CURRENT NOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16838, 29 December 1928, Page 11

CURRENT NOTES

Late Shearing. As a result of the backward nature Of the shearing it was estimated that a little more than a week ago there were more than 12,000 sheep in the Matawai district alone to go under the shears. Ngatiporou Butter. With the increased manufacture of butter by the Ngatiporou dairy factory at Ruatoiia, the quality, apparently, has not been dtfniaged; in fact it is well up to the standard. The grading points for tne factory's butter this season have been between 93 and 94, and if this is maintained for the Whole season there will be nothing to complain, of in this respect. Heavy Hay Crops. Some of the heaviest hay crops farmers of Poverty Bay have experienced are being harvested this summer, though the rain, interfering' with harvesting operations, will prevent the best quality being gamered in some cases. The wonderful season, combined with the large amounts of artificial fertiliser put on almost everywhere, has contributed to a far greater gzpwth than has been experienced in the district for a number of years. Concrete Milking Sheds. '■ : Of..recent years there has been a great increase in the numbers of concrete floors in milking sheds in Poverty Bay. A recent visit to Matawai by Mr, B. L. Seed, farm dairy instructor, revealed to him that the dairymen of that district were among those who had been making provision for more hygenic conditions of v milking, and where the whole, of the floors were not concreted, at least the separator rooms had been so treated. After they had ; been milking for seme time with concrete floors, some of the dairymen begin to wonder why they did without them for so long.

Wool Shipments. To date more wool has been shipped from Gisborne to England than has been sent to Napier. Including the Pprt Wellington's quota of 5535 bales, the total wool which has left this port direct- for the overseas market is 11,270 bales, and while the actual figures of shipments to Napier are not available, it would not reach 11,000. Up to the last sale approximately 6000 bales of Gisborne wool had been sold at Napier, and although large lots have gone down since then, the total for that port would not yet reach the Homo quota. Great activity was shown laat week with wool shipments at the port of Gisborne, and altogether 8095 bales were despatched by coastal and overseas ships between Wednesday of last week and Christmas Eve.

Jam Machines. Some idea of the reduction of the value of machines used on dairy farms during the past .'!.") years was given during the week by one who has been fanning in the district for a lengthy period. This farmer, Mr. W. J. McCliskio, claims that he bought the first separator brought into Poverty Bay. This eo>-t him over £3O by the time it was installed, the capacity of the machine'being 25 gallons. Now the same manufacturers are turning out a separator of slightly larger capacity for about £l2. All (hat time there was no dairy factory in the district, and all the butter he made had to be sold locally at a price which was well below' the present retail iigure. Prejudice Against Manures. While there has been a widespread movement in top-dressing in Poverty Bay during the past few years, there are still some farmers who fail to appreciate the importance of artificial fertilisers. Thosn who have manured have discovered its advantages, and those who make a practice of topdressing each year have secured the best results. Worn out pastures have been rejuvenated by the application of manures, but, in spite of examples that most farmers have in this neighborhood, there are still many who rc : ' sort to the plough. to .restore their pas 1 , tuVes, when, manures are able to do it in even particularly bad cases. Hovyever, the top-dressing practice is spreading in this district, and it is anticipated that before long the use of manures will become general as it has done fh other districts.