Stock and Station News

Southland Times, Issue 19036, 2 May 1903, Page 4

Stock and Station News

Reportiiig generally on th<J Victorian season the Australasian of last Saturday says :— The season still continues a " dropping " one, and light rains have been plentiful. It may be described as essentially growing weather both ior crops and pasture. But with all tho rain that has fallen, tho subsoil still requires more. Agriculturists often, to their astonishment, find that on turning up the soil a little deeper than usual the subsoil is still quite dry. Should the winter prove a wet one the growth of grass next season will be an exceptional one, and the crops will be much above The average. The prospects for the future are looking brighter, but there will be for some time to come a great shortage of live stock in New South Wales and i Queensland.

The Lands Department of Victoria lias almost completed its work in connection with thu distribution of seed wheat. Out of the £100,000 set aside by the Seed Wheat Act, £81,000 has been granted. The balance will be absorbed by applicants working land on the shares system, and by those whose titles had not been granted at the time of the application, although they were entitled to

them

The statistical position of wool, according to Messrs Helinulh Schwartze and Co.'s figures, is an unusually strong

one. The stocks of all kinds in the principal ports of imported wools at the end of the year they estimate were 85 million pounds, as against 14-i millions in 1901, and 193 lnilliojns in JBOB. These figures refer to tho United Kingdom, the Continent, and the United States. If cotton and its mixtures could be' eliminated from the position, future possibilities . would, ho doubt, tend to greatly improved wool figures in the future. Under actual conditions, however, cotton has a big influence in steadying ■wool prices, and this is one of the factors which restrains any undue inflation. In reference to the current year's supply, the same authority says :—

" This year's supply will no doubt 9how a further reduction, as the most moderate estimates of the decrease in Australia do not go below 200,000 bales (say 70 million Tb raw wool). Those best informed with regard to the River Plate do not expect an increase in the total weight of the clip. There is much uncertainty about South Africa, as considerable quantities of old wools have still been shipped, and as the arrivals so far have been very heavy, but on the whole it is not probable that last year's imports will be reached or exceeded. There may be another increase in the United States clip, but the receipts of

' other sorts ' will hardly be larger unless a considerable advance takes place in the prices of coarse wools."

The heavy Australian deficiency and the decimation of Atistralian flocks would seem to indicate that tho fortunate wool-growers will get good prices for some years. The outlook, at least, is encouraging.

An Australian writer discusses the likelihood of the Commonwealth's chances of escape from the clutches of the drought fiend, and ho notes certain interesting improvements- that have taken place in recent years. Australia, he says. appears to be slowly but surely freeing itself from the grip of the most disastrous drought that has held it since white settlement took place, and areturn of good seasons may be looked forward to with some confidence. The rains are steadily penetrating inland. and, although they are far from being as heavy or frequent as could be de9ireO, they are doing a great dejal of good, and they justify tho hope of better conditions prevailing for years to come. Mr Russell, of New South Wales, and Mr Wragge, of Queensland, both of whom have devoted_,.a great deal of time . to the • sfcudy of meteorology and tho rainfall records of the past half century, have expressed the opinion that wo are now approach-, ing a series of good years", , when the rainfall will be sufficient to re-clothe the desert with vegetation, and re-establish 1 the prosperity of Australia. Of course, they may be mistaken, for there are not many things more uncertain than the uncertainty of Australian weather : but there must be a return to good seasons some time ; floods will surely come

again

The total quantity of wheat brought, in by Victorian farmers since the beginning of the year is 188,&20 bags, or 799,935 bushels, as against 1,801,220 bags or 7,655,185 bushels for the corresponding period of last year — a decrease of 1,613,000 bags or 6,855,250^ bushels: South Australia and San Francisco are the principal suppliers of the deficiency. '

Victoria has since the beginning of the year received 104,576 bags of oats from New Zealand, as compared with 23,950 bags for the corresponding period of last year.

A leaflet has been published by the Irish Department of Agriculture giving instructions as to the prevention of the growth of horns in cattle. The plan recommended is the one well-known to Australian husbantlmen of moistening th« horn buds of young calves after the hair has been clipped off, and rubbing the part with caustic potash. Tho age at which this should be done is said to be from two to five days after calving, and not later than nine days. A similar leaflet has been issued by the Board of Agriculture, London.

In Australia the starving stock brought down to pasture from the drought country are now being returned. They are 'called " staKvers." As .illustrating the extent to which the steady removal to the norfch ia going on, it may be stated that the wee"? before last and the week previous k 350 sheep .trucks were loaded and sent off; and last- week 410 trucks were' booked. For this week 350 trucks were ordered, and 350 for next week. On an average, 120 sheep are stowed in a truck, so that the traffic for the five weeks indicated accounts for 21", 000 sheep. During the last four weeks about 300 trucks of cattle and horses per week have been handled, and, as thqfce hold about l! 0 head a-piaee, this .accounts for fully 3000. In view of numbers like these, the hopeful opinion largely held by stock-owners, that the drought has ended, at any rate for the Immediate present, ankJ that northern pastures will bo ablo to carry their full quantity of stock through the winter and spring, seems warranted.

Mr Robert Milne, a young farmer, *lms purchased, through, the N.Z. Loan & M. A. Coy., "Glencoe," 650 acres, a very early selection in the Wyndham district.

It was so late in the afternoon beforethe selling of cattle began at Wynaham on Thursday Hhat i darkness sot in before half of tho entry had been submitted ; and the quaint spectacle of prospective buyers casting an eye over the beasts by ; the aid of lighted vostas was eventually, resorted to. Under the circumstances, the cattle selling and buying was something akin to a comedy.— Farmer.

The threshing mills are all in full swing, says tho Wyndham Herald. 'Among other indications of our wide district and its productiveness are the number of mills which find proataWe employuiont therein. Considering that 'dairying ia our principal ; industry, tho number of mills oporating ia wonderful. At present mills, as follows, are operating in districts named :— Mr A. Simneon's at Mataura Island ; Messrs Ferrier Bros.', Seaward Downs }- Messrs Templeton and M'Kerrow'a, at Glenham ; (1) Messrs Henderson Bros.', (U) Mr Drake's, aud (3) Messrs Bros', at Edendalo ; Mr D. pay's, at T«ture.u ; and Mr RuSsell'a, at Mokoreta, cornea into th'» count. .

'tfhe'Wiivtoii Rocdrd reports that a quantity ol oats from both Dipton and Centre Bush have been sold .luring the last few days at Is fid per buehol, which is an advance upon the prices obtained

last week^

Mr Richard Butler, of "Balfour, h a d a splendid crop of both oats and wheat, one paddock of oats yielding 107 bushels, and a paddock. kof 30 acres of wheat yielding 87 bushels to tho acre.

Reports from the various parts of the Southland Western District are all of the one tenor — crops are good, and in some casns very heavy. Tho Irtst few days of fine weather has been taken full advantage of. and harvesting has been carried on>'' from the first to tho last minute of daylight. Given a short extension Qj tho fine spell, all tho Southland crops wllWlbe in stack in good cou-

dition

The threshing retumis, of the Wairarapa crops are exceedingly satisfactory. The grain is particularly clean and free from smut .

A party of North Canterbury farmers and pa'storalists (says [the Canterbury Times) have sold up their stock and property, and left last week for the Argentina by the Tongariro.

Tho Manawatu A. &. 'P. Association have decided to form a library lor the instruction of members.

Good draught horses are realising fiom £52 to £75 at South Canterbury siiles.

The Canterbury freezing works are all very busy. An enormous quantity of Southland mutton has been transformed into prime Canterbury by the simple process of a railway journey and a

brand

Dairy factory payments for milk r< ceivpd : North Otago for March. £310U South Cnntcrl)ury for April, £1200.

There 'is , still a strong demand for store sheep fsays "Straggler" in the Press), and buyers are encouraced to purchase by the fact that the market for fats is rising. There is also a keen demand for both wethers and owes for export, and as. tho Home market is keeping up well, and likely to do so. v n lues will probably reach a high figure this winter.