RURAL RAKINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8079, 15 December 1906, Page 2

RURAL RAKINGS.

The weather during the past week has been just what was required by farmer*, and the outlook for the present aeaion hai been considerably brightened. The earlj sown oats have now come under the har : vaster in many instances, and haymaking is general throughout the district. Grbi for hay should be out when in full bloom (in the oase of mixtures, when the largest quantity is flowering), as if left too long, the nutritive quality is weakened. Sowing of swedes for winter feeding will be done this month in most districts, for the belt plan is not to leave this until too late. At any rate the land ere thia should have been thoroughly worked and cleaned, to that sowing may be proceeded with at once.

The Btock market! have been very brisk during the week; in fact, a general harden. ing of all olasses of stock is apparent, At Ohaupoon Tuesday very satisfactory prioee were realised, and the sale must be classed aa the best, from the producer's point of view, of the season. At Newmarket, oxen brought to 24s per lOOlbs and oow to 20s per lOOlbs, an increase of at least 2s on rates ruling a few weeks ago. Sheep also have good value. At Bemuera on Thuragjay values were slightly lower, though perhaps this may have been owing to the requirements of the trade having been anticipated in expectation of a hardening market. The high price of wool will have a good effeot 0" prices. It is a noticeable faot that at Ad i ing ton, values.despite conditions operatmg on the side of depression, continue firm.

Ad regards the prcduce market, oats show no change in looal quotations, reports from outside districts show a tendency. With the splendid grass prospects before the Waikato, there does not appear to be any prospeot of any immeliate change, especially as the new season's wilt soon be available to counteract any increase in demand. Stooks of chaff are by no means heavy and prices are maintained. Potatoes are unchanged, but though one hears reports of the prevalence of blight, the majority ot crops appear to be freer of "* the pest than they have been for the past three years, so when digging becomes general a fall in prices will doubtless be recorded. Maize and fowl wheat remain stationary. The London wool sales closed with all descriptions, bar merino, on a par with advaoje recorded at the opening. Crossbreds brought what must be considered as fancy prices, about 10 to 16 per cent, above those ruling at the September series, due m great measure to the fact that the American buyers operated more largely than usual; in fact, they secured 1500 bales against 800 last year. Speaking of the"* - advantage gained by colonial growers shipping direct to London instead of selling locally; Messrs Willans and Overbury, the London brokers, in their annual wool report, say.—" Once again the central market of London, benefiting by its comparative proximity to all the great manufacturing districts of Europe, baa afforded the grower a better return than has been seoured by those who have sold locally in one or other of the various Australian markets." Now that about half the New South Wales clip has reachsd the seaboard it has been found that the forecasts ot the Australasian clip for the present season have been somewhat exaggerated, as the later climatic conditions have not been such as to bring on the wool to the extent anticipated. The New South Wales clip cannot r?ceed that of last season by more than 75,000 bales, considerably less than was expectod.

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