THE FARM

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 3073, 21 June 1923, Page 6

THE FARM

WAIKATO MARKET. REPORT The Farmers' Co-op. Auctioneering Co., Ltd., Hamilton, report:— Beef—The market for beef is hardening fast with supplies much below normal. Present values at the yards are: Ox beef, 2.1/ to 23/0; cow beef, 17/ to 19/. Mutton. —Still maintains its ground and good competition exists in all centres. Store Cattle.—A general forward movement has set in and considerable briskness is apparent. Good bullocks are finning rapidly and the same may be said of younger steers. Heifers, however, have not shared in the advance, to a great extent, with the exception of calves from high producing dairies. These continue to command good competition.

Store Sheep.—The enquiry continues good, but sheep of this class seem scarcer this year than on any previous occasion. Dairy Cattle.—Little difficulty has boon experienced in disposing of high producing herds and at all clearing sales of such good results have been obtained. The demand for inferior or even mediocre herds is on the contrary weaker than ever. Good heifers still draw fair competition, although private enquiry is not strong. Pigs. —Supplies are shortening visibly and everywhere the tendency in value is to advance. We quote as follows: — Bullocks, heavy prime, £7 .10/ to £9 5/; medium £6 5/ to £7 5/; cows, heavy young, £;> to £0 5/: medium, £•'! 10/ to £4 10/: forward, £2 to £3: steers. 31-41 year forward, £4 15'/.•to £(>; : stores, £4 to £4 15/: cows, stores, -£l- 5/to £1 12/0; steers. 24 year best. £3 5/ to £3

15/; heifers, rising" - year r.w.b. Jersoy, £7 10/ to £9'lo/: ditto. '■> year Shorthorn. £<i to £0 15/: «Utto, Holstcin £7 to £S 15/;'empty heifers, IK months best Shorthorn, £2 15/ to £•'! 10/; medium, £2 to £2 10/; steers, 18 months host, £2 15/. to £3 5/; medium, £2 5/ to £2 10/; calves., heifers best Shorthorn, £1 2/<i tn £l. 7/0; ditto Holstcin, £2 to £2 10/; ditto Jersey, cross, £.'! 5/ to £5; steer calves.host, £1 10/ to £2; medium

£1 5/ to £1 10/; weedy, 15/ to £1; wethers, prime heavy, 32/ to 35/; medium, 30/ to 31/6; ewes, prime heavy, 2S/ to 32/; breeding ewes, best 2-th, 30/ to 32/0; 4-6-Sth 30/ to 34/; 4 and 6 year. 28/'to 30/; medium ditto, 23/ to 25/; culls f.m. t 1-2/0 to 15/j store lambs, good, 35/0 to 17/0; medium, 12/6 to 14/6: forwards lambs 17/0 to 21/; pigs, baconers, heavy, £3 13/6 to £4 5/; light, £3 2/0 to £3 10/; porkers, heavy, £2 5/ to £2 15/: good slips, £1 to £1 5/; small slips, 15/ to £1 5/: weaners, 10/ to IS/; horses, heavy draughts, £4O to £45; medium, £3O to £3B 10/; bght, £22 to £23; harness horses, £lO to £l7; hacks, £f> to £lO.

INTERESTING JOTTINGS In Denmark the pigs equal the human population in numbers; in the United States there is one pig to each two persons; whereas in Great Britain the proportion of pigs to human population is only one to .10. A settler in the Staveley district (Ashburton County), has just shipped 13 tons of honey from his quarter-acre holding. The honey is intended for consumption in New Zealand. The dem'and for farmers' schools had become, said Mr Cockayne at Stratford, greater and greater each year, and it was quite important because it showed that the farmers were not satisfied. "And any agricultural country which is satisfied," he added, "will stagnate." A local farmer who has been for years one of the most successful makers of ensilage showed the Hawera Slar the. other day a piece cut out of a stack which was put down in December, 1920. It fame out after nearly two and a half years' stacking perfectly sweet and palatable,-and is a" great tribute to good making.

A fanner at Ulmarra (X.S.W.) received a return of two twopenny stamps for eight fat heifers, ranging from 12 months to 18 months, which he recently shipped to Sydney for sale. "There are at present killed for con-

sumption in New Zealand, in round figures 2,000,000 sheep. Of these, at. least 1,000,000 could be exported if more beef were eaton, and they would bring in a return of 25/ per head net profit to New Zealand. This would mean in round figures £4,200,000 per annum."

These figures were recently submitted by an expert in the meat export trade in giving his opinion as to the desirability of the people of New Zealand consuming more beef.

Daniel Webster made the following statement concerning farming and the business of agriculture: "Let us never forgot that cultivation of the earth is the most important labour of man. Unstable is the future of a country that has lost its taste for agriculture. If there is one lesson of history which is unmistakeable it is that national strength lies very near the soil."

Mr -T. L. Bruce, Superintendent of State Farms, speaking on the subject of drainage at the Farm School held at the Central Development Farm, emphasised the fact that to get satisfactory results from draining a swamp it was absolutely necessary to get to the bottom of it. and run the drain along the clay. Where a swamp is deep, it may be necessary to go down part way at the time, but in no other way was It possible to prevent the country being water-logged. "When you consider buying country, where it is not possible to take your drain right down and still keep a fall," he said with Scotch eanniness, "think for a long time, and then keep your money in your pocket."

This is the new way in which Mr W. J. Poison puts one of his old arguments for the establishment of an agricultural hank. "With the land bank in operation, the farmer would he aide to borrow money on his land, and when he got a little money in hand, he would be able to pay :>ff a portion of his bonds. Under the present system, when a farmer has a mortgage on his property. he cannot pay it off piecemeal and his hand itches to invest the returns from his produce. . He either puts it into some co-operative concern, than which, in some cases, no investment is more dangerous, or he buys a now motor car

and invests in some more land thereby increasing his indebtedness."

YOU CAN REAR CALVES ON 'CEREMILK? AND WATER ALONE

When mixed with water, "CEREMILK" makes a nutritious calf food; one of the principal ingredients is dried milk. Rich in fats and nourishing proteids, "CEREMILK" is a pure food that is entirely absorbed by the digestive organs of the calves. Mr C. Jespersen, of Waiotahi, writes: —"I have used 'CETJEMILK' for two seasons and consider it a most economical calf food. It is much relished by the calves, which have done exceedingly well on it. I reared 45 calves ami have not had one scour this season." Ad stores and factories. If your dealer cannot supply, write to Fleming and Co., Ltd., Box 553, Auckland. 21