OUT AND ABOUT

Otago Witness, Issue 3987, 12 August 1930, Page 14

OUT AND ABOUT

THE WEEK IN OTAGO. The weather has been showery during the week. Stock on roots have suffered a little. There is a spring-like feeling in the air, but not much movement in the pastures yet in Otago. BURNSIDE MARKET. Supplies of far stock at the Burnside Metropolitan Market were comparatively moderate, but fully adequate for the somewhat dull demand experienced, this applying to fat sheep rather than to the beef section, which was, in fact, well furnished with ample quality stock. An entry of 244 fat cattle compared more than favourably with the yarding of 185 a week ago. The quality indeed was notably good in many instances, good evidence that the turnip cattle up to the present have done well. The demand was fairly good in the early part of the sale at about 20s to 30s lower I than at last sale, but some further easing in the demand occurred to firm up again later on, and there was generally good competition for all prime cattle at up to 43s per 1001 b. The yarding of fat sheep 1423 (3560 last sale), comprised mixed sorts, but for the most part, the quality was fair to good. There was a fairly quiet sale, and no change worth recording when the general run of the demand is considered, butchers’ wethers making around 4Ad per lb. Some butchers had stock on hand from the previous sale. A small entry of 240 fat lambs (487 last sale) met with an average demand, and values received were fully up to recent quotations. Lamb may be quoted as making up 7Jd per lb for light primes. The meagre entry of store cattle, about 90. commanded but mild attention, and values were not much different to those of a week ago. Some fairish three-year-old steers made £9' is. and fair two-year-olds were passed in at £7. Cows were slow sellers.

The entry of fat pigs, some 45, were £ all required, and prices were very fair, while stores, but 35, were ■well competed for, and values held. Porkers and bacon pigs made to and over per lb. 5 COUNTRY STOCK SALES. < M'NAB. } The fortnightly stock sale was held at j M'Nab yards on Tuesday before a small s attendance of farmers and buyers. ( Only a small entry of sheep was for- , ward, and in the fat pens wethers realised 1 from 23s 9d to 26s 3d. In the store pens i there was only one line of breeding ewes which failed to bring the vendor’s reserve, and was passed in. There was a good demand for the few fat cattle offering. Good mediumweight bullocks changed hands at up to £ll 15s, while light steers made £7 10s. Only a couple of cows at profit were on offer in the store pens, but the prices offering were not acceptable to vendors. MATAURA. The monthly stock sale was held at Mataura on Thursday in cold, showery weather before a small attendance of farmers and buyers. There was an entry of 734 she"p, including a few pens of fats for which competition was fair. Fat wethers realised from 23s 6d to 24s 6d, while fat ewes made up to Us. In the store section the demand was poor owing, no doubt, to the rough weather and the scarcity of feed. A pen of small store wethers made 7s 3d, while ewe lambs changed hands at 17s 3d. A few pens of breeding ewes were forward, but there .was little inquiry, although vendors in most cases met the market at lower values than have been ruling of late. Two-tooth ewes were quitted at from 18s 9d to 22s 6d, while a pen of small sorts realised 13s 4d. Good full and failing-mouth ewes showing well in lamb realised 15s to 18s 4d, while poorer quality made up to 7s Id. and a pen of empty cull ewes made 9s a dozen —a record for the yards. The entry of cattle was small, only 22 head being penned, with no fats offering. Dairy cows (factory calvers) and springing heifers made good competition and realised very satisfactory values, sales being recorded of dairy cows at up to £8 ss. while springing heifers changed hands at from £4 10s to £B. Store cows realised from £2 to £5, store heifers £4, and store steers £4 10s. BALCLUTHA. The yarding of sheep for the fortnightly sale comprised 2299 head (560 fats and 1739 stores). • The demand for fat sheep was fair, but prices were not so good as at the last sale, and the market for store lambs was very dead. A line of two-tooth ewes bought on behalf of Mr H. A. Brough (Owaka), realised the good price of 35s 6d, medium to 225, others 9s to 17s, fat wethers (heavy) to 325, lesser weights 22s to 265, fat lambs to 22s 6d. Two-tooth store ewes brought 23b 6d to 25s 4d, sound-mouth ewes 16s to 20s 6d. failing-mouthed ewes 6s to 10s Bd, extra good ewe lambs 245, medium-sized lambs 12s 7d, wether lambs 10s. Fat heifers sold at £lO 7s 6d, empty heifers £4 15s, and two-year-old steers £4 10s. Dairy cows were in slack demand and sold at £6 to £lO 12s, heifers £4 10s to £' 17s 6d. A good yarding of quality young pigs commanded good prices, best suckers selling at from 20s to 275, and small from 15s. Stores made to 32s 6d. A WONDERFUL FRIESIAN. The Friesian heifer Carnation Ormsby Wayne, bred and owned by the Carnation Milk Farms, Washington, has recentlycompleted the largest milk record ever completed by a junior two-year-old of any breed. In 365 days she produced 28.186.51 b milk containing 924.951 b butterfat (1156.191 b butter). Her daily milk records show her to be an unusually persistent producer with between 751 b and 801 b per day for most of her year. The first day on test she milked 591 b, and on her 366th day she produced 85.41 b of 4 per cent, milk—her largest day’s production and her best test. The heifer is being continued on test for two more weeks. Carnation Ormsby Wayne is a daughter of Matador Segis Ormsby, whose first three daughters to finish test averaged 23,734.51 b milk, 788.21 b butter-fat (985.261 b butter) at an average age of 2 years and 7 months.

AYRSHIRES FOR NEW ZEALAND. The Ayrshire Cattle Breeders’ Association of New Zealand has now in quarantine on Somes Island five Ayrshire bulls selected in Canada by the president and vice-president of the association (Messrs A. M. Weir and F. Mills). Twentythree of the leading breeders of Ayrshire cattle in the Dominion, who are members of the association, guaranteed a fund of £lOOO with which to purchase the bulls and on their release from quarantine, the guarantors will gather in Wellington to bid for the bulls which will be offered at auction there on Wednesday, August 20. The bulls are of a very high standard. The two oldest animals have qualified for class A in the advanced registry of the Canadian Department of Agriculture, which is to say, that they have been approved for their excellent type as well as for their high butter-fat production backing. Most of the bulls are either sired by or closely descended from Ayrshires imported into Canada from Scotland. As New Zealand cannot import from the Homeland at present, the Ayrshire Association were limited to the latter country in making their selection. Amongst the bulls secured is a son of the world’s champion junior three-year-old, which produced 7551 b butter-fat in a year on twice a day milking. Another is out of the former world’s champion long distance cow and which completed her sixth successive record by giving 23,6411 b milk and 9781 b butter-fat. Another is out of the grand champion cow at the London show and which at the age of .13 years produced 6761 b butter-fat. In addition to being bred on great butter-fat lines, the bulls are all sired by noted prize-winning bulls and from prize-win-ning female lines. The selectors were undoubtedly fortunate also in securing what is considered to be the best son of the grand champion bull of Canada, Howie’s Top Grade, imported from Scotland. This bull is also out of a great imported cow which comes from one of the most noted families in Scotland for type and production.

HERD TESTING. A.t the fifth annual meeting of the Southland and Otago Herd Testing Association Mr G. R.-fierron presided over a large attendance. . The balance sheet showed that receipts had amounted to £2993 Ils 7d, including £2477 14s Id testing fees, £45 12s 6d subsidies, and £22 calf-marking fees. lhe credit balance at the beginning of the year was £432 17s Bd. Expenditure had amounted to £3039 6e 9d, leaving a credit balance of £39 2s 6d. In moving the adoption of the report, Mr Herron reviewed the progress made within the association. During the past season the number of cows averaging from 2501 b to 3001 b in butter-fat had mincreased bv 285, cows from 300 to 350*b had increased by 237, cows from 3501 b to 4001 b had increased by 290, and cows from 400 to 4501 b had increased by 51. Mr Herron expressed apreciation to the directors for the hearty co-operation during his term as president, to the members of the association. the testers, and the press. Mr C. R. Foster seconded the adoption of the report and balance sheet. Mr A. M. Weir raised the question of the averages for the association being over a period of 229 days. This, he contended, was ridiculous. The rules of the federation made it impossible to include in the association averages any tests made after the end of May. Owing to climatic conditions, dairy farmers in Southland could not commence their season as early as in the North Island, where testing was commenced in August. In Southland testing was not commenced until October. The chairman said he did not think it was necessary to delay the opening of the season so long. If the dairy farmers would get into th’e habit of starting earlier it would be better, as the climate in Southland was not so unfavourable as to necessitate the season being two months later than in the North Island. The Government required, the returns to be in early in June. . Mr R. H. Dickie said the milking season adopted in Southland whs the most suitable for the climate. Mr Weir moved that the directors consider the question of continuing testing in June. The association should aim at testing for 305 days, and even if the returns for the Government -were required to be in before the end of the season, the work could be continued during the following month. The motion was carried. The report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr Weir said he did not think the dairy industry in New Zealand was wise in following the principle of seeking large yields of butter-fat. Others spoke in a similar strain. Mr W. D. Shelton was re-elected auditor.

APARIMA DAIRY FACTORY. Mr James Cormack presided at the annual meeting of the Aparima dairy factory, 45 shareholders being present. The report stated that the intake during the season was 7,056,4091 b. yielding 265,4311 b of butter-fat. from which 310 tons 6cwt 2qrs 81b of cheese were made. The season’s output was sold at 81d per lb, f.0.b., enabling a progress payment of Is 6d per lb butter-fat to be made to suppliers during the season. It is pleasing to note that top market price was again secured by your directors for the season’s output, and not only so is this, but the make of 310 tons constitutes a record for the factory, so that both in increased milk supply and price, the company has experienced the two-fold satisfaction of a splendid season. The weight of cheese made from each pound of butter-fat was 2.621 b. The cost per lb of cheese manufactured arid delivered f.o.b. was 1.33 d.

The receipts showed that £24,818 had been received for cheese and £667 14s 4d for the sale of cream. The milk suppliers were paid £19,906 12s Bd. and for tbe end of the previous season £lOOB Is Id. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said the season had been a very satisfactory one, notwithstanding that lower prices had prevailed for cheese. Mr John Mackay seconded the motion, which was carried. Messrs James Cormack and William Hopcroft were re-elected directors.

Mr Anderson said that with a view of improving the suppliers’ herds the directors should get in touch with the Breeders’ Associations and obtain their list of purebred and milking strains for sale. Even if dairymen only purchased calves which could be landed at their doors it would be a good thing for both factory and suppliers. He moved accordingly. Seconded by Mr T. Guise and carried. The question of paying a bonus of Id per can for starting milk was discussed, and a motion was put forward, but was defeated. Mr Weir (the manager) said it was essential to have a good starter. To make a superfine cheese it was also necessary that the milk should be brought to the factory in the best possible condition. Personally speaking, he would be pleased to give every assistance to suppliers in order that this might be done. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Weir. A similar compliment was paid to Mr M'Cormack for his work as chairman of directors. At a meeting of the directors held after it was decided to pay id per lb bonus, making Is 6Jd, plus 5 per cent, on paid-up shares, for the season. Mr J. Cormack was re-elected chairman. SHEARING RATES. Although no definite announcement has been made, it is certain (says the New Zealand Herald) that as a result of low prices for wool last season the minimum shearing rate of 25s per .100 will prevail this year in accordance with the agreement reached between the Sheep Owners and Shearers’ Union about two years ago. This agreement stipulated that rates were to be on a. sliding scale according to the price of wool the previous season, the rates ranging from a minimum of 25s per 100 on a basis of 12d to 13d per lb for wool to 35s on the basis of 22d per lb. The agreement came into operation in 1928-29 after a comparatively good season for sheep owners, when the clip averaged 16.67 d per lb over the whole Dominion, giving shearing rates of 30s per 100. With the drop in the prices of wool to 14.8 d per lb as the Dominion average, the shearing rates last season fell to 27s 6d. If there were no minimum in the sliding scale, rates this season for shearing would be very low indeed, for the average price of wool in the Dominion last season was as low as 8.55 d per lb. However, the agreement was for a period of three years and the coming season will be the last in which it will operate unless employers and workers’ representatives agree to its continuation.

“SKINNING THE FARMER.” “ In its estimate the Government has apparently not taken into consideration the increase of 5 per cent, on all land taxation and the increase it will also obtain by the alteration in the assessment of city buildings,” said Mr D. Jones (Reform member for Mid-Canterbury), when speaking in*'the financial debate in the House of Representatives this evening. " The increase of 5 per cent, in the land

tax and tbe bringing of tbe farmer under both the land and income tax cannot be justified. When the Government states that this places the city and the country landowner on the same footing the statement is inaccurate. The city man pays land tax only on his site value. The farmer’s land is nearly the whole of his stock-in-trade, and he should not be taxed on it at all. His taxation should be on income. The table of illustrations given bv the Prime Minister shows an increase of over 100 per cent, on a property given as an example. This year when the farmer’s produce is down to an exceedingly low price lie is having piled up on him from almost every direction increased costs that cannot be borne. The Government realises this, because it states that it expects some owners will be unable to pay in this bad year. They must pay land tax, and in a good year both. This is akin to skinning the farmer and selling his hide.”

STUD JERSEY CATTLE. One of the largest gatherings of buyers that has attended a sale of stud Jersey cattle this year was present on Thursday, July 31, at Takanini, near Auckland, to participate in Mr A. E. Watkin’s third annual sale of in-calf heifers and stud bulls. A great attraction of the sale were the rising yearling sons of the imported herd sire, Oxford Beau’s Combination, purchased at the record-breaking Cooper sale held at Wellington two years ago for the great sum of 2000 guineas. Twenty-one young bulls by this sire averaged 65 guineas. They were an outstanding lot. A great contest ensued for possession of the nine-months-old bull, O.K. Nobly Born, and Mr Fred Cullen, of Maungaturoto, secured him for the record price of the year, 308 guineas. Several Taranaki breeders participated, but the final "ontest lay between Mr Cullen and the Auckland breeder, Mr Balfour Irving. In addition to being sired by Oxford Beau’s Combination, this bull was out of the great butter-fat cow, Woodstock Feeria, with a butter-fat record as a fourryear-old of 7291 b fat, while her dam, Woodstock Fairy, has a mature record of 8351 b butter-fat. Mr Irving later secured a young son of Brampton Coy Volunteer (imp.) and Oaklands Silky, winner of the second Stratford Futurity Stakes, at 105 guineas. The bull calf by Oxford Beau’s Combination which won first prize at the Auckland ■ Show last autumn .realised 104 guineas to the bid of Mr R. Hicks (Hawera). The best price for a two-year-old bull was 100 guineas for a son of Meadowvale Derby Day and the great producing three-year-old, Monandria, 7371 b fat. Tbe purchaser was Mr W. Murphy, of Taranaki. The 39 bulls, which included eight two-year-olds, averaged 52 guineas, and 23 heifers in calf to Oxford Beau’s Combination and the undefeated yearling bull, Roseland Lord Aldan (imp.) averaged 58 guineas. The high standard of the O.K. Jerseys is indicated by the fact that the 62 lots sold for 3350 guineas. There was a keen demand for the in-calf heifers; 90 guineas was paid for a daughter of Meadowvale Derby Day, in calf to Roseland Lord Aldan, and a similar price for a daughter of Fontaine of 0.K., and in calf to Oxford Beau’s Combination. The sale was - conducted by Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd.

HORSES BANNED IN MELBOURNE. Probably no greater indication of the growth of the use of mechanical assistance on farms within easy reach of the Melbourne markets could be provided than that given by the large number of motor vehicles which attend the Victoria Market. _ Many of the vehicles, used in the day time to generate power on their owner’s holdings, make the journey to the market at night or in the early morning in a fraction of the time required when the gardeners and orchardists to whom the market is all-important used horse-drawn vehicles. The Melbourne City Council has made an ordinance banishing horses from the precincts of the Victoria Market, and the period given to enable those using the markets to sell their horses and buy motor vehicles is nearing an end. Soon nothing but motor transport will be used by the 3000 families engaged in market gardening. The council acted chiefly for reasons of health. The breeding of flies in the market place was a serious menace, and the cost of keeping the stalls reasonably clean was too heavy. The change over has been made with tremendous rapidity, and it is now becoming as difficult to see horse-drawn vehicles in that locality as hansom cabs in Collins street. _ The following figures show the proportions of transport reaching the market from 1927 onward:— Jan., 1927— Horse transport . . . . 55.3 per cent. Motor transport . . . . 44.7 per cent. Jan., 192S — Horse transport . . .. 44.4 per cent. Motor transport . . . . 55.6 per cent. Jan., 1929— Horse transport . . . . 33.3 per cent. Motor transport . . . . 66.7 per cent. Jan., 1930— Horse transport . . . . 24.6 per cent. Motor transport . . . . 75.4 per cent. Growers whose market gardens are on an average 30 miles from Melbourne, and whose orchards are from 15 to 30 miles distant, are able to bring fresh produce to the market in from two and a-half to three and a-half hours, compared with 18 to 20 hours required for a return trip with a horse. A WORLD GRAIN EXHIBIT. From Regina it is announced that a World’s Grain Exhibition and Conference will be held there from July 25 to August 6, 1932. The Government of Canada has invited all countries to participate, and there are to be competitive classes for all kinds, of cereals, grasses, clovers, and vegetable seeds, which it is hoped will bring together the finest collection of these seeds ever placed on exhibition. Experts from every part of the world are invited to come together in conference to discuss the grain farmers’ problems. The Canadians are noted for their hospitality, and the conference should be a success. THE CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY. ■The Clydesdale Horse Society of Great Britain and Ireland has forwarded to us their etud book, being the fifty-second volume pertaining to this world-famed breed of draught horses. The arrangement' of this volume is the same as form-

erly, andeontains interesting data: in. respect to 132 stallions, 478 mares with produce, and 951 additional produce, making a. total of 1561. Winners of the Cawdor Cups for 1929 are featured, viz., Craigie Winalot (21,322) and Fyvie Primrose (v. 50, p 17). The owner of the first named is W. James Kilpatrick, of Craigie Mains, Kilmarnock, and the filly's owners are Messrs T. and M. Templeton, Sandy-' knowe, Kelso. Both photographs in .the book represent the animals as they were pn July 23, 1929, the one aged four years three months; and the other aged two years. The secretary's (Arch. MacNeilage) address is 93 Hope street, Glasgow, C.2. AUSTRALIAN WOOL SALES..During the 1929-30 season, 2,471,596 bales of wool were sold at wool sales in Australia, the gross realisation being £32,806,266. This compares with 2.625,061 bales and £56,720,505 during 1928-29, or a decrease of 153,465 bales and £23,914,239. The all-round Australian average for the p'eason was 10.4 d per lb, as against 16.7 d in 1928-29. The total proceeds for the season show a drop of £23,914,240, compared with .the preceding year. i FREEZING WORKS RECORD. The South Otago Freezing Company’s at Finegand definitely closed for jihe season on Tuesday. The total of sheep and lambs put through for the season is 278,299, easily a record for the works. The next best total was that of last year, viz., 157,296, or 121,003 behind this season’s record. In view of the facts the strike in the earlv r>art of the peason might almost be looked upon as a blessing in disguise, for the company. Certainly the works attracted a great (leal of publicity, which was helpful in pausing the farmers to rally in support. In the ranks of the “ dry ” shareholders the hope exists that a dividend will be. paid to shareholders as one result of the record season. Certainly such a course would prove distinctly encouraging. JOTTINGS. New Zealand is Britain’s largest supplier of mutton and lamb. Her import figures show that since refrigeration.; was first applied to ocean transport. New Zealand has shipped almost as many mutton and lamb carcasses to Britain as has the rest of the world.

Butchers had another good day at Burnpide, and although cattle firmed towards the close of the sale and during the early ptages, prime beef was sold at very reasonable prices. Then, too, sheep changed hands at rates which were much on a level with those of the previous week; when, it will be recalled, a dull sale ensued.

One of the best equipped butter factories in Australia has been erected at Toowoomba, Queensland, by the Downs Cooperative Company. It cost £50,000, and was planned as one room. The. liberal use of tiles ort the walls and floors enables the plaCe'tO ! "be kept scrupulously clean. Last-.year pedigree stock breeders of Great Britain exported cattle to the value of £217,670, sheep and lambs worth £74,045, and pigs valued at £10,861. All told, 3675 head of cattle, 4283 sheep, and 718 pigs were sent Out of the country. Argentine, Canada. Russia, and the Irish Free State were the largest buyers.

Lambs are to be seen in different parts of the Ashburton County, more particularly im those districts toward the sea, but lambing will not be general until September (says the Guardian). Some farmers hold fears as to the effect the protracted spell of cold weather will have on the new arrivals.

_ “ The farmer is like every other individual,” said the deputy commissioner of rural credits (Mr J. Snell) at a farmers’ meeting in Wanganui recently. “He paves when he is compelled to. This scheme is a gentle form of compulsory paving. lir fact, I might invent the term for it of ‘ painless saving.’ ” The lease for 14 years of the Balclutha Borough endowment of 1001 acres at Tuapeka Mouth was offered by the National Mortgage and Agency Company, and was sold under keen competition to Mr James Miller (of Clydevale) at a rental of £242 a year, with £1145 value of improvements. The price is much better than that formerly paid for- the lease. The monthly horse sale was held by the National Mortgage and Agency Company, there being a large attend- ■ ance of farmers. The entry was a fairly • large one of mixed draughts and light horses. The demand for draught horses was fairly keen, and good competition resulted. A five-year-old realised £lB, a . peven-year-old £4O. a four-year-old £2B, a peven-year-old £3O, and aged sorts £lB to £25 10s.

On Friday the National Mortgage and Ag ency Company offered, on account of Mr Thompson, of Goodwood, his farm of 77 acres, with homestead. Bidding reached £9OO, at which price the farm was withdrawn, and a sale of stock and implements was carried out. Cows and in-calf heifers in good condition fetched £6 5s to £l2, an average of £9 8s being secured. A number of outside entry cows also sold well, prices reaching £ll ss. Implements and sundries sold at current rates. Two State cattle stations ■were offered for sale at Brisbane recently. The only offer made for Keeroongooloo was £23.000 by Mr H. Talbot Sanderson on behalf, of Queensland Stations, Limited. As this was below the reserve, the property .was passed in. for negotiation. The price paid in 1919 for Keeroongooloo, which is in the South Gregory district, was £156,000. No bid was , received from Buckingham Downs.

Many dairy factories will hold their annual meetings this month, and shareholders of the various concerns will be faced with widely different returns. The directors of the factories which effected f.o.b. sales will come in for a good deal of congratulation, while those who followed a consigning policy will not be so popular. It is estimated that the final balances for the season will run from Is 4d to Is 9d per pound butter-fat, with prospects, of one or two factories exceeding slightly the higher figure. There .are few, if any, farm labourers out of work in South Canterbury at present, said a man closely associated with

the farming industry to a-Tiraaru Herald' representative the other day. There might, he sa<d, be isolated instances of men who come under the heading of “casual farm labourers,” being out of work, but there are not many of these. From now onward farming activities should liven up, and then men who follow seasonable occupations will be absorbed.

The inauguration of a regular, steamship service between Australia : and Shanghai (to begin on September ATS) by the’ Eastern and Australian Steamship’ Company, Ltd., has the strong approval of Mr Albert Hing, president of the New South Wales Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The provision for the carriage of frozen cargo will, he stated,, open up a new market- for Australian goods, particularly fruits and flour. “ Australian fruit is as good, if not better than, American, and will meet with a ready sale throughout Central China and along the Yangtse right up into Northern China.” A concert was given at Taurangi Home on Monday by members of the Ashburton

At the Addington etock sale on Wednesday top price for fat steers was £44, secured for a four-year-old Shorthorn steer sold on account of Peter Anderson (Stirling)._ It was the best type of young beef seen in the yards for. a long time. The same vendor topped the market at the corresponding sale last year with a Shorthorn steer at £5l. At Wednesday's sale he also topped the market for heifers, selling 13 at £l3 2s 6d to £lB 2s 6d. The next best price for steers to £44 was £3l, secured for beasts sold on account of Mrs A. J. Bell (Stirling), apparent effect o.n the demand for New Zealand butter resulting from the raising of the duties in Canada and the United States of America was mentioned by an Auckland dairy produce merchant. The agents of his firm in Honolulu, he said, had reported that they saw no possibility of buying further supplies of New Zealand butter, because the new tariff had _ caused the price to become prohibitive, and they now proposed to obtain supplies from the Pacific coast. Regarding Canada, the merchant said that last year heavy shipments of butter were made from New Zealand during August and September, but at present no inquiry was being made by Canadian buyers, although the higher duty would not take effect until October 12. There -was a time when sweet brown ensilage was considered the ideal, but later experience has shown that green and perhaps slightly sour is the best material (says - the Taranaki Herald). There are many farmers, however, who still contend that the sweet brown is the most palatable, but a recent experience at Stratford has proved otherwise. At the recent winter show there, there were nearly 80 entries in ensilage. One class alone attracted 61 competitors, so that there were many kinds of ensilage, varying from very dark to, very green. After the show a farmer of the 'district purchased ensilage and fed out all the different varieties to his stock at the one time. The greenest ensilage was cleaned up first—every particle, of it—and the darker the ensilage the longer the cows were in eating it. No cases of sickness of any kind had been caused to cattle by infection from cattle tick, stated the director-general of agriculture (Dr 0. J. Reakes), in making some observations on the extent to which New Zealand was infested with this parasite. Dr Reakes said that in a good many places in the North Island where the tick had made its appearance ordinary methods of control had apparently been successful. The spread of the disease was governed to a great extent by climatic conditions. In the milder areas along the coast the tick seemed to be more persistent than inland. They hung on- to rushes and tall grasses in the winter and sought an opportunity of attaching themselves to passing animals. One measure of control was to destroy all winter cover.

With the early opening of the dairy season, the collection of calves for the export of baby veal will commence about the end of August. Prospects for this industry are fairly bright, as there is a growing demand for the veal at Home. Suggestions have been made that trial shipments should be made of veal tinned in jelly as is done very successfully in Holland,’but it is unlikely that this will be attempted in view of the costliness of preparation, tinning and transport. The export of the frozen article appears to suit the market admirably, and there is little need to effect any changes. This industry has now been firmly established on a co-operative basis and is providing a handsome revenue as well as a good deal of labour, which it would probably be necessary to provide for by relief work if the industry was not in operation.

An Inch-Clutha dairyman who has just returned from a visit to the North Island states that in the dairying districts he visited there was an abundance of feed, but farmers were very dissatisfied with the price they were getting for butter-fat. In the Wairarapa this averaged about Is 3d a lb, but in the Waipawa district (Hawke’s Bay) the price paid was only lOd. The low figure was due to the fact that the factory was being run by a financial institution, into whose hands it had come, and the institution was not giving any bonuses to suppliers. The North Islanders were surprised when told that dairymen in this district supplying the cheese factories were getting Is 6-1 a lb for butter-fat this season, with a prospect of a little more by way of bonus. -The Inch-Clutha man found the north greatly agitated on the question of standardised cheese, and the proposal to alter the method of payment in cheese factories. Personally, he thought they would be well to as they are, and pay out on the butter-fat content. New Zealand interest in the result ot the Canadian elections naturally fixes itself upon the butter question, which is the essence of the trade agreement effected between the senior dominion and its younger brethren, Australia and New Zealand (says the Dominion). The new Con-servative-Government has been returned to power upon a series of election promises, one of which is the revision of a trading agreement which, on the representation of the Canadian farmers," is detrimental to their’interests. The new Prime Minister has definitely stated that, while he is impressed by the necessity and value of promoting interimperial trade relationships, nothing must be done that will react to the disadvantage of the Canadian producer. On the surface, that seems a

.fair argument. What is really wanted is. a reciprocal trading agreement that will benefit both sides. That, says Mr Ben- • nett, is the principle of his Imperial trade, policy, and no reasonable- being can quarrel wjth it, although it .remains to be ?een how Mr Bennett will interpret his principle.