OUT AND ABOUT

Southland Times, Issue 22999, 19 September 1936, Page 14

OUT AND ABOUT

LOCAL NOTES Lambing is now fairly general in the country and the fine weather- that has been prevailing augurs well for the registering of some very good lambing percentages this year. If a lamb successfully gets over the first day or two after birth it can stand up to a fair amount of bad weather afterwards. Unlike the spring of last year the ewes this year have come in well nourished and in good condition to rear their lambs.

It will be remembered that last year there was a drought in the autumn and a partial failure of the turnip crops owing to club root, partly to brown spot and dry rot and partly to the fact that the turnips did not braird well after sowing. * *

During the current winter Southland has had an exceptional growing season. There have been few frosts and the grass has remained almost unchecked throughout the winter. Crops of turnips and chou moellier have been particularly good. * » * *

Given another fortnight’s fine weather, the lambing season will be nearing an end and the financial result to the farmer, in view of the market prospects, should be made better than last year owing to the greater number of lambs that will be available.

The dairying season has now commenced in earnest and quite a quantity of milk is being delivered to the factories. There has been, to a certain extent, a swing-over from dairying to sheep but nevertheless there are a great number of farms in Southland which cannot be made to pay owing to the high price of the land or its unsuitability for sheep grazing. Hence it is not anticipated that this season will be any less productive than last as far as the dairying industry is concerned. In fact, the indications point to its being even more productive.