SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 13

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

'Frou Due Own Correspondent? The president, Mr Poison, and the vicepresident, Captain Colbeck, of the Dominion Farmers’ Union, have been well received in Southland, and have been fairly successful among the various branches of ti'.e union in promoting a greater inteiest in its future operations for united action or co-operation. The primary purpose is to mark I our produce to the least advantage possible, with co-operation applied to e.e;y part r-f the business. This would be equally applicable to the handling of dairy produce, frozen meat, shipping, marketing, and finance. Tiie result, Mr Poison maintained, would not- only mean increased prosperity for the present producers, but ar-o closer settlement, increased production. and population, and the general prosperity of tiie country. Captain Colbeck dealt, chiefly with the troubles confronting the producers, dividing his subject into three factors governing the cost of production —viz., raw material, labour, and profit. The question of increasing, and excessive taxation, and overstaffing, and also the ever increasing cost in all departments of public administration, with a rapidly decreasing revenue, were fully ciiticised and statistically illustrated. It is worthy of note also that while Mr Poison could see no hope of retail shops being successful, there is undoubtedly good reason to believe that the opening of depots, both here and at home, might he made effective for the distribution of our produce, by which it might go directly from the producer to the consumer as a bonafide New Zealand product. T here seems no doubt that, if wholesale co-operation is required, and is to he successful, it must, start from the farms and the fanners right up to the consumers for by no other means does it seems possible to secure satisfactory results. Whilst the union delegates have so recently been engaging the attention of farmers, Mr Alexander, Government field officer for Southland, has been equally arresting and instructive in dairying districts, giving excellent advice and instruction on the growing of supplementary feed for dry seasons, or when the grass begins to fail in its luscious qualities for milk production. About a month ago he gave an address at George Road dealing chiefly with growing extra feed, and thereby inducing many to make an experiment. At Tishury. in the public hall, his address on the feeding and care of dairy herds was still more effective. The result has been a general movement to carry out his recommendations, and the putting in of crop for the coming season. It was also a ranged to secure an area, and carry out experiments in the various kinds of fodder, or something, if possible, in the nature of an experimental farm under the supervision of Mr Alexander. A committee was appointed to carry out the above, and two parties offered sections, free of rent, for the purpose. _ Mr Urquhart’s section alongside the railway line on the Invercargill side of Tishury was selected. This piece of land comprises both terrace and dried swamp land, and wdl provide one of the finest examples of all sorts of land farmed in the district. At A oodond also Mr Alexander was very successful in persuading dairymen to sow certain crops for cutting for summer feed, and so keep un the butter-fat and make up for the fall in nrices. Their efforts, lie hold, will be fully" recompensed about, the latter end of January, and all through February and March. Lucerne is being sown by way of experiment. Already where lucerne has been grown on the flats near the estuary, at the gn= works, it is about. 20in long, and giving every promise of being successful. At Moto-Rimu Mr Wm. Henderson has erected the first concrete silo in Southland. Tt is cylindrical with a diameter of 10ft 4in. 20ft high, and holds about 30 tons of ensilage . Although only as yet half full th" ensilage has been tested, and is proving satisfactorv. being apparently well cured and in perfect order. Southland is experiencing much benefit from Mr Alexander, who is an enthusiast in his work of instructing and advising dairymen how to improve the output of their herds. As the cheese shinments will he very heaw this vear. and are exnected to he fortnightly, it will he a great boon to consigners. The dron in the price of cheese during fhe last six weeks from 11 At to Did. f.0.b.. means in that period a fall of 20 ner rent, and will give about Is 8-1 ner lb for butter-fat. A - compared with last year it is a d’'on of 40 per cent. Th*'re being a general belief that the nrice of wheat wifi not, fall in the near future move wheat is being put in in wheat growing* districts than was at one time expected. Such, however, does not seem to he the same with oats.