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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17185, 15 February 1930, Page 11

The cocksfoot harvest on Banks X’eainsula is one of the latest experienced for many years, and harvesting Operations have been seriously hampered 'by wet weather. At. Akaroa there were 14 wet days during January. 'he total rainfall for the month being if. 75 inches. heaping is now proceeding more satisfactorily and another week of fine Weather should see this work completed. There are some vqry line crops yn the higher paddocks, the seed standing really well,.the crop being clean and heavy. The seed already threshed shows that tills year f s crop will be a good heavy sample of seed and the yield will be good. * * * *

A report from Southland states that all things considered, local fanners have reason to be well pleased with the prices being paid for lambs, and in many cases the number taken has exceeded expectations. At the start of the season it was loudly broadcast that local works were paying full Canterbury schedule prices, and prophecies were made that very few rat lambs would be sent north, but this has not turned out to be the case, as northern buyers are securing as much stuff as they can handle; and at VVallacetown sale, which is easily the biggest auetion sale of fat lambs in

Southland, one Canterbury buyer has been the largest purchaser.

The s.s. "Bio Dorada" arrived at Auckland on February .':i with a shipment of 7500 tons of phosphate from Casablanca, Morocco. This shipment follows recent shipments received, while a further shipment is due about March. These shipments have been purchased by manufacturers in Auckland, New Plymouth, and Wanganui, and the bulk of the tonnage is treated at works at these points by being ground very finely by special grinding plants, including air separation. This North African phosphate is mined in Morocco from large marine deposits, the analysis being 73/78 per cent,, tricalcic phosphate. At present there is a demand for finely - ground • phosphate for autumn top-dressing, either alone or mixed with high-grade superphosphate, and the above line, being the highest grade offered on this market, in addition to the price to farmers being £:; 17s (id per ton cash—has resulted in the factories experiencing a large demand. This line also has the highest soluble plant food content, while the fineness of grinding shows over 00 per cent, through standard mesh sieve 14,400 holes to the square inch.*