ON THE LAND

Southland Times, Issue 21431, 27 June 1931, Page 5

ON THE LAND

WEEKLY REVIEW PREVENTION OF CLUB ROOT END OF FREEZING SEASON Cold and wintry conditions have been experienced during the week, but current farming activities have been carried on without much interruption. Seasonal work is practically at an end, but ploughing and top-dressing are in progress. Despite the fact that the weather during the past week has not been favourable, a considerable area of lea land has been ploughed in readiness for cultivation. More grain and more fattening feed for stock appear to be indicated, as labour is more plentiful at cheaper rates than formerly and the difficulty of getting suitable team men has eased considerably.

Weather conditions have not been suitable for top-dressing work during the present week, but many farmers are postponing this work for a month or more. The advisability of applying fertilizers to the pastures comparatively early in the winter has been stressed by the experts of late as the early growth of the pastures is assisted and a good strong spring growth can be expected. The use of superphosphate on land set aside for growing turnips is rapidly going out of favour, as it has been the experience of a number of Southland farmers during recent seasons that land to which superphosphate has been applied is frequently more badly affected by club-root than land on which other manures have been used. This experience was borne out in a convincing fashion on one Southland farmer’s property during the past season. Basic slag was used as a manure with the turnips, but the supply of this manure failed before the whole area had been sown down, and superphosphate was used on the remainder. When the crop grew, it was found that where basic slag had been used there was very little incidence of club root, but on the patch manured with superphosphate, the crop was almost completely ruined. A number of local farmers have experimented with Herning’s swede, which has been reported to be club-root resisting, and although the results appeared to be disappointing at the early stage of the crop’s growth, the variety lived up to its reputation in the end. Although apparently attacked by club-root, the swedes grew to the normal size and suffered no ill effects. The Freezing Season. The local freezing works continue to operate" at a good pace and there are still fairly large quantities of sheep and lambs coming forward, although a decline in numbers is now quite pronounced. The indications are that all works will be operating until the middle of July at least, although one of the Southland Frozen Meat Company’s works will probably continue to receive stock for killing for a week or two after that time. Mr Alex Derbie, manager of the Southland Frozen Meat Company, stated yesterday that it was likely that larger quantities would be coming forward from the Eastern District, at the final stages of the season, and the Mataura works would probably continue to operate after the Makarewa plant had closed down, stock from the Western District being railed to Mataura for slaughtering.

The season Is now at an end in Canterbury, and it is likely that all works in the northern province will close down next week. It is understood that a good season has been experienced in the north as in the south, and that the quantities handled have been very large. Right throughout the South Island, the quality during the current season has been very satisfactory and generally above the standard of previous years. This is particularly so in Southland, where the farmers have made great efforts to improve the quality of their lambs and have succeeded in bringing the standard up to such an extent that Canterbury lamb is no longer superior. Southland quality is now favourably received on the London market, and growers can no longer expect and benefit from sending their lambs to Canterbury.

The local schedule rate remains at the came level as has been maintained during the last few weeks, but it is understood that a change may be expected shortly. Latest quotations from London indicate a slight drop in the value of be-: quality lambs, but the market is still very firm and favours shippers. More than one farmer has taken advantage of the facilities available for shipping, but those whose lambs have been late in fattening have been very satisfied with the prices offered locally. Dairying. All the dairy factories have now closed down for the season, and the total production should shortly be available. Despite the apparent handicap of an unfavourable season, it is not expected that the season’s production will show any material drop and that the quantity of produce exported from Bluff will be about equal to that of the previous season on a butterfat basis. On account of several factories having changed over to butter manufacture during the latter end of the season, it. is likely that cheese production will show a decline, but the manufacture of butter should be higher than for many seasons past. Some people are inclined to exclaim pessimistically that “we are back to where we were before the war,” but, although that may be true of values, it is wide of the mark in respect of the volume of production. The most striking instance occurs in the dairying industry. Not only has the number of dairy cows more than doubled in the 20 years between 190910 and 1929-30, growing from 583,163 to 1,440,331, but the yield per cow has risen from 148.51 b of butterfat to 2181 b. Better selection, of dairy stock by testing and improved pasture management has chiefly assisted to bring about this result. Other of our industries, both primary and secondary, can show substantial gains in efficiency and output, and the result is that we are so far ahead of pre-war productive standards that we can never go back. .. Herd-testing has shown a remarkable growth during the past five years since the movement was placed on a national basis, the number of cows tested each season having risen from 88,549 in the 1926-7 season to 226,340 during the past season. The increase during the past season was only 2170, but this must be considered as very satisfactory in view of the serious economic losses suffered by the farmers, and it is a striking indication of their faith in testing that so many continued to follow the practice in the face of adversity. The Wheat Duties. It is reported from the north that it is. likely that a very considerable acreage of wheat will be sown down during the coming season, notwithstanding the alterations that have been made in the sliding scale of duties. Farmers are already taking delivery of seed wheat, having been enabled to make the necessary preparations as a result of a spell of favourable cultivating weather that was experienced early in the month. It is stated, in fact, that a number of growers have already completed their sowing operations. The position in Southland is somewhat similar, as more farmers have shown a tendency to grow grain—mostly oats—than in the previous season, labour available for cultivation purposes being easier to secure. The objection to the wheat duties still appears to be strong in the North Island, where it is maintained that, although some protection should be provided for the wheatgrower within the Dominion, the proposed lower basis of 4/6 per bushel is still higher than the present circumstances warrant. A northern writer states:. “There is a very considerable body of public opinion that favours the displacement of the sliding scale by the yjre-war wheat duties, and

there is every indication of the agitation in this direction being continued with increased vigour.” The Financial Times, in an editorial note on the -subject, remarks: “The Hourmillera have been standing on velvet for some time, and with the bakers have been keeping the bread from entering the mouths of the poorer people because bread is too dear. The North Island must continue its agitation for the pre-war scale of duties on wheat and flour.”