On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 6 July 1911, Page 1270

On the Land

The presence of lambs at this period of the year causes one to wonder whether the spring is at hand (writes the Amberley correspondent of the Press). On three farms 'in C this locality there is already a fair number of lambs. Matters in connection with the formation of a CowTesting Association at Eketahuna, on the lines of the Dale- "" field Association, are going ahead. It is anticipated that everything will .be ready for testing the cows of dairy farmers during the coming season. There is a movement on foot to form a similar association at Pahiatua. ‘ I had no idea that there was such an extensive area of agricultural land in _ this portion of Amuri,’ said the Hon. D. Buddo whilst viewing, from a point of vantage on the Lyndon No. 1 settlement, the extensive nature of the flat agricultural land that there is on that settlement. Speaking on agriculture in the Dominion generally, Mr. Buddo expressed the opinion that New Zealand was as yet only on the fringe of it, and stated that the possibilities of grain ' growing for the future were simply enormous. Again, referring to the land stretched out in front of him, he said, ‘ And this in Canterbury, a province generally reckoned to have every available acre of agricultural land under intense cultivation.’ Manure should be considered as one of the crops, and its quality should be maintained more than the quantity, as bulk may add nothing to its value. So says an American trade journal, which adds:— ‘ In many respects the manure crop is the most important of all, for the reason that, to a considerable extent, the .yield of the other crops are more or less dependent upon the manure, so that in securing a large quantity of manure the farmer is aiding very materially in increasing the yield of the others. The fault of many who accumulate a large manure heap is that they rely too much on the quantity. > The more concentrated the plant food, the lower the cost of spreading -in proportion to the benefits derived; hence quality should be maintained by not allowing of loss from rains or by overheating of the heap. . . The fact that supplies of winter fodder are gradually becoming shorter is evidently having the effect of compel, ling owners to send their surplus stock to the Burnside weekly sales; and, while this is a usual occurrence in early winter, the consignments coming forward this season have been very much larger than those in previous years. The yardings of sheep and lambs at Burnside (says the Otago Daily Times) were again very large. About 4800 sheen were penned, but bidding was not quite so keen as at the previous sale. At the opening of the sale values were about Is per head -lower, and, although the market hardened towards the close, prices did not reach the level of those ruling of late. This may probably be accounted for by the fact that the quality was on the whole not up to the previous week’s standard. About 3600 lambs were penned, and they sold very well. Freezing buyers continue to operate very heavily in respect of both sheep and lambs. A yarding of 170 cattle comprised an exceptionally fine line from the Kaitangata district, which made up to £ls 12s 6d per head. Outside of this lot the cattle were of medium quality, some of them being very poor. The market however, displayed a firming tendency, and there was an advance in prices of from 10s to 15s per head. Pigs sold well, but the big advance in the price of porkers the previous week was not maintained. At Addington last week there were fair entries of stock. Fat cattle were easier in consequence of the large supply. Store sheep sold well. Prime fat lambs were firm, and fat pigs showed some improvement. Prime lat sheep sold well, but medium and inferior ewes were rather easier. There was a fairly large yarding of fat sheep, including some large and prime lines of wethers and a few lines of prime ewes. There was a good demand for all well-finished sheep, both ewes and wethers, and the previous week’s prices were firmly maintained. The range of prices was: Extra prime wethers, to 345; prime, 18s to 23s 3d; medium, 15s_6d to 17s 6d. . The yarding of fat lambs totalled 3799, including a fair proportion of prime quality. There -were 2821 taken for export at 9s lOd to 19s 6d; 117 by butchers at 12s to 15s lOd. The supply of beef totalled 370 headan increase of nearly 100 over the previous week, and included seevral large consignments of prime cattle from the North Island. The greater part of the yarding consisted of prime steers, but in consequence of the heavy supply there was a decided decline in prices Steers made £7 10s to £lO 10s; extra, to £l7; heifers £5 6s to £lO 15s; and cows, £4 10s to £lO 17s 6d. North Island steers made £lO to £l2 12s 6d. A medium entry of fat pigs met with an improved demand and better prices. Choppers sold up to 84s; large baconers, 50s to 555; smaller 37s to J 4ss—equal to 4d to 4£d per lb; large porkers, 3(M to 345; smaller, 25s to 28s—equal to 4Jd per lb. ; V