Markets Still Firming For Most Commodities

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17436, 7 April 1931, Page 9

Markets Still Firming For Most Commodities

MOST markets, with the exception of butter and cheese, have been improving in tunc during the past few weeks, The statistical position with regard to butter appears to be good, and forecasts of an early improvement have been made, but at the close of last week's .business no belt or prices were apparent. Frozen meat has been going into consumption better than for some lime, but, although a slight tinning tendency has been reported in some branches of the trade, there has been no real improvement in the Smith/field quotations. However, judging by the reports, the future appears brighter, although the .Meat Board reports that Ihe market is overloaded with meat of all descriptions.

With the maintenance of the recently higher values for wool, sheep prices have been improving, the local market having responded more to the recent good rain. Jt appeal's as though wethers will be greatly in demand shortly, and already there is a steady inquiry for them, but vendors are asking more than buyers at present are prepared' to give.

Beef Improves a Little. The Waikato 'markets continue firm, sonic sections even advancing further. At last week's Frankton sale, a fairly large offering of fat sheep came forward and prices for all classes, with the exception of heavy fat owes*. which showed a slight rise, were on a par with the previous week's rates. The rates for most lines of beef, of which there was an average yarding, remained steady. Good quality bullocks met with a better demand, however, and values were a shade higher. Owing t,o the larger entry of fat cows the previous week's advanced prices were not equalled. Stores showed no variation.

At Westlield last week an improvement was noticed in ox beef values. With Waikato values responding accordingly, the prospects for the Gisbornc cattle at present on their way to the Waikato appears a little better, for, if beef continues to advance, the rise will be reflected in the market for store cattle also. Skins and hides continue to advance in price, and at the recent Wellington sale well saved and sound sheepskins registered an advance of Jd to Id, although inferior pelts showed no improvement. Hides were firm, with a slight advance for light cow hides, lioth shippers and tanners competing freely.

Fertilisers Still in Demand. The demand for fertilisers has still further improved since the beginning of last week, and orders continued to come in steadily right up to the close of the holidays. The demand so talis only for small' quantities, but it appears as though there will bo a still better inquiry later in the month. The Government's proposal to make loan moneys available for the purchase of fertilisers is likely to stimulate business in this respect. The demand so far is mostly for superphosphate. The demand for all kinds of seeds has been further stimulated since the good soaking the pastures received, and indications point to large numbers of late autumn sowings.

From now on. the demand for hay is likely to show an easing tendency, for there is a fair amount, of feed in the pastures, especially in those which have been top-dressed. Chaff is still being sought after with no alteration in the quotations, £S to £0 a ton.

Maize and Barley. Maize still remains quiet, although with the advent of colder weather the demand is likely to be stimulated. A number of small orders from Auckland and Hawke's Bay have been tilled from Gisborne at 4s .VI per bushel, f.oJb. So far as the new crops are concerned, the possibility ,'of a satisfactory harvest, is remote indeed. Practical iv all the crops are backward, and the yields will be exceptionally light. The rain has helped to freshen them up and help them along to maturity, but if early frosts are experienced many of the crops will be complete failures. The position in regard to barley is unaltered.

must accept in most cases world's parity for his product, made it imperative that the primary producer of this country should extract from each acre the maximum yield ,o£ which his land was capable, be it wheat, wool, meat, butter-fat, or other product. Science had done and was doing much for agriculture, and it was beyond question that our average yields per acre could bo materially increased b'v the adoption of scientific and up-to-date methods, added Mr. McCallnm. He urged primary producers generally to adopt the slogan, "More ler Acre " This was one of the surest. means of reducing the cost of proflurtion, which was the bugbear otlie primary producer at the present time. Vegetable Caterpillar A few davs ago a southland Times reporter was shown a vegetable eate«--pillar, a curious form of nature which has both animal and vegetable characteristics. The, nppo.ira.nce is animal, while the wvs of "rowing are purely vegetable. The bodv, averaging! about 3in. iu length, resembles Hie mummy of the caterpillar, skin, head, and feci pnrl even-thing lioiny complete. In the. first stages of growth if .is a larva of a Inrire motli, which seemingly have a. preference for rata, eats its fill, and reaches its fullest growth. To undergo (be changing period info a moth, it seeks'a place of concealment in Ihe soft .'.nil nnd-r the tree, but before this it is at lacked by a germ, probably _-n broathimr. This germ starts growing and feeds on Hie caterpillar until the nnimnl life goes and the vegetable takes its place. The plant, nothing more to eat, sends up to the "Tg">t the lona stalk which is seen a few inches above the ground. This end is covered with seed germs, which attack other caterpillars. '" Vegetable caterpillars are fairly common in certain parts of Southland'.