CANTERBURY BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 16

CANTERBURY BUDGET.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

MUCH BETTER WEATHER.

The week past has been a decided improvement upon its two predecessors in Canterbury, there being several warm days, which have stimulated growth considerably. On all sides there is evidence of the lateness of the spring, and nowhere is this more evident than in some of the Canterbury onion and potatogrowing districts Seeds have germinated very slowly indeed, and the early potato and onion crops are a month late Odd showers have been experienced during the week, and there were two or three frosts, but not severe ones.

SMALL OFFERINGS OF STOCK. As a rule the offerings of stock at the saleyards in Canterbury reach their lowest ebb in the month of September, and of late they have not been heavy. Certainly if they have not been low from a numerical point of view they have had very little to commend them from the standpoint of quality. This week at the Addington Yards the sheep were of very poor quality indeed, and it was noticeable that the buyers present were more disposed to pay some attention to the dry sheep on offer. Some of the pens of wethers sold moderately -well, and with a good deal more freedom than has been the case in the past six weeks or so. A good-sized pen of half-bred wethers sold at 23s 4d, but they were well forward at this money. A pen of smaller sheep brought 20s. Weather conditions have kept shearing back. In past years it has not been unusual to see many pens of shorn sheep in September, but this season they have been conspicuous by their absence. Catchy weather, with piercing winds, caused many farmers who shear their dry sheep in September to refrain from shearing this year. With days similar to some of those experienced this week it will not be long before there will be plenty of shorn sheep about.

YELLOW STAIN IN WOOL. Mention of shearing brings to mind the fact that the Wool Industries Research Association, which has its headquarters at Torridon, near Leeds, is endeavouring to secure information from woolgrowers as to the cause of yellow stain in wool, which is more prevalent in some years than others, and is more noticeable in the long-wool breeds, and the wool people at Home say that there is a great deal of Romney wool affected in recent years. ,! Canary stain,” as the wool trade knows the complaint, is rather puzzling as to its origin, but by means of a questionnaire which woolgrowers have been asked to answer it is Imped to glean information which will be helpful in arriving at an elucidation of the cause of the disorder. The wool trade at Home is anxious to arrive at what is the. cause of the trouble with a view to its elimination. Farmers in the Dominion never Agree as to what is the cause, but many fibeervant woolgrowers opine that feed-

ng trouble is the cause. One Canterbury farmer, who has a good many Romney ewes in his flock besides a few hundred half-bred ewes, states that he has never been troubled with the stain unless his ewes have been pinched for feed. After a check, when the sun attains some strength in the spring, the stain appears. Home wool men seem to think that the top-dressing, general in some parts of the Dominion, may have an influence, but this is discounted by the fact that men who top-dress all their pastures are not affected with it at all. The farmer mentioned thinks that the trouble usually occurs between the time the turnips are finished and the first growth of grass. It is then often that the sheep are pinched for feed. The sheep are then not thriving, and the wool becomes lifeless, and when the hot weather comes it stains from the skin outwards. In years when his sheep were well fed and never had a check of any kind there was no sign of stain.

EXCELLENT BEEF FROM OUTSIDE DISTRICTS.

The special feature of the Addington sale on Wednesday last was the very fine quality of the beef offering. Most of the good cattle were from districts outside Canterbury, and the prices were remunerative to the men who had sent the cattle forward from distances. A very prime draft of heifers sold on account of Mr P. Anderson (Stirling) sold at figures which averaged- out at £lB ss, or better than 55s a 1001 b. Two show bullocks from the Gisborne district sold at £29 15s and £26 12s 6d. A Southland vendor sold 13 cows at £l3 12s 6d to £lB 2s 6d, and 3 heifers at £l5 17s 6d to £l7 17s 6d. THE METROPOLITAN SHOW. Many innovations and alterations have been made in the schedule of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association which has just been issued for the Metropolitan Show, which is to be held on November 13 and 14. In several of the sections there are many new classes, and the prize money has been increased in many others. The actual cash prize money and trophies amounts to £2BOO. and this does not take into account the perpetual challenge cups and shields, which run well over £lOOO in value. An addition this year is the provision of a poultry section, which has been inserted at the request of the three leading poultry organisations of Canterbury. Liberal prize-money is being offered in this section, and the entries should be considerable.

In the competitions a change has been made, particularly in the children’s ring events,.designed to encourage the children to become proficient in horsemanship. A new feature in the hunter section is the provision of a cup which has been given by Mr D. W. Westenra, of Dunsandel, for the best type of hunter which must have qualified with a recognised pack in the past two years. In the sheep sections there are many new classes, and the association has adopted the policy of giving a year’s notice of intention to make changes in the schedule, the object being that exhibitors should not be taken by surprise. The increasing entry of Ryelands has encouraged the association to provide more classes for this breed.

With the excellent\ competition for years past in the Corriedales, it is only to be expected that there should be good prizes for this breed, and they have been made possible by the liberality of the Corriedale Sheep Society and various private donors and firms, and the New Zealand Sheep Breeders’ Association.

Very liberal prize-money is offered for the fat sheep and fat lamb classes, and though the show is rather early for many fat lamb breeders, it is a regrettable fact that the competition in this section has not been as strong in recent years as might be expected in view of the part played by Canterbury in the fat lamb trade of the Dominion. The cattle section covers the usual wide range, and this year a points prize is offered in the Jersey cattle section. Also, the. Canterbury branch of the Milking Shorthorn Association has provided a silver cup, besides the first prize of £3 3s, for a group class embracing a bull and three of his female progeny. A new departure is the inclusion of a class for crossbred or grade dairy cow, and another for heifer. ' The draught horse section has been particularly well treated, and in every class the prize-money offered has been substantially increased. This also applies to the carriers’ and tradesmen’s section. The prize-money offered makes,the section the best endowed of any Dominion show. The light horse and cob and pony sections cover a wider range than any other show in New Zealand, and it has been

still further added to by the inclusion of several new classes, including one for maiden saddle pony. The recently-formed Cob and Pony Association has provided the prize-money for two new classes for pony stallion under 14 hands and over 14 hands, to be driven in harness. _ For some years past the association has endeavoured to foster the export of porkers and baconers to the Old Country, and valuable prizes are offered in the pig division of the show for porkers and baconers to be judged on the ground, then killed and exported to London, and judged again by experts at Smithfield. Prizemoney amounting to £lO, for each class has been 'allotted for prizes in London, in addition to the. usual prizes on the ground. The association also intimates hat it will advance up to 80 per cent, of the value of the pigs shipped.