FRUITS OF THE EARTH

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1927, Page 2

FRUITS OF THE EARTH

THE AGRICULTURAL YEAR DOMINION COMES THROUGH WELL REVIEW BY DIRECTOR OF AGRIThe calendar year just closed has been one showing variation in climatic conditions and in production in different parts of the Dominion, the most prominent feature being the very serious drought affecting a considerable portion of the East Coast area of the North Island over a period of several months. In addition, considerable dairying areas experienced unfavourable weather conditions in the spring of last season, and this was reflected in a reduction in the total output of dairy produce as compared with the previous year. In the above terms, the, Director-Gen-eral of Agriculture (Dr. C. J. Reakes) referred to the year which had just closed, when asked by a Dominion reporter for a review of the agricultural position. “Unfavourable weather prevented hay crops being available in some districts,” proceeded Dr. Reakes, “to file extent which was necessary for providing dairy cattle with a sufficiency of this most valuable winter feed. New. Zealand, however, has always a sufficient variety of weather conditions in different districts to enable a widespread decrease in production caused by unfavourable climatic conditions to be avoided, and a considerable area of the Dominion came through the year very well without any serious climatic drawbacks. The winter was generally a mild one and the spring has been a good one, except for a brief spell of unusually cold weather. THE DAIRY JNDUSTRY. “The yield of dairy produce as shown by the export grading figures was less than in the previous year. The grading figures for the twelve months ending July 31 (the usual dairying year) were as follow: Butter, 52,557 tons (a decrease of 10.9 per cent, as compared with the preceding twelve months; and cheese 74,145 tons, an increase of 5.9 per cent, over the preceding twelve months. In terms of butter-fat, this shows an overall decrease of 5.6 per cent. “As regards the current season, the position with regard to the volume of production has improved considerably since its opening. Comparing the production for the four months, August to November, with the corresponding period of the previous year, the production of butter was 9.9 pei- cent, greater, and cheese 2.3 per cent, greater, or equal to an increase in butterfat of 7.6 per cent. “The weather conditions during the past month have been particularly propitious for dairying, and the dairying districts generally are reported as never having looked better at this period of the year. A further very satisfactory feature of the present season is that the standard of quality of both butter and cheese is well in advance of the good standard previously attained. A feature worth noting has been the shipping of some butter to the Australian market to meet a temporary local deficiency caused by dry weather conditions. “Fanning practice in th© principal dairying districts continues to show gradual improvement, the most notable feature being the increased use of topdressing for pastures, which has been stimulated by the lower prices ruling for fertilisers. There is still plenty of room for improvement in the provision of winter feed for cows and for good feeding throughout the milking season, but the position in this respect is gradually improving year by year, though a greater consideration in the direction of saving hay crops would be a marked advantage. “The use of purebred bulls to head the ordinary dairy herds is extending, though it is more marked in some districts than in others. If w r e are to continue 'J> improve the milking qualities of dairy herds, purebred bulls with good butter-fat backing are essential. HERD TESTING. “For the season 1925-26, dairy herd testing in the Dominion showed a slight decrease in the number of cows under test as compared with the preceding season, -when the greatest number in the history of the movement in this country since its inception in 1909 was recorded. This decrease is quite probably accounted for by some farmers after having their herds under test for a year or more, dropping out for a time. A review of the past eight years shows that herd testing in New Zealand has increased very rapidly during that period and some variation in the number under test from year to year may be expected. “The certificate-of-record testing of purebred dairy cows also shows a slight decline as compared with the previous year. The most probable explanation is the fall in the sale price of purebred dairy cattle. This, however, is looked upon as merely temporary, and no doubt as general economic conditions improve the testing of purebred dairy cows will receive still greater attention. Some 690 purebred dairy cows, representing the Jersey, Friesian, Milking Shorthorn, Ayrshire and Red Poll bleeds are at present under the C.O.R. test. LIVE STOCK, MEAT AND WOOL. “A satisfactory increase of about a quarter of a million carcasses in the output of lamb from the freezing works of the Dominion took place in the past season, although mutton killings did not equal those of the preceding year. Beef production was adversely affected by the lengthy period of droughty weather on the North Island East Coast, comprising districts which normally supply a large part of our best beef cattle, and slaughterings of this class were reduced by over one-half compared with the 1924-25 season. The output of boned beef was fairly well maintained. I’he increase in lamb took place entirely in the North Island, the South Island aggregate showing a decrease. Reports from Otago anil Southland indicated that larger numbers than usual of ewe lambs have been held this season by local farmers. Efforts have been made to induce farmers to increase their output of pork, the action of the British Government in prohibiting the introduction of fresh pork from Continental 'countries having created an excellent opening for increasing ,qur export, trade in pork. One

of the drawbacks facing the dairy farmer in this matter lies in the relatively high cost of foods, especially grain, needed to supplement the separated milk obtained from his herd, but the movement is being strongly pushed by the Meat Board and the Department, and it is hoped that a marked increase in our export frozen pork, as well as of bacon and hams, may be brought about. During the eleven months ended November 30 the quantity of frozen pork exported was 64,678 cwt., as compared with 46.067 cwt. in the corresponding period of the previous year, while 43-27 cwt. of bacon and hams were exported, as compared with 3320 cwt. in 1925. “As regards the number of sheep in the Dominion, a further increase was recorded, the total number (ineluding lambs) at April 30 being 24,904,903, as against 24,547,995 in 1925. Estimates of this season’s lambing, prepared by inspectors of stock, show a lambing of 84.57 per cent., an estimated total of 11,794,699 lambs, as against an actual lambing of 11,435,7'80 last year. The experience of previous years is that the inspectors’ estimates have always been very near the mark. "Following the high values for wool in the 1924-25 season a marked drop occurred in 1925-26, yet this was by no means an unmixed disadvantage, since the prices obtained established a market of quite a stable character, which has continued into the current season, with a little improvement. This season's clip is good in quality, except in Hawke’s Bay, where drought conditions had their effect. The 1925-26 clip showed a decrease in the quantity shorn as compared with the preceding year, the weight of wool produced (exclusive of wool sliped at freezing works, etc.) being, according to the Government Statistician’s returns, 173,402,7641 b., as against 185(030,5451b. in 1924-25. This is largely accounted for by shortages in the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington districts. “The number of .cattle of all classes in the Dominion again shows a slight decrease, the total being 51,258 less than in 1925. Dairy cows alone show a decrease of 19,576, this being probably accounted for to some extent by the culling of unprofitable cows, but also by the fact that some farmers who had for a time changed over from sheep farming to dairying have gone back to sheep again. FARM CROPS. “The season 1925-26 was not particularly satisfactory from the point of view of the areas harvested of both our two main cereal crops. In connection with wheat, the actual area thrashed was 151,673 acres, which was a decrease on the previous season by 15,291 acres. Furthermore, the yield per acre, although up to the Dominion normal average, was slightly over two bushels per acre less than for 1824-25. The two factors mentioned combined to bring about a decreased total yield of wheat of 4,617,041 bushels, against 5,447,758 bushels—a decrease of 830,717 bushels when compared with the previous season. Importations of wheat had therefore to be made, and for the eleven months ended November last (the December figures are not yet available) the quantity" imported was 1,534,143 bushels. "The oat position, although there was a decreased area sown and. a decreased total yield obtained, was better than that of wheat. The total area in oats was 347,511 acres, of which 102,48-5 acres were thrashed for grain. The yield of grain was 4,115,006 bushels, a decrease of 1,591,568 bushels when compared with the previous year. The average Dominion yield per acre was, however, very satisfactory, and was the highest average yield obtained for quite a number of years past. The actual yield per acre was 40.14 buslfels, and the next highest for the past ten or twelve years was in 1918-19, when the yield was 39.87 bushels. “One gratifying matter so far as cereals were concerned was the increased yield per aere obtained in connection with barley. The per acre yield increased from 31.75 bushels in 1924-25, to 36.47 bushels in 1925-26. In the former season 25,138 acres were sown to barley, and in 1925-26 this area was increased by 831 acres. The increased yield per aere, however, was mainly responsible for an increase in the Dominion yield of 148,874 bushels. COMING HARVEST. “No definite figures are yet available in regard to the areas sown in wheat and oats for the 1926-27 harvest now close at hand, but an estimate has been prepared by the Government Statistician on information furnished by farmers in October. This estimate indicates that considerably increased areas have been sown in both wheat and oats. The growing season has been quite a good one and provided a normal yield is obtained, and this is confidently expected, there should be about 6,500,000 'bushels of wheat available, against 4,500,060 bushels last season—an increase of approximately 2,000,000 bushels. Unfortunately this is hardly sufficient for Dominion requirements, and importations will have to be made, although these will not be as large as in the previous year. “The area in oats should be sufficient to meet Dominion requirments. MAIZE. “One crop which does not receive the attention of farmers it warrants is maize. Maize-growing cannot, through climatic considerations, be successfully undertaken in many parts of the Dominion, but the East Coast.of the North Island, particularly northwards of Napier, is admirably adapted for the growing of this crop. Annually about 9000 acres are grown in the Dominion all of which, with the exception of about 500 or 600 acres grown for ensilage and green fodder, is harvested for the grain. Of the total amount of about 8500 acres thus harvested, approximately 8000 are grown in the Gisborne land district and the counties of Tauranga and Whakatane. The average per acre yield is between 49 and 50 bushels, and the Dominion output approximately 423,700 bushels. This does not nearly meet the requirements of the country, and extensive importations have to be made. For instance, for the 11 months ended November last about 203,000 bushels, or nearly half as much as is produced in the Dominion, was imported. Additional to this, for the period mentioned, about 1100 tons of maizena and cornflour were imported. There is room fo> great improvement in this matter, and the Department of Agriculture has in hand the question of endeavouring to get farmers in suitable districts to grow a greatly increased area of maize and thus eliminate the necessity for large importations. ’ ‘‘The output of seed from the different grasses and clovers saved for

seed production in the Dominion has been fairly well maintained. The only outstanding decrease for 1925-26 over the previous season was in connection with ryegrass, and here, while the yield was well up to the Dominion average, it was a long way . below the 1924-25 yield, but this is largely because the latter year was an exceptional one so far as ryegrass seed production was concerned. The white clover seed produced in 1925-26 was practically double that produced in 1924-25. POTATOES. “The area planted in potatoes in 192526 was 23,484 acres, as against 23,092 acres in 1924-25. The yield was, however, approximately three-quarters of a ton per acre more in 19215-26 than in the previous year, and consequently the total yield far exceeded the 1924-25 yield. This placed New Zealand in a favourable position, and we were’ able to export large quantities. For the 11 months ended November last 21,242 tons were exported. HONEY. “The honey crop of last season was not heavy,” concluded the Director of Agriculture, “but the aggregate production was about equal to that of former years. The quantity exported was .slightly less than in the previous year, but this was due to the greater effort mad'e toward increasing local consumption?’ . .