at an inflated value, and until -farmers settled down to work in earnest and things became

more normal there not be much real progress. A gambling spirit appeared to be abroad, and if this continued much longer someone would have to “nurse the baby” sooner or later. DAIRYING QUALITY.

At Palmerston North last week the j annual meeting of tharNew Zealand Dairy i Factory Managers’ Association gave a good j deal of time to the consideration of methods i calculated to improve the quality of dairy produce, and it was the general opinion that the first steps to ensure that end should be taken where the milk was produced. It was therefore decided to ask for Government supervision to ensure milking machines being erected in a proper manner, eo that uncleanliness may not be a contributing factor to deterioration as the milk passes through. It was pointed out that sellers of milking machines always pointed to accessibility and simplicity in cleaning, and everything else, as being attributes of their machines. The price was often cut to the farmer, but just a slip-shod job ,vas made of erecting the plant, with the consequence that the purchaser was faced with difficulties in keeping it clean. The enforcement upon milking machine people of some proper specifications, framed by Govern- ; rnent dairy officials, together with some j practical man who had had similar experi- j ence, would at least give the farmer a clean j start, and any difficulty to be faced later would be probably of his own making. GROW HORSES.

Reference has frequently been made in tho columns of the Witness to tho scarcity of good horses, and a southern visitor to the north in the person of Mr Robertson, of Fort Molyneux, confirms the opinion that there is a good market for horses. He recommended that all who could should introduce thoroughbred or good typical hackney marcs for the purpose of breeding useful hacks and utility horses, as this class was getting very scarce throughout the Dominion. He maintained that in the South Island at present it was almost impossible to got a well-bred and well-edu-cated hackney for riding or driving. He himself was willing to give up to £SO for a well-bred, fashionable, sure-footed, welleducated horse, but so far he had been* unab’e to get the animal he wanted. He suggested that farmers in the Wanganui district should go in more for breeding horses, as the short winter and climatic advantages enabled horses to be raised that would command high prices the world over. IN HAWKE’S BAY. A matter that is being seriously considered in Hawke’s Bay is the fire blight menace, and the local Agricultural and Pastoral Association has been approached by the Fruit-growers’ Association with a view of receiving the support of the farming community in eradicating the menace. Mr A. M. Robertson, president of the Hawke’s Bay Fruit-growers’ Association, stressed the fact,, when presenting the case of tlia orchardists, that united action would have to be taken in this matter. At the present. time there were 35,000 acres of commercial orchards in the Dominion, 3000 of which were in Hawke’s Bay. Those in the district produced 400,000 bushe's of fruit per year, and tho return of income was £120,000. The fruit-growers were prepared, said Mr Robertson, to be taxed to the extent of 3s per acre, which was an increase of 2s per acre, in order to fight the disease, and were asking the Government to give a £2 to £1 subsidy. In order to compensate owners whose hawthorn was destroyed, it was proposed to pay, the cost of destroying hawthorn hedges and to replace them with fences. Fire blight was travelling rapidly, and without very rigorous methods were adopted it would be only about three years before the South Island would be affected. The Agricultural Association appointed a special committee to go fully into the matter and report.