FARM AND STATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16946, 30 January 1926, Page 3

FARM AND STATION.

WORK FOR TUB COMING WEEK. (By “Aviu”) Farmers who purcluiseti rams at the fair this week should put them into the best possible, feed so that; they will be ready in March. Some of the rams brought forward had suffered through their long journey and I hey need plenty of good feed and a, spell. It also would be advisaidc lo see to their feci, as a ram with bail feel is practically useless during I he season. 'Weaning will have been carried out already on many stations, but where the lambs are still with their mothers it is advisable lo do this work. After they aro about Jive months old lambs do better away from their mothers. FORWARD BUYING. A BIG GAMBLE. PROBABLE LOSSES. Each year a considerable amount of forward buying, both of fat and storo stock, is, done in Poverty Bay. This season, owing to the uncertainty of the meat prices there, was less forward buying of fat stock, but a large number of ewes have been bought by operators in various parts of the district. The southern market has proved an excellent one from the viewpoint of Poverty Bay farmers, and last year ihe shipment of close on .100,000 ewes to Addington not only meant that farmers were securing good prices for the stock sent away, but also assisted in improving the prices obtaining locally. The Addington market is capable of absorbing an enormous amount of stock and the. large shipments which go forward from Poverty Bay are readily disposed of. HIGH PRICED EWES.

Recognising that later in the season owes would probably be bringing.exceptionally good prices if the Addington market proved favorable, buyers purchased a large number for forward delivery during February and some of these sheep will be going to the- south shortly. Judging by the prices which have been ruling at Addington up to the present, farmers are likely to come out on the right side over' the deal. It is difficult to see at ruling values how buyers can make any profit after paying the heavy cost of transporting the sheep to .Lyttelton. Various prices have been paid for ewes, as much as 30s having been given in a number of cases, while 25s and 2(is has been given for a good many lots. These ewes will have to make big prices to return much profit to the operators who are handling them. A RISKY VENTURE. Last year, when there was a splendid demand for ewes at Addington and when the Poverty Bay sheep were selling at excellent prices, many of the farmers felt that they had sacrificed their sheep, and that the operators were making enormous profits. They forgot, that the‘operators stood just as much chance of making a loss. The business at the best is a risky one, and provided farmers aro securing a fair value for their sheep, reckoned on the prices ruling in the district, they have little cause for complaint. FUTURE SALES. In considering whether they will sell immediately or hold their ewes for a few weeks, farmers have to take into account the existing conditions in the outside markets. The Addington market is not showing any great demand for ewes as yet, but this will come during the next two mouths. During the present summer an enormous number of ewes have been sent out of Hawke’s Bay owing to the provailing shortage of feed, and tlicro is a possibility that during the autumn a demand will set in from that district for ewes from Poverty Bay. If such proves to be the ease farmers yet may secure good prices for their owes, and it is probable that by refraining from acting hastily in the matter of selling they will be gaining considerably. Conditions throughout this and other districts are now at their worst, and it must not; be forgotten that autumn rains twill make a great difference from the present position. FRESH BLOOD. DIRECT FROM. SCOTLAND. The decision of the Commonwealth lo permit the importation of live stock under certain condition will, it is expected, lead to considerable trade in stud cattle and pigs.. Owing to the fact that Scotland has remainod free from foot-and-mouth disease while the latest outbreak has been prevalent in England, the Quarantine Department has decided to permit the introduction of cattle, sheep, pigs, and go.ntfj from Scotland, provided that the boat on which they arc placed calls at no port in the United Kingdom outside of Scotland. All the usual certificates and declarations, however, have to be provided. Mr, Ross Grant, the Commonwealth Veterinary Officer in London, will notify the Government immediately should an outbreak of the disease occur in Scotland.

PASTURE TOP-DRESSING. IMPROVING YIELDS. THREE TON CROP OF HAY TO ACRE. • ■ A few weeks ago we-stressed the necessity for farmers in the Poverty Bay district adopting the system of top-dressing their pastures more generally, and from the discussions which Jiavo taken place recently at various farming organisations, it is apparent that the necessity for this work is being recognised to a greater extent. A Striking instance of the value of lop-dressing is given in the Southland News, which supplies details of what lias been accomplished on one farm in that district. There lias been, during recent years no more consistent advocate ot topdressing for Southland than Mr. W. Hudson, of Woodend, whose reputation as a successful maker of ensilage lias gone throughout New Zealand, says that paper. Mr. Hudson docs not confine his efforts to ensilage, however, biit every year saves a good many acres for hay. His property, situated, on the road to Awarua Bay, is not particularly noted for its great natural fertility, but it is well known for its present high state of fertility brought about; by the judicious use of top-dressing manures. For six consecutive years now Mr. Hudson lias cut a particular paddock for ensilage and hay and tho crop harvested this, the sixth, year, is about the heaviest vet taken off it.

The reason for this sustained fertility is that Mr. Hudson has top-dressed I his paddock every year for six years. I,a si winter Mr. Hudson was induced lo experiment a little with various fertilisers and in his usual thoroughgoing manner he has tested his experiments over the scale and the results make interesting reading. To start with, the whole Held was dressed, with Ephos phosphate at the rate of 2 ewt per acre in August. The next step was to measure oil 1 four strips of the already top-dressed area for further treatment; these strips ran right across the field, so that all possible variations of soil might he taken in.

No. .1 strip carried the Ephos only--2 cwt. per acre. No. 2 strip treated with nitrate oJ soda —I ewt per acre. No. 3 strip treated with .TO per cent, potash salt —1 cwt per acre. No. 4 strip treated with nitrate of soda, .1 ewt. and TO per cent, potash salts, SOlbs per acre, each, of the above (Nos’. 2, 3 and 4) treatments being on top of the previously-applied 2 cwt of Ephos per acre. TIIE RESULTS. A control strip (not a big one, as Mr. Hudson does not leave much grass \vi thout top-dressing) had been left alongside the fence so as to supply the necessary guide to the improvements effected by the fertilisers. The entire crop was a good one, as may be imagined when it is realised that even the control area yielded a two-ton hay crop. A week ago the crop was being cut mid arrangements made to have representative areas of the treatments carefully weighed, and the results arc as follow: 'l'ons. Cwt Comrol strip .. .. 3 S per aero No. I, Ephos only .. <8 Bper acre No. 2, Ephos and nitrate S 10 per acre No. 3, Ephos and potash 7 4per acre, No. 4, Ephos, nitrate and potash .. ..8 4 per acre Note —The above are all, green weights, taken immediately after cutting. These results are certainly wonderful, and. provide strong evidence of the value of top-dressing, but we venture to say that there are many more equally wonderful results in evidence in Southland to-day, only they are not recorded as accurately as in Mr. Hudson \s case. There arc also many more thousands of acres of poor pasture land in Southland that could be made to yield a 3-ton crop of grass hay it treated reasonably and top-dressed regularly. IN THE WAIOEKA. SUCCESS OF DANTHONIA. It lias often been contended that on deteriorated lands the planting of datithonia effects a great improvement. A Waiocka settler. Mr. Harpham, has tried out danthouia over a period of ten years, and proved it to be exceedingly satisfactory. The success of danlhonia on a considerable proportion of Mr. Harpham's property is evident, says the Opotiki Guardian. An area of about 140 acres of hilly country is now covered with perfectly clean pasture, the danlhonia, brown-top and white clover forming a thick turf. This country was sown in dantlionia ten years ago. Repeated- burnings of such rubbish as weedy ferns and bidi-bidi stimulated the growth of the dantlionia, while checking the growth of the rubbish, until the dantlionia completely triumped. In other parts of farm tins process is being repeated, judicious stocking with cattle as well as sheep assisting in tho subjection, and, finally, the extermination of tho weeds. Similar tactics arc being adopted by other settlers with considerable success. Unfortunately, some of tho country is so steep that t.lie employment of cattle results in heavy mortality, and the process of replacing rubbish by good pastures is much slower. J >

becoming moee plentiful. DantUonia is becoming more pleniiful every year. A series of dry seasons would enable tlio settlers to keep the rubbish in check by means of tires, which would have the effect of stimulating the growth and spread of danthonia until new pastures composed principally of this grass would replace those of English grasses which have almost completely disappeared. In the meantime the settlers need and. deserve all the assistance that the Government can give to them. Their task is. difficult, but it as one of national importance. If they succeed the country which they now occupy will become a valuable national asset, and other settlers will be encouraged (o occupy new country of a similar kind. The ultimate result will be of incalculable benefit to the Dominion. WILTSHIRE HORNED SHEEP. GIFT FOR THE DOMINION. PROLIFIC AND EARLY BREEDERS Some months ago the Wiltshire or Western Horned Sheep Society communicated with the High Commissioner and offered to present the New Zealand Government with a number of their prize ranis and ewes. The society considered that the strain, if introduced into the Dominion and crossed with the stock there, would have a, beneficial effect on tlic flocks. In writing to the High Commissioner, the society maintained that their rams would prove themselves a valuable asset to the stocks of the New Zealand pastoralists. Though tlic society was of recent formation, the breed was one of the oldest in the Kingdom. It was remarkable for early fat lambs off grass. Previous experience had proved that where the rams were crossed with the slower maturing breeds, such as the merino, they would produce a happy combination of early meat and wool. In addition, the breed was very prolific. As an instance of this, 22 ewes recently threw 'l2 lambs. The High Commissioner forwarded the communication to the Agricultural Department, Wellington, and the offer oL ! the society has been accepted. Owing to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease, however, it is impossible to send live stock to tlic Dominion at present. Carcases will, therefore, be sent. Two two-tooth wethers will be selected from a prize pen at (he Agricultural Show at Islington. These will be slaughtered this week and the carcases frozen. The skins will be prepared by Messrs. George Rock and Sons, tanners, of Bermondsey, and the,carcases and skins, in addition to several fleeces, will be sent out lo the Agricultural Department. From these the Department will be able to gain some idea of the merits of tho breed.