ON THE LAND

Southland Times, Issue 21581, 19 December 1931, Page 5

ON THE LAND

.WEEKLY REVIEW DRY WEATHER AFFECTING DAIRYING FREEZING WORKS BUSY Rain is badly needed in practically every corner of the province. The continuous dry spell is now being felt, especially in the dairying districts where there is a falling tendency in the milk supplies. Good rains were experienced in the Winton and Riversdale districts during the week, but although the showers were very welcome they were not nearly sufficient to freshen up pastures. Turnip crops all over the province are badly in need of rain to enable them to get a good start. Most of the sowing of turnips and grass seed is now completed and shearing is fairly general in Southland. On the whole seasonal farm work is further advanced everywhere for this time of the year compared with previous seasons, but unless good rains come soon much of it will go for nought. From an aesthetic point of view the country’ is looking remarkably’ well at present. It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and one result of the droughty conditions in the north is the demand for fodder from Southland. The Oamaru district in particular is suffering from the arid conditions and considerable purchases of southern feed are reported. There also has been a good demand for ryegrass. At the Freezing Works. Although the opening of the Makarewa freezing works at such an early date this, season was regarded with a certain amount of doubt, lambs have been coming forward in quite unexpected quantities and the works will operate at full pressure until Christmas Eve. Killing has been carried on every day this week and will be continued next week and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between Christmas and New Year. The works will reopen for the main run on January’ 5 and it is almost certain that a great many lambs will be coming forward then. The spell of dry weather experienced throughout Southland during the past few weeks was no doubt responsible for such large offerings of lambs, many farmers relieving the drain on their pastures by disposing of forward lots. The lambs put through were all of good quality, and if unprecedented dry weather does not retard the pastures too much Southland lamb should be well to the fore once more. It is not considered likely that continued dry weather at the present time will set the lambs back much for a few -weeks yet, but it is the desire of all growers in Southland to get a good heavy downpour at an early date. Continued dry weather will mean a rush on the works early in January and a difficulty in bringing later lots up to standard. The first shipment of the new season’s lamb will be loaded at Bluff on Monday, when the Pakeha will take in 6500 carcasses. This shipment will include the show lambs which excited so much favourable comment at the Southland A. and P. Association’s Summer Show’, and it will be interesting to leant the opinions of Home authorities on these carcasses. They are considered locally to be a particularly fine parcel. Prices are likely to be very’ much on a par with those ruling last season, and it is generally considered that this constitutes a satisfactory state of affairs under existing circumstances. The most- recent advice from British buyers is that very’ large stocks are in hand from many exporting countries and the market is apt to be kept down by the large offerings. This is probably to some extent due to the decline in prices in the past, growers haring increased their production in an endeavour to reduce the drop in their ingoings. Canada Needs Lamb and Wool. Canada has some outstanding shepherds, but not enough sheep-raisers. Thousands of acres that are suitable only’ for sheep are farmed in a sort of way or left idle. According to statistics Canada’s total wool clip is about 21,000,0001 b annually. Canadian mills use at least twice this amount every year, and, according to the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers, Ltd., the total consumption of manufactured woollens, home produced and'imported, is equivalent to between 80,000,000 and 90,000,0001 b of fleece wool, or four times the clip. Canada does not produce enough lamb to supply home consumption, thus it would seem an opportune time to increase the flocks. Canada, in many parts, is a natural sheep country, and the wool is equal to that produced anywhere in the world.