AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20065, 23 March 1935, Page 15

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

GOOD MAIZE CROP GROWN The coming maize harvest should give a higher yield than last year both in the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty districts, according to a review of the position just made. The Gisborne crops are the best for many years, taking them on the average, and their yield should be approximately 50,000 sacks, which is about 10,000 above what is usually expected from this district. Bay of Plenty crops are exceptional, and that district this season should produce equally as much as Gisborne, or about 20,000 sacks more than last year. Drenching An efficient cure for worms in young animals is the process of drenching. This practice is strongly recommended at this time of the year, particularly after splendid rains such as have recently been experienced in many parts. Before administering the dose, and also for a time after, it is necessary that the stock fast. Though the actual administering of drench is comparatively easy, it is desirable that every care is exercised in holding the head so that the dose does not do down the windpipe. The cost of drench is not great and the saving can be considerable. Catching White Butterflies A total of 98,826 white butterflies has been forwarded to the Whangarei Horticultural Society from 19 schools in the district. Some time ago the society inaugurated a white butterfly competition among the school children in the district, which concluded on February 25. All the results are not yet to hand. One boy caught 4720 butterflies, and several children returned over 2000 and 10 were responsible for over 1000 each. The society originally decided to award four prizes for the four highest numbers returned, but has amended its offer to include consolation awards to every child with 1000 butterflies. Jersey Prices Interesting statistics covering the past 51 years on the sales and prices of registered Jerseys in the United States have been prepared by the official journal of the American society. As far back as 1883 the bull King Ashantee brought £1400,. and the average price of 19 reported sales, comprising 1581 animals, was £lO7. Two years later the highest price, £Bl2, was paid for the cow Oxford Kate, and at 33 sales 2397 animals were sold at an average of £4B although the previous year £1550 was paid for Moth of St. Lambert. From 1885 to 1904 the highest each year fluctuated between £7l and £1875, whilst the average of the total sales ranged from £l6 in 1897 to £43 in 1905, and the total number sold varied from 322 head in 1891 to 1128 in 1902.

Future Wool Prices Mr J. M. Niall, chairman of directors of Goldsborough-Mort, and Company, Limited, on his return to Melbourne after a business visit to London said that he found no indiciation that wool prices would improve. There was, he said, a constantly fluctuating demand in England for Australian wool, but

his observations gave him no reason to believe that there would be any material or permanent increase in prices. Mr Niall added that while he was abroad he had had an opportunity to examine artificial wool recently placed on the English market. Although there was a little demand for the artificial product, it was no real rival to genuine wool. Temporarily it was influencing sales of wool, but in the long run its effect on the market would not be great.

Export of Meat from Australia The opinion that the quantities fixed for the export of meat from Australia to the United Kingdom were reasonably satisfactory when all circumstances were taken into consideration, was expressed by the president of the Australian Graziers’ Association, Mr J. Walker, in a recent interview. Although stock numbers in the Commonwealth were high, there was reason to believe that fat stock were not unduly plentiful and the fat lamb season was drawing to a close.lf the season turned out generally dry, although there was no reason at present to anticipate such a happening, or if the grasshoppers spread, stockowners might be forced to send larger numbers of stock to market, owing to failure of feed. At present, however, it appeared that the market in Australia would not be overloaded during the next two or three months.