FARMING TOPICS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21244, 14 January 1939, Page 13

FARMING TOPICS

NEWS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES Gorse Not Blooming It is noticeable that little, if any, gorse is blooming in the Wanganui district at present. A fairly close observation has been made by a Wanganui farmer who motored along the coast from New Plymouth to Wellington, and he says that he did not see flowers on the gorse anywhere. “It is most unusual to find no blooms at this time of the year,” he said, “and. presumably, it is due to the abnormally wet season.” A Bee Derby Speediest bees in the United States are to compete in the Brown Derby, a new race which takes it name front the Brown family, famous bee-keepers. Racing colours will take the form of coloured threads tied to the bee’s hind legs. After being carried a distance in wooden boxes, competitors will be released and expected to make a bee-line for the hive. One bee, in a trial,' covered the distance at 30 miles per hour. Wheat “Essence” Two research chemists of the Canadian Board of Grain Commissioners' Research Laboratory declare that the strength-giving properties of wheat flours can be extracted in the form of a dry powder. This can be stored for long periods without impairment. They are reported to have asserted that- the baking qualities ‘of any inferior flour can be stepped up by adding this powder, when it produces a vastly-improved loaf of bread. After the powder has * been extracted the residue of the flour can be used for making pastry. Canadian Reforestation Plans have been laid down for the reforestation of the areas of British Columbia, on Canada’s Pacific Coast, which have been denuded of the worldfamous Douglas fir. A large-scale programme of planting, sufficient to restore more than 10,000 acres of land annually, commencing three years from now, has been accounced by the Provincial Government. At the Government nurseries near New Westminster there are already 3,000,000 small which will be ready for planting in 1940, and it is expected that by 1942 the nurseries will provide 10,000,000. In the following year the abailable stock will be further Increased. This reforestation scheme is probably the most important step in forest conservation ever attempted in Canada. It is expected that it will eventually form the basis of a policy to keep all forest lands in the province in constant production. Ewes for the Waikato Record pennings of breeding ewes promise to be on offer at Waikato saleyards this season as Gisborne vendors will have to rely on saleyard selling rather than on forward buying which has proved so profitable to them during the past two seasons. However, a little forward business has been transacted to date, but the prices quoted are approximately 9/- per head below those of last season. Prices so far reported are 16/9 to 18/- for five-year ewes, and 23/6 to 25/- for two-tooths. The peak of buying in Gisborne and coastal districts was reached two years ago, and the number of ewes sent to the Waikato was estimated at 300,000. Last season the total was probably little more than 250,000, so that, while only 15,000 have been sold this season to date, there is still a long way to go before anything like the numbers of previous years are dealt with. The sending of sheep to the Waikato on consignment seems extremely unlikely this year as far as Gisborne farmers are concerned. Only “star” lots have been dealt with in forward business so far. They have been in large lines, the smallest reported to date being 700. One line of 2600 two-tooth ewes has been sold at 25/- and another of 3000 at 23/6. Last year two-tooth prices ranged from 32/6 to £2, the greatest number being sold in the vicinity of 35/-. Five-year ewes have been sold at prices ranging from 16/9 to 18/-, with one at 18/6. Last season’s rates were from 26/6 to 27/-.