On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 26 September 1912, Page 53

On the Land

GENERAL. It is stated that several of the cheese factories in the Forty Mile Bush have been offered 6|d per lb for their outputs for this season, but have declined to do business, as they are looking for still higher prices. The Waiau correspondent of the Press, writing with reference to the losses of stock on account of the heavy snow storm experienced in July, says:About 1500 feet above sea level seems to have been about the line where the snow was heavy enough- 7 to be disastrous to stock, and the tract of country stretching from below iianmer, and including the stations along the Spencer ranges, and in the Clarence Valley, is probabaly the worse affected; station holders estimate the loss at from between 40 and 45 per cent. The stretch of country from the top end of Lyndon No. 1 Settlement, also got off lightly, the owners of these runs estimating their losses at about 15 per cent. These runs are composed mostly of flocks ranging from 1000 to 5000 or 6000 sheep, and include a good many Government settlers. Several of these will receive a severe setback, One settler, with about 2000 sheep, has skinned some 250 sheep. There was an entry of 176 head of fat cattle at Burnside last week, a large proportion of those yarded consisting of good to prime bullocks and heifers. The sale opened at a shade below previous week’s prices, and closed at a drop of about 10s per head on last sales. Extra prime bullocks, to £2O 7s 6d; prime bullocks, from £l4 to £ls 10s; good bullocks, from £ll to £l3; light to medium, £9 to £lO 10s; extra prime heifers and cows, to £l4 7s 6d. The fat sheep penned totalled 3093, the bulk of the yarding consisting of light-weight wethers, with a small proportion of prime heavy ewes and wethers. At the commencement of the sale prices were on a par with previous rates, but as the-sale progressed prices advanced, and towards the end sheep were selling at fully Is per head dearer. Quotations; Extra prime wethers, to 31s 9d; prime wethers, from 23s 6d to 265; medium, 20s 6d to 22s 9d plight and unfinished, from 17s 6d to 19s 9d; extra heavy ewes, from 25s to 275; prime heavy ewes, 19s to 21s 6d. There was a small yarding of fat pigs and stores, which totalled 86. Owing to the small yarding, fats were very dear, and competition was exceptionally keen. Store pigs brought prices on a par with late rates, whilst suckers and slips were cleared at satisfactory prices.. At Addington last week there were moderate entries of stock and a fair attendance. Eat cattle sold well, there being a rise in cow beef. There was a good sale for the new season’s fat lambs, and the fat sheep market opened at an advance. Fat pigs sold irregularly. The yarding of fat sheep was composed chiefly of crossbred and half bred wethers. The sale opened well, the prices for wethers showing an advance of Is to Is 6d per head. The range of prices was: Extra prime wethers, to 30s 6d; prime, 21s 6d to 25s 2d; others, 14s lid to 21s; extra prime ewes, to 25s 6d; prime, 18s to 245. There were 38 new season’s fat lambs penned, and they sold well, especially those in prime condition, the prices ranging from 16s to 265. The yarding of fat cattle totalled 178 head. The demand for all descriptions was keen, cow beef being dearer than at recent sales. Steers realised £9 to £l2 10s; extra, to £ls 15s; heifers, £6 7s 6d to £ll 10s; extra, to £l3. A medium number of fat pigs came forward, but the demand was irregular. At the opening there was an animated demand. The prices were rather above those of the previous week, but the sale- had not proceeded far when there was a decided easing of values. Choppers realised £3 10s to £5 ss; heavy baconers, £3 5s to £3 12s; and lighter pigs, £2 10s to £2 17s 6d.

coin, with a view •to finding out the best all-round variety of oat for the farmer to grow (says the Press). Twenty-five acres have been reserved for the conducting of this experiment, and no fewer than sixteen varieties of oats have been grown— under the same conditions areas of each variety, ranging from one to two acres. After the paddock has been fed down sufficiently it will be shut up and the crop, allowed to mature. When ripe the crop will be cut, and each variety of oats will be threshed and weighed separately, so as to show which gives the greater yield in grain and straw. Notice will be taken of the suitability of the different varieties for chaffing, and samples of the straw will be fed to cattle and horses to see which is appreciated most, from which the palatability of the different sorts may be deduced. The varieties that have been sown are as follow:—Gartons, Island Magee, Black Tartar, Sandy, Duns, Kent Birlie, White Tartar, Potato, Black Excelsior, Algerian, Banner, Black Scotch, Danish, Joanette, Canadians, and Sparrowbills.

THE POTATO. The common potato was described in 1597 by Gerarde in his Her ball. In the seventeenth century it was cultivated on a small scale in the Netherlands, Burgundy, and Italy, and on account of its great yields it was recommended by the Royal Society of London in 1663 for introduction into Ireland as a safeguard against famine. The climate in the south of Ireland is such that the potatoes could be left in the ground all winter, and for almost a century it furnished food for the Irish in their revolt against the English. The potatoes were planted extensively over the whole country, and were not harvested. Therefore, as the patriots came to any section and were without sufficient rations it was a simple matter for them to dig up a few potatoes and cook them in their jackets. Outside of Ireland, however, little attention was paid to the potato until the eighteenth century, and as recently as 1719, in the important work, The Complete Gardener, it was not even mentioned. In 1771 but two varieties, a white and a red, were mentioned in the most important English work on gardening. Moreover, these were said to be grown only as food for hogs and cattle, so that the development of the potato as a food for man is quite recent. . WIRE WORM. We are hearing a good deal of injury being caused to some of the growing crops by this very troublesome pest (says a Home exchange). A top-dressing of an active nitrogenous fertiliser often does good in such cases by helping the young plants to get over the attack. Wireworm, as is now generally known, are the larvae of click beetles or skipjacks, and are probably the worst pest against which the farmer has to contend. They attack every kind of crop (cereal, roots, or grass land), and as they live for several years before developing into tl;e quiescent pupa stage, their mischievous stage is of long duration. There are various preparations sold for exterminating the pest, and' for market gardens and horticulture generally they appear to be the best remedy. In ordinary farming the farmers’ best allies against the enemy are probably the birdsrooks, starlings, and especially peewits— should be encouraged in every possible way. Constant ploughing and cultivating the soil enables the birds to get at the insects, and heavy rolling of the young wheat crops has been found efficacious, as, by consolidating the soil, it prevents the wireworms from moving about in the soil. Gas lime spread oyer the soil in the autumn is sometimes very useful. It should be left on the surface of the soil about a month or six . weeks before being ploughed in. Soot has a good effect, and besides keeping the pest in check has the further advantage of supplying ammonia to the soil. '