On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 3 December 1914, Page 59

On the Land

GENERAL.

I A Canadian farmer is offering farms of 250 acres, free for five years* to Belgian refugees.

| It was mentioned in the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union meeting (says the Times) that the extensive use of lime and basic slag on land was conducive to the production of large-boned sheep.

V Some fine 'specimens of South Canterbury-grown Wool are to,be seen at the Timaru office of the Agricultural Department. The fleeces are being collected for the Department’s exhibit at the Panama Exhibition, and the specimens handed, in up to the present time should uphold the name of this district in wool production.

Shearing is now general throughout the Wairarapa district, and clips are reported to be good. Sheep have been turned on to several crops of oats in various parts of South Canterbury. The oats had owing to the long dry spell matured too early, heads being on stalks that are not more than nine inches long. It is rich feed for sheep, but no doubt will result in loss to the farmers.

The statement that the Germans have been buying on all hands in preparation • for the war is evidenced in a Government return to hand. This shows that during the quarter ended June 30, New Zealand exported to Germany produce valued at £217,430, as compared with <£40,131 for the corresponding period in 1913 in twelve months trade being multiplied fivefold. Napier’s trade alone amounted to £33,068, which is-only £7OOO short of the whole of the previous quarter’s total New Zealand trade with Germany.

i A party of farmers and others recently inspected the wheat experiment plots on Mr. J. S. Carter’s farm, Mudgee. The plots were established by the Department of Agriculture chiefly to test the value of dressings of different quantities of superphosphates* ranging to 84, and of superphosphates and bohedust. Of five plots of Federation, that given 841 b of superphosphates was easily the best in appearance, being more forward and the heads bolder, and better filled. A plot of Rymer, manured with 561 b of superphosphates, gave promise of the heaviest yield of all. *

The Flaxbourne correspondent of the Lyttelton Times ’says that the district is experiencing the worst drought ever known, and thinks are assuming a serious aspect. The crops are practically ruined. In many cases they have already been fed off. - Sheep feed isgetting very scarce, and on present appearances there will be no rape for the lambs. On Friday a gale was blowing from the north-west, which would make things drier than ever. The only men who had any feed were those who were lucky . enough _to have paddocks of lucerne, which in a year such as this is invaluable. The present dry season is having a generally bad effect on dairying cattle in South Canterbury district (says the Weekly Times), and large numbers of the stock are looking poor. Although the season is bad for cattle, lambs are thriving. There has been a rather serious loss in lambs from congestion of the kidneys, and farmers would do well in the future to guard against such loss by picking out the big and thrifty lambs and placing, them on the poorer pastures, putting the twins and more weakly lambs on the best grass. It is generally fatal to put a large crop of lambs on good grass. , A new sheep-scab order, has been issued by the British Board of Agriculture, the main feature of which ,is that double dipping is required in affected areas. The double dipping must be done with an interval of not less than seven or not more than fourteen days between the dippings, and the dipping must be by thorough immersion in a sheep-dip approved by the board. The owner, or person in charge, must give written notice of intention to dip, in order that the local authority may be represented at the dipping

should this be considered desirable. After the second dipping the sheep must be kept, as far as is practicable, isolated from sheep which have not been dipped.* The prevalence of sheep-scab in Great: Britain has' 1 been largely reduced since 1907, when the compulsory dipping of sheep was first enforced. It is hoped, says a communication from the board, that by the enforcement of these more stringent orders on particular premises and in comparatively small areas the complete l eradication of disease from Great Britain may be expedited. ' There were average entries of stock in all departments at Addington last week, and there was a fair attendance of buyers.' Store sheep were easier, but fat lambs sold well. Fat cattle did not sell very briskly but fat sheep were firmer by Is per head. Fat Lambs.— There was an entry of 319 fat lambs, as compared with 343 the previous week. The average quality was good but a. few pens were on the light side. There was a good demand, and prices were rather firmer than previous week’s. The range of prices was: Best lambs, 19s 6d to 21s 3d; lighter, 10s Id to 19s. Fat Sheep. —Woolly wethers, 19s Id to 26s 6d; extra prime shorn wethers, to 31s 6d; prime shorn wethers, 22s 6d to 26s 5d * others, 15s 3d to 225 ; woolly ewes, 20s 7d to 26s 3d - prime shorn ewes, 21s to 26s Id; others, 17s to 20s 6d • woolly hoggets, 20s to 21s; shorn hoggets, 16s 5d to 18s! Fat Cattle.—Extra heavy steers, to £lB 15s; ordinary steers, £8 10s to £l2; extra heavy heifers, to £ll- - cows, £5 15s to £9 15s; price of beef, per 1001 b, 32s to 41s. Fat —Choppers; 50s to 80s; extra heavy baconers, to 70s; heavy baconers, 55s to 635: light baconers, 45s to 52s 6d (price per lb, 5d to sid) ; heavy porkers, 38s to 41s; light porkers, 33s to 37s (price per lb, s|d to s|d). Burnside Stock Report:Fat Cattle. lsß were yarded. Butchers had a fair number on hand, -but prices were firm at previous week’s quotations. Best bullocks brought from £ls 10s to £l6 10s; extra good, to £l9 15s; good, £l3 to £l4 10s; light, £9 10s to £ll 10s; best cows and heifers, £lO 10s to £ll 10s; extra, to £l6 2s 6d; good, £9 10s to £lO ss; light, £7 10s to £9. Fat Sheep. — lß77 were penned, tbe majority being prime quality. Competition was keen, and prices showed a rise of about Is as compared with previous week s sale. Towards the end of . the sale values were perhaps a shade easer. An extra prime wether, sold on behalf of the Belgian fund, realised £2 13s 6d. A ewe sold on behalf of the same fund realised £4 19s, being sold several'times. Quotations; Prime wethers, 38s to 41s; extra, to 45s 6d ; good, 34s to 37s 6d ; medium, 28s to 31s; best ewes, to 425; good, 27s 6d to 32s 6d; light, 22s to 265; best shorn wethers, to 345; best shorn ewes, to 265. - Fat Lambs. 27o were penned. Prices were a shade better than previous week, one butcher operating very freely. Quotations : Best lambs, to 255; good, 18s 6d to 20s; light, 15s to 16s 6d. Pigs.— 50 fat pigs and 40 stores were yarded. Prices were no better than at the previous sale, porkers and baconers running from 4d to 4id per lb. Stores were not inquired for. Quotations : "Suckers, 9s 6d to 11s 6d; slips, to 16s; stores, to 265; porkers, 385.t0 455; light baconers, to 51s; heavy baconers, to 60s; choppers, to 755. • ' ; WHEAT FOR NEW ZEALAND. A P.A. wire from Wellington, dated November 16, says;—The Premier states that the steamer Hesteros has been chartered, and is now loading at St, John’s with 250,000 bushels of wheat*; She sails for New Zealand at an early date. He thinks the Government will also be able to arrange for some to come from the western side of Canada at the earliest date for arrival in the New Year. The Government has found that Indian wheat is unsuitable for New Zealand. The Government is not going to make any profit out of the shipments, and will probably make a slight loss. Private firms are also importing, and the Government is giving them every encouragement " and facility for doing so. ’ - ; ‘ ;