FARM JOTTINGS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15119, 4 January 1922, Page 8

FARM JOTTINGS.

New potatoes are at present quoted wholesale in Wanganui at £l2 10/to £l3 per ton.

Wool is now coining in i'reely to Dannevirke station from back country stations, no fewer than 350 bales being loaded one day last week.

It cannot be said that abundance of grass is always a good thing for the farmer. This is shown by the fact that a well-known Wairarapa farmer recently sent a line of wethers to the freezing works, the majority of which proved overweight, and the line only realised him 6/3 per head. f

In the House of Representatives, in reply to a question the Victorian Minister for Customs stated that representations had been made to the Government in reference to the formation of a butter pool. If dairymen took any action towards the formation of a voluntary pool the Government was prepared to consider the question of assisting a co-operative effort of this character.

The Fielding Star states that a farmer in the district who some time ago sold one of his farms, coming; to the conclusion the other day that the present burden was too heavy for the purchasers to bear successfully, has now voluntarily'' reduced his former price by the substantial amount of £lO per acre, and also, as an apt Christmas box, returned to them the year’s interest, which they had already paid.

Mr William Ay son, of Waikaka, whose. Corriedale sheep are now so favourably known, both for their constitutions and wool-producing propensities, had his clip in the Dunedin sale. There were 36 'bales of wool, the product of 1132 sheep. The average weight of wool per sheep was 121 b 3oz through the entire flock. The highest price- per lb was 16d. The average price for all his fleece" wool was 14-Jd per lb. A return such as this is highly payable, and it stands to reason that sheep carrying fleeces 30 of which All a full-sized woolpack must have large frames and be mutton of well as wool producers. \

Replying to a toast at the opening of the freezing works at Picton, Mr Alex Thomson remarked that on almost every farm nowadays cream cans were prominently in evidence. On*a farm where these are found, he considered, it was certain that the farmer was not going to succumb to

the adverse conditions prevailing, but •was prepared and. anxious to fight and pull through to better times. He had adapted himself to circumstances and had fallen back, on dairy pi’oduee as the only reliable source of income. ' , ' *

In an article on his impressions ■gained during a recent trip to Australia, published in the Lincoln College Magazine, the Director, Mr R. E. Alexander, makes some interesting comments. He'attended the Sydney sheep show and salds, and was struck,, with the excellence of the merinoes. Both for type, and wool they demonstrate clearly fhat in addition to skilful management and care, climate and soil ai'e factors which contribute in.a large degree to the successful development of merinoes, and undoubtedly flockmasters are proficient in the art of breeding and selection. However, an inspection of the British -breeds reveal a poor comparison with New Zealand flocks. The soil and climate are not so suitable, and these are necessary before an .animal can be developed to perfection. The visitor was with the immense advantage that would accrue to the tw.cr countries with better communication. We want the merinoes for our high country, and so keep our merinoes at the highest possible standard, and we in turn could supply Australia with typical sheep of the British breeds. They are just as essential to the Australian for crossing purposes as the merino is to New Zealand for its high country. f