ON THE LAND

Southland Times, Issue 21773, 30 July 1932, Page 5

ON THE LAND

WEEKLY REVIEW PREPARING FOR THE > SPRING ~ \ . . MILD CONDITIONS v Weather conditions have continued mild during the past week and the latter half of tho week has brought about a much needed drying of the surface of the land. Consequently preparations for the coming spring are now under way and some early ploughing has already been commenced. Apart from the sharp frost on Thursday night there has been very little to check growth, and winter feed has been fair right up to the present time, some farmers having carried their stock to date without having to use their turnip crops. As the present is the “dead” period as far as the farmer is concerned, there is practically nothing in the markets to interest the man on the land. This is reflected in the number of fowls and pigs appearing in the city marts, the farmers evidently considering that these side lines will serve to bring in a certain amount of cash while the dairy herds are idle. Those near the city are also turning loads of wood and farmyard manure to the same account. As the dairying work will resume from about the middle of August onwards, the dairy farmers are busy getting everything in order and a few weeks of fine weather would enable them to clear their manure heaps on to ploughed or ploughable land. Drains, too, have to be attended to and fine weather is required for this. In the districts where there has been a fair amount of rain practically the only work possible during recent weeks has been the repairing of fences and outbuildings and the overhauling of implements. While the farmers cannot complain about hard frosts delaying . winter ploughing, the unusually heavy rainfall during June and the broken weather experienced lately has made the ground totally unfit for tillage except in favoured districts, and it is only during the last few days that the majority of the early breaks have been opened out. Present indications are that more land will be broken in during the coming season than has been the case for some time past, and there is a likelihood that many farmers will plant more oats than usual. Those who planted oats last season did fairly, well out of them, and the swing away from tractors towards farm horses may lead to an even greater demand for oats next season. Top-dressing Activities. As far as the renewal of pastures is concerned farmers are avoiding the expensive method of renewing by breaking up and re-sowing as much as possible, and there is a fair amount of top-dressing being done at the present time. Merchants have been kept fairly busy supplying manures, so the indications are that a fair area will be gone over within the next few weeks. There is still a good deal of inquiry for good dairying land, particularly in blocks of from 100 to 150 acres, and several properties changed hands during the week. A farm of about 140 acres at Otahuti was sold to Mr G. Leith during the week on behalf of Mr G. France, of Invercargill, and several other sales were made or will be finalized within a few days. The farm secured by Mr Leith is suitable for mixed farming. A number of smaller sheepfarmers are considering changing ovex to dairy farming, and there is an inquiry for dairy cows, but good sorts are not offering in any quantity. It is still a moot question whether or not dairy produce will be a good paying commodity next season, but prices are firm at present and it is hoped that factories will be able to make good opening sales. Many farmers are optimistic regarding the possibility of an early spring, and indications at the present time certainly promise a return of farming activities at an earlier date than usual. Spring lambs have already appeared and a pair bom on Mr F. Hogg’s property at Orepuki last week are reported to be doing well. A few early calves have also appeared, but there will not be many on the farms for a month, or six weeks yet. Freezing Works Closed.

Killing and freezing operations ceased last week and the freezing works will be idle for about six weeks. A few butchers will then be engaged slaughtering calves and preparing bobby veal for the Home market, and this work will last until within a short time before the new seasons’s lambs are ready. During the closed period the Mataura works will be equipped with a new slaughterhouse and plans for this work are now being prepared. Although it has been known for some time past that Southland would freeze a record number of carcasses for export during the season just finished, it is possible that very few people realized that about 1,500,000 sheep and lambs would be taken from Southland pastures. The Makarewa and Mataura works put through just on three-quarters of a million and the Ocean Beach works accounted for the remainder. The exact figures for the two former works stand at 741,848.