FARM AND STATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16406, 12 April 1924, Page 10

FARM AND STATION.

STATION WORK FOR THE COMING WEEK.

It is now getting near the time when the .stock .should ]>c brought down to the winter carrying capacity, and although prescnl indications point to an abundance of iced, farmers would be well advised to get rid of their surplus fats. There is nothing to be gained by keeping prime sheep during the winter. Many farmers who have not been able to dispose of their surplus ewes at profitable rates will be holding on over the winter months, and it is therefore necessary that they should get rid of any sheep that can be profitably disposed of. Where hoggets are particularly dirty, an endeavor should be made to dug them before erutehing time. If they are allowed to go into the shed in a dirty condition, tile wool will lie practically worthless, but if cleaned up, wool, at present prices, will more than repay the cost of the erutehing. DISTRICT NOTES. A further shipment of Poverty Bay ewes was sent forward to Addington this week, and th<*re still remains another load to be taken away. Prices at dip last Addington sale showed a drop of about 2s a head, and 38s (id was the best price received for North Island ewes. This figure, 'however, represents considerably more than local parity. .Many farmers on the flats are very dissatisfied with their maize crops this season, and a number have already made them into ensilage. believing that, if left, they would not ripen properly. The visit of the Auckland delegates to the local branches id' the Farmers' Union has already been productive of good. A number of new members have joined up, and in addition many members who were well in arrears have paid up their deficiencies. LOW CROSSBRED WOOL. DEMaxd increasing. The London wool sales have so far shown that there is a particularly strong demand for crossbred wools, and latterly medium to low grades of crossbred have shown a firmer tendency (states the Dominion). Bradford is operating freely in crossbreds, and the Continent is ,goiiig strong for merinos, but the values of the latter show no improvement. Bradford buyers seem to have the idea that fabrics made t'rdm crossbred wools will command most attention in the near future, especially in Eastern and Southern Europe. Trade in Germany is improving, while stocks of raw wool are low. In France there arc complaints of inadequate arrivals of crossbred word, but the fall of the franc checked French operations. There appears to have been a fjood ,]eal of exaggeration in respect of French production of goods; It was made to appear that French mills were working up to pre-war capacity, and therefore it is surprising to learn from the annual report of the French Woollen Manufacturers' Association that during 1923 the woollen factories had only produced about 70 per cent, of (heir usual capacity. The export trade was larger, but business in France itself had been restricted. Orders were curtailed owing to the resentment of the public regarding increased prices for fabrics. It is certainly a tribute to the soundness of the wool market that prices have kept buoyant when the mills in Fiance, Germany ami Yorkshire have not worked up to proAvar standard. CATTLE TICK. WARNING TO STOCK OWNERS. Under the Stock Act regulations relating to cattle tick, it is necessary for owners of all stock leaving affected areas to be supplied with a permit from the inspector of stock for the district. Numerous breaches of this regulation have from time to time occurred, and inspectors have instituted prosecutions. It is also a breach of the regulations to expose; for sale slock infested with the cattle tick. In a prosecution recently brought at Whnkntane a fine of £2O and costs was inflicted by the Magistrate for this offence. The Magistrate stated that in future if settlers would not take precautions to have clean cattle the fines would be much heavier. These regulations are designed to protect (dean farms and clean districts, and it would appear necessary that stock owners should make themselves aware of the requirements.

The New Zealand Farmers' Union recently made a request to the Minister of Agriculture that hares should be placed in the same category as rabbits and placed under the control of rabbit boards on account of their acting as tick carriers. The Minister lias replied, stating that on going into the matter lie has found that liares are protected only in the Peilding Acclimatisation Society's district and part of Hie Well in "ton district. It is, therefore, competent for anyone to destroy hares in (lie lick areas, anil, this being so, (here appears to be no real necessity for taking action in the direction suggested. The Minister pointed out that when the boundary of the tick-infested area was being drawn it was kept well outside of any tick-infested country, so that it is highly improbable that hares would travel into (dean districts.

SKINS AND PELTS.

HIGH PRICKS RULING

Partly owing to the high prices ruling for wool and mainly because of a strong export demand, there has been a substantial advance in the quotations for skins and pelts. Remarkably high prices were paid in Christchurch last week for merino and half-bred skins. These were taken for the Continent, and the high prices were to some oxtent the result of fine wools ruling high, and also because pelts are commanding good .money. The market is to some extent dominated by the United [States, but the Continental tanners are clever at their work. These skins are split and turned into suede and kid. the outer skin is stamped and turned into fancy leather, and some of it is turned into chamois leather. The position of the skin market appears to be such as to make for a continuance of high prices. The demand that exists just now is entirely for export, for the local felliuongers and tanners cannot stand up to this competition. Recently there was a strong demand for light hides from Australia, but this demand has ceased, light: hides have depreciated in value very much, and there is every proba-

bility of thorn going lower. Medium

and heavy-weight hides, on the other hand, are holding their own, and all decent lines are being freely purchased by New Zealand tanners for conversion into sole and harness leathers. FALL IN MEAT PRICES. BELIEVED TO BE TEMPORARY. During the past fortnight, in fact during the past week. New Zealand frozen mutton ha;, dropped a farthing per lb. all round, and, compared with last year, values are very much lower. Thus mutton 561 b. and under is quoted at Sd. A year ago the price was Id more; 571 b. to 64.1 b., against B}d; and 651 b. to 721 b., 7:}d to 7d. Lamb. Canterbury quality, is now standing at Oljd, and selected brands, which means very prime lambs, are making lOd. A year ago best quality lambs were selling at 12d, second quality at lod, and North Island ordinary at lid. During the past fortnight light-weight lamb has fallen j|d per lb.; medium weight also by ';d per lb.; and heavy weight by Id per 11).; second quality is i'd. lower. Some of those in the trade are inclined to think that the drop is more or less artificial, due probably to the industrial disturbances curtailing consumption, also to the probability that cold weather is diverting consumption I<> beef. It is, perhaps, significant that Argentine frozen beef, ox fores, had risen a ]d to 4d, and chilled beef fores are id higher and hinds jfrl higher. The view that the slump is temporary may be the correct one; at all events, it is to be hoped that there will be a speedy recovery in the market, as present prices will mean heavy losses to some of ihe freezing companies. SIBERIAN BUTTER IX LONDON. A BIG COMPETITOR. Last English summer Siberian butter came on to the London market, the shipment amounting to about 50,000 casks. The butter was late getting on to the market, but those who handled it spoke well of it. Siberian butter and (dieese will he on the English market again this season, and. according to reports, the initial shipments arc t# reach London this month. There arc many difficulties to be overcome in respect to the import of Siberian butter, the principal difficulty being finance. The big Tooley Street butter merchants will find ways and means of overcoming this, and it should not be very difficult in view of the fact that the Soviet State Bank is operating on sound lines and is represented in Britain by Lloyd's Bank and Barclay's Bank. It' the Russians can deliver flic; goods, llie money will bo found readily enough. It seems that Russia will this season send a considerable quantity of both butter and cheese to England, and it is probably this that has had a depressing effect on values. "Cold Storage" of February 21 says that "Russia is once again a producer of refrigerating machinery, and considering that SOO butter refrigerating establishments are saiil to be at work in that country and Siberia, and that the amount of butter available this season will be 24,500 tons, and cheese .18,700 tons, the importance of machinery must not be overlooked." The imports of foreign butter info (he United Kingdom last year was equal to 250,265 tons, and if Russia intends -sending 24.500 tons, that would be equal to nearly 10 per cent, of last year's total. Dominion. BAINFIELD KRIESIAN SALE. A WONDERFUL HERD. The passing of the Bainfield Studs in Southland illustrates well the pre-sent-day value placed on good pedigree slock in the Dominion. For the time being, at least, Mr. W. D. Hunt, the owner, who occupies a foremost position in agricultural, pastoral and commercial circles in the Dominion, is retiring from breeding. The recent sale of his stud Romncy flock, which has now been followed by a really sensational sale of his pedigree Fricsian cattle stud, brings into prominence Mr. Hunt 's most successful efforts as a breeder. A month ago his Romney stud of some 157(1 head realised £11,227 7s Od. The last week in March saw his Fricsian stud of 184 animals sell for £18,277 (is, within a few shillings of n £.IOO average.

It is over a decade since the Bainfield studs were established. .Since then, four annual sales have been held. The proceeds from these added to the returns from the dispersal sales, together with a conservative value placed on the Romney lambs still in hand, make a total of, in round figures, £55,000. In the meantime, too, Mr. Hunt has steadily improved liis properties, as the successful breeder must of necessity be. in the first place, a successful farmer. The ordinary man may conclude it is impossible to secure a like success. But is that so'.* Mr. Hunt began in a very modest way, as all successful breeders do, by purchasing a pure-bred Friesian bull for use on crossbred cows. Friesians became Mr. Hunt's fancy through this practical demonstration given him by the introduction of a pure-bred sire of the breed. The improvement effectedby this herd sire was striking, and very soon the owner of Bainfield saw clearly that success in dairying could only come as the result of using purebreds.

An unusual feature of the sale was that cows would be sold with an absolute guarantee that fhey would breed, and'no money would pass between the buyer and the vendor until the cow in question produced a living calf. All faults of the various animals offered for sale were also brought out, and in addition every animal was put up absolutely without reserve.

The general arrangements for the sale were also of a high order. A huge marquee with adequate seating accommodation, rising from the floor of the tent in tiers, was provided, and each animal was brought into the sale ring and paraded before the buyers. The animals were sold in families, so

that it was possible to see exactly how the various ma tings made had resulted. On the whole it can be stated that the sale reached an exceptionally high level, and the whole proceedings were favorably commented upon by the large concourse of visitors from all parts. It is apparent that Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Co.. Ltd., the New Zealand firm who have been specialising for some lime in the conduct of these sales, are keeping right abreast of the times, and their conduct of this sale would be hard to improve upon. HERD TESTING. THE SYSTEM EXTENDING. A criticism by the. President of the Canterbury A. and P. Association of the dairy division's herd-testing system and a declaration that the division is in a lethargic condition has drawn a spirited reply from Mr. C. J. Reakes, Director-General of the Agriculture Department. Referring to the president's comment that "if herd-testing had been the Department's slogan for the last decade the Dominion's average yield of butterfat would not have declined year by year, "Mr. Reakes says: "I assume reference is made to the yield of the average dairy cow. If so, the remark is liable to create erroneous impressions. It would have been correct to slate that the Department has been fostering testing for a longer period than a decade, and that New Zealand is, as a result. I believe, now herdtesting for the yield with a larger percentage of herd dairy cows than any other dairy country in the world, save Denmark. Furthermore, Ihe production of New Zealand's average dairy cow has been increased rather than decreased, and for last season a yield of 17.1.721 b. budeifnl for all dairy cows in milk and dry has been calculated, as con! lasted with an average yield of 111.07 hut!erfnl for the .1011 -12 season, when herd-testing was getting under way. "During the 1022-2.". season 77,500 cows belonging to dairy farmers wcTfe dealt with under the Department's herd-testing system, i 11,500 of these being tested by the Department's own officers and ihe remainder by dairy companies which have adopted the same system, and so far as 1 knowfind it quite satisfactory. In addition, 1061 cows were tested under the C.O.R. system, these being pure-bred animals in those herds which assist to form the basis from which animals required to still further improve the farm herds of the Dominion are drawn. These no doubt are the cows referred to as 'belonging to wealthy breeders.' The number of cows being tested by officers of the dairy division this season will exceed those above stated for both association and C.O.R. testing." WONDER COW. MELBA XV. AGAIN. PHENOMENAL PRODUCTION. SYDNEY, April 3. —A phenomenal butterfat production record has been put up, under official test conducted by the Department of Agriculture, by the Darbalara Milking Shorthorn cow Melba XV., at Darbalara Estate, Gunda gai. In ten months Melba XV. has produced a greater quantity of butterfat than any other cow in the world in twelve months, and New South Wales again has the honor and distinction of having the world's champion butter cow. Her record for ten months, just completed, is 28,7551b5. milk and 1300.351b5. buterfat, equal to KiStHlbs. butter. In January, 102,'!, Melba XV. completed a 3bo days' official test, producing 20,4321b5."mi1k and 1316.8121 b.-.. butterfat, equal to 1586}lbs. butter. This established a world's record at the time for butter production for any breed. Three weeks later it was announced that the Canadian Government Friesian cow Agassiz Segis May Echo, at the Agassiz Experiment Farm, British Columbia, had yielded, under test, 30,8861b5. milk ' and 13381b5. butterfat. Melba XV. was milked thrice daily, and the Canadian champion four times. With two months to go, Melba XV. is 6 libs, butterfat ahead of the Canadian representative, and it is possible, if not probable, that she will complete the 365 days with a total butterfat production of over 16001b5., equal to well over lOOOlbs. butter. The eyes of the dairying world will therefore be turned towards Darbalara for the next two months.