ON THE LAND

Southland Times, Issue 19966, 4 September 1926, Page 8

ON THE LAND

WORK OF THE WEEK

FIRST GRAIN SOWN FAVOURABLE WEATHER CONTINUES. One or two late frosts of a fairly heavy nature were experienced at the mid-week, but although they were a month or so out of season they were not severe enough to entail detrimental results. Sowing of grain has been commenced in many instances. THE WEATHER. The weather during the week could not have been more favourable for the advancement of farm work, and good progress has been maintained. At the present time the land is in exceptionally fine order for working and notwithstanding the prevalence of rains lately conditions in the immediate past have been such that the paddocks have recovered to excellent tillage form. Continued frosts at this period may not be in the best interests of growth; they, however, are accompanied by good drying weather and in this respect the visitation this week was of benefit to the fanner. Further they were not severe enough for harmful results. CROPPING COMMENCED. In quite a few instances oats have already been sown and, given a continuation of fine weather, it should not be long before all operations in this direction are completed. A good deal of wheat has also been sown and according to an authoritative report there are many more farmers who intend to plant this crop. In one instance it is the intention to sow 100 acres in wheat, 30 acres of which have already been attended to. The sowing of the turnip crop, of course, will not be completed for some time yet. Incidentally there is such an abundance of turnips from last season’s sowing that they are becoming increasingly difficult to sell. PROPERTY MARKET. There is not a great deal of activity in the property market though there is a certain amount of inquiry for properties with easy ingoings. These, however, are the holdings which are difficult to obtain. During the week one property—Mr G. G. Fletcher’s holding of 173 acres near Thornbury—was disposed of to Mr D. W. Whelan. The price is reported to have been satisfactory. AROUND THE FACTORIES. The week has seen the affairs of many of the dairy factories placed before the various shareholders and for the next week or two suppliers in the different districts will be foregathering to hear of the doings of the last season. The Grove Bush suppliers met on Thursday evening, when in addition to the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet the only business of importance transacted was the election of members to the directorate. The retiring members, Messrs W. J. Hanning, C. W’arden and A. Smith were re-elected CONTAGIOUS MAMMITIS. The annual report of the Live-Stock Division of the Agricultural Department for 1925-26 states: — “This disease has again been prevalent in dairying districts, although it would not appear to have been so troublesome as in the past. It is reported as having appeared to some extent in Otago and Southland, but mostly in the dairy herds of Southland. The Canterbury-West Coast district is comparatively free from the contagious form, but cases of the non-contagious form of mammitis have been noted. In all dairying districts in the North Island the disease is more or less prevalent, but, as stated, not to the same extent as in the past. Proprietary vaccines have been used fairly freely throughout the dairying districts as a prophylactic, and the results are being carefully watched, not with a desire to condemn, but in order that we might ascertain if they have any value as a prophylactic against this disease. The Department is unable, up to the present, to report in favour of this form of treatment. In some herds where inoculation had been practised the owners claimed an improvement as a result, but as in some cases adjoining owners had had similar experiences without the use of vaccine the claim is not substantiated. The present position, then, appears to be that generally immunity has not been conferred, and results are far from indicating any conclusive evidence of the efficacy of the particular vaccines in question.” ECONOMIC MANURING. The series of lectures on “Economic Manuring” by Mr R. McGillivray, which have proved a popular feature with farmers in the country centres, is now drawing to a close and next week the final addresses will be given. On Wednesday evening of this week Mr McGillivray visited Otama, when a large audience under the chairmanship of Mr J. Bruce accorded him an attentive hearing. The itinerary for the final week is: September 6, Clifden; September 7, Orawia; September 8, Nightcaps; and September 9, Lumsden. A busy period of the year both for farmers and departmental officials is now at hand, and it is on account of stress of work that Mr McGillivray has to bring his itinerary to a close.