STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3673, 5 August 1924, Page 13

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Sale*. Burnside, Wednesday*. Addington, Wednesdays Waiarek* Railway Juao uoo. Tuesdays. Fortnightly. ftiver&daJe, Frida.** Wallucetowu, Tuesdays. Ashburtop. Tuesday*. Heriot, Thursdays. RTinton, Thursday*. SVyndham, Thursday*. Clinton, Thursday*. Baiclutha, Friday*. Uore, Tuesday*. Monthly. Edendale, let Monday. «*»lmer»tou, 4th 'Thursday. WiotOQ, 4th Tuesday Mataura, Ist Thursday fokuuui, 4th Monday.

Ninthly (continued* Duntroon, 2nd WedoM day. f* Woodland®, 3rd Wed nesday. Milton. 2nd Tuesday. Balfour, 3rd Thursday. Tbornbury, Ist Friday* Duntroon, 2nd Wedne* day. Otautau, 2nd Wednesday. River<*dale, 3rd Friday Waikteka. laat Friday. Olydevale, last Tuesday Periodically at Advertised. - Lum&den, Mossburu Orepuki, Wuimuhaka W ante oaitl. River* ton, Ngapari, uuc U( ago Central Sales

OTAGO. The weather still keeps good, if a lack of rain and a plenitude of sunny days may be so termed. It is too dry for most Otago lands along the coast, even if inland pastoral acres with all their stock are doing well. The well-known Mount Royal estate has once more been sold, this time in grazing sections at the top of the market rates. May luck attend the new settlers when the sheep are sold on Friday next. The well-known stallion Bold Review (1093) by Baron Bold ex Sail has been, we are advised, bought by Mr W. R. Kronast, of Wanganui. This Clydesdale is well known in Waimate. BURNSIDE MARKET. The yarding of fat sheep at Burnside totalled 2600, compared with 1893 the previous week. The quality ranged from medium to “very fair,” with rather too many heavy prime wethers for the demand. This was at no time bright, the best sales being made in the early stages. There were but few pennings of fine-woolled sheep and not many ewes of any description: Values in a fluctuating market were, on the run of the sale, lower by Is 6d per head, wether mutton “on the hoof” making to 7*d per lb. A fair number of good sheep were passed at auction. Only a few lambs (hoggets) were penned. These sold at about up to recent rates. An entry of 243 fat cattle compared with 371 the previous week, comprised fair to good quality bullocks, some capital heifers and light unfinished steers. The supply of heavy extra well finished bullocks was somewhat in . excess of the customary demand for this class, and in consequence sold cheaper than has been the case of late Light prime cattle, on the other hand hrrdened in values. Beef generally mav be quoted as making up to 34s per 1001 b seme fair quality being sold as low as 25s per 1001 b. About 200 head of store cattle, chiefly good sorts of weaners, the balance beinomade up of medium “reiect” cows, and but one yard of very fair three-year-old steers, were penned. The last-mentioned made £6 9s, the weaners 27s to 40s, extra 50s; other sorts unchanged. The fat pigs sold on a level with last week’s prices, stores also being firm. Baconers made to Bd, and porkers to 9d per lb.

NUK ill ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Prices of stock in the North Island are at least maintained, comparatively few good lots of store sheep offering, but store cattle are dull,with beef unchanged. In the Auckland province beef sells to 28s per 1001 b for choice quality, but a lot of medium to fair is sold well under this figure. In Poverty Bay hoggets made from 16s 9d to 20s 6d, moderate quality breeding ewes, old, from 14s to 20s, very fair to 255. In the Wanganui-Feilding areas competition is good for best breeding ewes, and also hoggets, the latter making 19s to 245, with good in-lamb ewes 30s to 435, according to age and condition, medium sorts realising 17s 3d to 24s 9d, mixed weaners 25s to 455, best heifers at drop £8 10s to £lO 10s, springing cows £4 5s to £lO. In Taranaki feed is scarce ■and sales slow, but cows are coming in. In the Wairarapa best dairy cattle were sold freely enough, a number of good cow’s making to £ll 10s, well-grown dairy heifers (in calf) £6 10s to £7 ss. In Hawke's Bay hoggets make from 18s to 24 s, extra 275, medium breeding ewes 25s to 275, pood sorts 28s to 31s, best heifers (coming in) to £lO 10s, good cross dairy cows £6 to £8 10s. BALCLUTIIA-CLINTON SALES. Some 3000 sheep, chiefly hoggets, were yarded at Baiclutha on Friday, ail meeting with a very keen demand. Big ewe hoggets made 365, medium 29s to 30s, small 255, wether hoggets 28s to 30s Bd, culls 20s 9d to 235, small mixed hoggets 245, two and four-tooth vveethers 3Us 8d to 34s 4d, medium two and four-tooth ewes 40s, mixed ages 395, failing 29s to 3'os 9d, old stuff 15s to 255. At Clinton about 1000 sheep, chiefly hoggets, met with a good demand, wether hoggets making 24s to 27s 6d, small ewe hoggets 255, full and failing breeding ewes 28s 3d to 31s, two-tooth wethers 29s 9d to 325. STOCK NOTES. Stock values are on much the same level as they were a week ago in Otago, which, however, in the case of dry sheep carrying a quality of wool around 46 counts are reflected in rather a lower range of prices than were ruling a short time ago. Still this is featured more from the fact that turnips are getting finished, and the spring orowth is not yet, rather than any weakness in the demand. Old ewes at Burnside, in strong condition, and probably in-lamb, were sold at 16s 9d to 27s 6d. There are a few early lambs to be seen, all doing well, thanks to the excellent weather being experienced throughout Otago. The quality of the fat .cattle coming weekly to the Burnside metropolitan market is, for the most part, of a good class, ranging up to choice in respect to bullocks around 800 lb. For some weeks this class o f cattle has been relatively dearer than lighter prime weights, but at the last sale the reverse was the ease, owing to a big supply. Fat cattle at this time last year wore making £1 to £2 per head more than they are to-day at Burnside. Friesians (seven in-calf heifers and two cows from the stud of Mr William Barton, Featherston) were consigned recently to Mr S. Andrew, Kailcoura, wHo is building up his dairy herd. It is satisfactory to know that the Argentine Government has arranged facilities for the importation of stock destined for the Palermo Exhibition. Animals must be accompanied by a Government health certificate, and full particulars of the stud, district, and province must be provided. Buenos Aires is the only port of disembarkation, and the animals will be in quarantine there while tests are made for tuberculosis and other diseases —in the case of cattle for 10 days, and sheen for eight days. Any animals found to 'be gravely affected will be re-embarked or slaughtered It is unlikely, however, that New Zealand stock will he rejected, owing to the freedom of the Dominion from serious disease. It is suggested that the franchise for the election of members of the Meat Producers’ Board should be enlarged to include all owners of stock, with a suitable minimum. SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE. The request to the Otago Expansion League of the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce, asking the league to support the movement to have Messrs J. D Marks (resident engineer at Alexandra) and ,R. B. Tennent (of the Agricultural Department) sent over to America to investigate the latest results of irrigation schemes there, suggests a mental attitude which not so very long ago would have been deemed impossible to organisations comprised for the most part of commercial and city business men. It is a pleasing feature too long dormant. It is not so long ago since the scientific agriculturist was regarded in a great measure with indifference, or at least with suspicion and scepticism. When the attainments nad capabilities of such a man were under discussion it was not unusual to hear the sarcastic question, “What can he know about farming? All he knows he got at college and the University, and you can’t make farmers there.” Nowadays, however, city men and farmers know better. Our virgin lands have been “farmed”—or is it mined?—and settlers must lean on the scientists to help them grow farm crpps or grasses on depleted lands. It is realised now that had it not been for teh painstaking, patient, and skilled investigations of scientifically-trained men we should not have artificial fertilisers, our improved seeds, and the various articles used in the dairying industry, and a hundred-and-one other advantages which have accrued to the general community as a result of the scientist. It is evident, of course, that a majority or even a fair proportion of the men on the land cannot be scientifically trained, but there is even* reason to hope that in the course of time the possibilities of science in relation to agricultural expansion will become increasingly appreciated, and the knowledge disseminated from scientific sources be more and more applied, with marked benefits, to the people and the Dominion. A greater recognition by the Government of the part played by science is absolutely essential if the men on the land are to make good, and on no areas more so than the irrigable lands of Central Otago. Money now spent in order to equm the experts in charge of the Central Otago acres with up-to-date information will be recouped a thousandfold. Otherwise we are destined to witness a big area of valuable land handled by settlers with insufficient knowledge of the dangers of using too much water. Experiences all over the world show that many thousands of acres subjected to rilHilUiiaiiiittUiaiUHiMaHWiiHai

for long enough. This we wish to avoid, and if it is possible by the expenditure now of a few hundred pounds, why hesitate? PLANTATIONS ALONG BOUNDARY FENCES. The following inquiry was received recently from a station-owner (says the N.Z. Journal of Agriculture): ‘‘Last year I put in a plantation along a boundary-fence. The nearest trees are six feet from the fence, but my neighbour objected to this plantation, in writing, tlnee months after it had been put in. 1 did not ask his per ; mission to plant. lie now expects me to root out the entire plantation. Is he legally entitled to force me to do this? I should be much obliged for information.” The point being an important one of wide interest, the reply made by the Department is published hereunder :—■ Ihe position is governed by section 26 of the Fencing Act, ISOB, which reads as follows: ‘ No person shall, whether for the purpose of making a live fence or otherwise, plant or sow gor.se or trees (a) On or along any boundary line or fence without the previous written consent of the occupier of the adjoining land; or (b) on or alongside any boundary lino or fence bounding or abutting on any Crown lands, public reserve, or railway without the previous written consent of the proper authority having the management or con trol thereof. “(2.) No person shall under any circumstances or for any purpose plant or sow sweetbrier, bramble, or blackberry on or alongside any such boundary line or fence as aforesaid. “(3.) Every person who commits a breach of any of the provisions of this section is liable for every such offence to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds. “(4.) Irrespective of any such fine, the occupier or proper authority as aforesaid may enter on the land and cut down, uproot, and destroy all gorse or trees, sweetbrier, bramble, or blackberry planted or sown in breach of this section, and may recover the cost of so doing from the person who planted or sow;ed the same.” The question as to what constitutes ‘alongside any boundary line” has not, so far as we are aware, been determined, but it was- held by the Court of Appeal in the case of Spargo v. Levesque (New Zealand Law Reports, 1922) that the right of an occupier to enter adjoining lands and to cut down and destroy trees planted thereon in breach of section 26 of the Fencing Act, 1908, could only be lawfully exercised after proceedings had been taken against the person planting the trees for a breach of the section and a conviction obtained. Section 37 of the Fencing Act provides thit all proceedings before a Magistrate in respect of any of the matters in regard to which he has jurisdiction (see section 36) shall be by summons in the prescribed form, and such proceedings shall be conducted and all orders thereon by the Magistrate may be made, enforced, and acted upon in like manner as in the case of summary proceedings under the Justices of the Peace Act, 1908. Sections 48 and 49 of the latter Act deal with the procedure preliminary to the hearing of a case, and these are quoted for your information: — “48. Where a person is charged before a Justice with the commission of an offence for which he is liable to be punished on summary, conviction before Justices, the information shall be taken in writing, and shall be in the form (No. 4) or to the effect thereof; but it need not be substantiated on oath, unless it is intended to issue a warrant to compel the appearance of the person charged. “49. Every such information shall be laid within six months from the time when the matter of such information -it rose, except in oases where some period of limitation is provided by the Act constituting the offence or any other Act.” If the position is that no information was laid by your neighbour within six months, then it would seem that he has forfeited his legal rights to objection, but this is a point of law upon which the Department is not able to definitely advise you. THE BILLY-GOAT MASCOT. Can any neighbour tell us the origin of the superstition or belief that the presence of a billy-goat in a herd of dairy cows will prevent abortion? says Hoard’s Dairyman. It is a fact that many cattle breeders still hold to that peculiar belief, for which we are unable to find a single excuse based upon scientific observation or proof. Even intelligent, up-to-date breeders are not lacking among those who have faith in the belligerent billy, and they will tell you that they “just know” he has a protective and preventive influence in the herd. For all time the domesticated European ruminant (Capra hircus) has been regarded as the emblem of everything that is evil in contradistinction to the sheep, which is the symbol of excellence and purity. Why, then should he be assigned beneficent powers as regards cattle? We incline to the belief that his protective influence is associated with his presence as Caprieornus in the signs of the Zodiac. Superstitious people still believe in the influence of those signs. Despite the fact that the various members of the zodiacal family have long since got out of the paths assigned to them in the hear?©ns by ancient astrologers, certain people still regulate operations, and work on the farm by these mythical signs. They, too, are the people who heed the changes of the moon in timing their farm work. Potatoes must be planted in the dark of the moon, and not a pig can be castrated without reference to the phase of the lunar body, and making sure that the sign is in the crab, goat, or bull. What foolishness ! The signs have no appreciable influence upon mundane affairs, nor need any attention be paid to the phases of the moon in farm work. Why, then, persist in the equally absurd and superstitious belief that presence of a stinking, butting, bullying billy-goat in a herd of dairy cows possibly can prevent abortion or increase prolificacy? Now what are the arguments that can be advanced by the billy-goat mascot believers in support of the supposed efficacy of the bearded beast? Is it his fetid odour that scares or kills the bacillus abortus, of Bang, and associated bugs of disease? ' Or is it thought that the pro-creative powers, he-nature, and amorous character of the billy aids breeding or “get 3 the goat” of the germs? There must be some argument surely, for the practice of letting a goat pollute the atmosphere of the dairy stable and yard, and to offset the nuisance of his pestiferous presence. What have the goatees to say on that score? Personally we do not believe there is an iota of sense in con-

disease. Ho is an unmitigated nuisance, unless kept in his proper place as head of a harem of milk-producing nannies or brush-trimming Angoras. Why not give chemical disinfectants the preference as germ killers and disease preventives?