ON THE LAND

Southland Times, Issue 22074, 22 July 1933, Page 5

ON THE LAND

THE WEEK REVIEWED MARKETS CONTINUE TO BE SATISFACTORY APPROACH OF SPRING Farmers throughout Southland have again been favoured with ■excellent weather during the week, bright sunshine and mild conditions making work on the land very pleasant for the present season of the year. Although there is practically no growth at the present time it is evident that spring is not far away, and preparations for the work it will bring in its train are going forward all over the province. In spite of the competition from the Home producers now that their season is at its height, prices for New Zealand produce on the Home market remain satisfactory and a brisker demand is reported in many lines. There have been a few frosts during the week, but the weather has been exceptional for July, and all classes of farm work have been gone on with. Ploughing was held up to a certain extent by the frost earlier in the winter, but very little delay has been occasioned lately, the ground being too dry to freeze to any depth. There has been nothing in the weather to interfere with other farm operations, and many farmers have done a considerable amount of work in drains and along gorse hedges. The former work has been more accessible than usual on account of the dry weather, and during the earlier half of the week the cold tang in the air made gorsecutting a useful job as it enabled those engaged in it to keep comfortably warm. Reports from the Southern District show that farmers on bush sections in that part of the province are making the most of the fine weather for clearing bush and stumping land. Some fairly large blocks of bush are being put down, and as the land being cleared is first-class coastal land the stock carrying capacity should be considerably increased after the areas are grassed. As dairying has become increasingly popular in that district a fair amount of land is being cleared for ploughing in the spring. Stock Values. Stock values declined a little during the week, but that was mainly due to an unexpected supply of good sorts, and reports from the Home market indicate that the slight decline there is mainly due to the fact that the British and Continental season is at its height. Prices realized at the main sales of the province were quite good and farmers who have stock to sell can get a price more in keeping with the cost of production than was the case a few months ago. Horses and good dairy cows are still commanding very good prices, and there is also a keen demand for good breeding ewes. Rabbitskin values slackened a little at the sale held in Dunedin during the week, but top prices were well up the scale and trappers and farmers can still make a good profit out of trapping or poisoning. The freezing works will commence operating on bobby calves about the end of next month or early in September, and the improved value of skins should make the sale of calves much more profitable to farmers than was expected. It is impossible to forecast at the present time what returns will be like when the works commence taking lambs in December, but present reports from London indicate a continuance of the improved prices, and farmers should have a better season than for some years.

Jersey Bull Returns North. Advice has been received that Mr Nicholas Moore, of Tapanui, has disposed of his leading herd sire, Oaklands Clarion, to a North Island buyer. This noted Jersey show-ring bull was bred by the well-known Taranaki breeder Mr R. Cornwall, and was purchased by Mr Moore to head his herd. The purchase proved to a fortunate one as Oaklands Clarion has not only proved very successful in the showring, but has also begat very promising young stock. Both the sire and his progeny have been particularly successful at southern shows and the young males and females show every indication of perpetuating the superior qualities of their sire. Numerous championships have been won by Oaklands Clarion, and it is fully expected that when he returns to the North Island he will continue in winning vein. In the meantime Mr Moore and various other southern Jersey breeders have an abundance of his progeny. Gas Chilled Beef. Reports from London and the North Island regarding the shipment of gas chilled beef which recently arrived on the London market,must have proved of considerable interest to the farming community, but as far as can be ascertained there does not appear much likelihood of the new process proving valuable to Southland. Although it is claimed that the process has passed the experimental stage, it must be admitted that it is still in its infancy, and if it does become an important factor in New Zealand’s export trade it will apply more to the cattle raising country in the north than to the south. Southland has never been distinguished for its production of fat cattle, in large quantities at any rate, and according to the reports received the class of stock required for the London market will require a very favourable climate. Weights between 6501 b and 7501 b for two and a-half year old animals are mentioned, and it is not likely that Southland will produce such high weights with pasture feeding. In any case farmers should not be unduly optimistic regarding the higher prices offering for chilled beef, as the freight charges must necessarily be considerably more than on frozen beef. The Dairy Market. Recent reports regarding dairy produce indicate that the prospects for the coming season are much brighter than last, the Home market being reported firm in spite of the fact that New Zealand butter and cheese now reaching the market is in competition with the highest point of the Home and Continental output. Prices are still very low when compared with those ruling some years ago, but they are quite good when compared with the returns received over a large part of the past season. The following is a comparison of the values quoted from London on Thursday and a week previously, the mean of the price range being given:— July 13 July 20 Butter—

Danish 95/New Zealand (finest salted) 77/6 78/6 Australian (finest salted) 77/6 78/6 (finest unsalted) 81/Cheese— New Zealand (white) 48/9 48/6 New Zealand coloured) 50/6 50/6 Canadian (white) 66/- ——- Canadian (coloured) 66/- ■ III Australian (white) 46/6 47/Australian (coloured) 48/6 W-