On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 10 February 1916, Page 59

On the Land

GENERAL. The harvesting is reported by the State Labor Department to have absorbed a large proportion of the unemployed in New Zealand,

It has been proved by numerous experiments that bone meal is most suitable for soils deficient in lime, and its benefit is much increased by the addition of sulphate of ammonia, or admixture with some form of organic ammoniacal fertiliser, such as Peruvian guano, meat meal, etc.

It is an error shared by many farmers, writes the Director of an Experimental Station, that fertile soils do not require the assistance of artificials, and that the occasional applications of farmyard manure serve to produce abundant crops ; whereas, really, as our experiments have demonstrated, it is just the contrary. It is on rich so: that artificials judiciously used in conjunction, and supplementing farmyard manures, produce the most profitable results.

Beet sugar production in Europe has sustained a serious set-back owing to the war, and, despite an increase in the world’s yield of cane sugar, the, outturn of all kinds for 1915-16 is not considered to be likely to exceed 16,837,000 tons. That would represent a decrease of 7 per cent, from the output in 1914-15, and of 10 per cent, on the total for 1913-14. The decrease is entirely in the European beet crop, which has fallen 2,463,000 tons, or 29 per cent., from two years ago, while the cane crops have expanded by 422,000 tons, or 4 per cent., and American and Canadian beet crops combined have increased 100,000 tons, or 16 per cent.

A correspondent of the Ashburton Guardian writes —Shearing was finished in the Rakaia Gorge last week, with the exception of Lake Coleridge. Contrary to expectations, shearers were plentiful. ' The wool was very light in condition, but much cleaner than usual ; a smaller percentage will require scouring. Prospects are very good. Coming down through the Achron, Snowdon, and Bayfield runs, some fine crops of oats and turnips are to be seen, and the grass paddocks are simply luxuriant. Through Mount Hutt feed is plentiful and crops good, while lower down, in Methven, some fine crops of wheat are now being cut, which give promise of a good return.

In view of the increasing cost of all fertilising material, it is felt in Great Britain that it would be wise not to diminish the available stocks by exporting supplies as in normal times. Questioned in the House of Commons, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, Mr. Acland, said: The exportation of all feeding stuffs and of nitrate of soda has been prohibited since the first week of the war, and the exportation of other fertilisers has been prohibited for many months. Generally speaking, this prohibition has been absolute, but in some cases exceptions have been made in favor of British possessions and Allied countries, and, under special conditions, in favor of certain neutral countries for limited quantities by license.

At Addington last week there were small entries in almost all departments. The attendance was fair. Fat cattle were rather easier, but fat lambs were firmer, and store sheep sold better. Fat sheep showed,an advance of 2s per head, but store cattle were easier. Fat Lambs. —2362 penned. Prime, 20s 6d to 23s 3d; medium, 17s 6d to 20s; lighter, 14s 4d to 17s. Fat Sheep. Prime wethers, 23s to 295; others, 17s Id to 22s 6d; prime ewes, 22s 6d to 26s 3d; medium, 17s 6d to 225; lighter, 12s to 17s; merino wethers, 17s Id. Fat Cattle. — : Extra prime steers, to £2O ss; ordinary steers, £6 10s to £ll 17s 6d; extra prime heifers, to £ll 15s; ordinary heifers, £6 5s to £8 ss; extra prix»e cows, to £l4 ss; ordinary cows, £5 10s to £8 56 price of beef per 1001 b, 29s to 455, and extra to 50s. Pigs. Choppers, 40s to 70s; extra heavy baconers,

to 995; heavy baconers, 70s to 82s; light baconers, 57s 6d to —price per lb, 6d to 6|d; heavy porkers, 42e to 475; light porkers, 35s to 40s — price per lb, 6|d to 7d; medium stores, 22s to 275; small stores, 16s to 21s; weaners, 4s 3d to Bs. At Burnside last week there were only medium entries of fat cattle and lambs: Fat Cattle.-163 were yarded. Although this number was not large, it was quite sufficient for butchers' . requirements, and prices ruled slightly easier than previous week. Prime bul- ' locks brought .£l6 to £18; medium to good, £l2 10s to £ls; light and inferior, £lO to £ll ss; prime cows and heifers, £l2 5s to £l4; medium to good, £lO to £ll 10s; light and inferior, £8 to £9 15s. Fat Sheep.—2o7o penned, made up of medium to good ewes and wethers, the proportion of prime sheep being larger than of late. Export buyers were operating freely for all freezing weights,' and previous week's prices were well maintained. Extra prime wethers sold to 335; medium to good, 23s to 265; inferior and light, 18s to 20s; unfinished, 7s 6d to 13s; extra prime ewes, to 27s 6d; medium to good, 20s to 245; light, 15s to 18s; unfinished, 7s 6d to 13s. Lambs.A medium yarding, 816 coming forward. The quality, as a whole, was good. For all good lambs competition was keen, freezing buyers operating for this description, but unfinished sorts were hard to quit. Extra prime lambs sold to 26s 6d; good, 21s to 23s 6d; medium, 18s to 19s 6d; light and inferior, to 16s. SOME USES FOR POULTRY MANURE. Talking of poultry manure, a large grower of tomatoes told me the other day that it was one of the best fertilisers he used, and, since he kept fowls himself, the cost was nil (says a correspondent of Poultry). "When I saw him he was applying it thinly as a top dressing to his tomatoes—a late crop just coming into full profit. The manure had been kept as dry as possible, broken up with a spade and mixed with about twice its bulk of loam. About an inch of this was placed round the plant and watered. It may not be generally known that fowl manure is also largely used in the production of many of our most beautiful roses. The latter, when grown indoors in pots, may have it now in the manner described above, provided active root action is evidenced by new growth. For garden roses it is best given in spring-- that is another story.' GREEN MANURING. Green manuring is effective on both sandy and heavy clay soils, and, indeed, on all soils deficient in , humus.. On sandy soils its effect is to consolidate the soil, and in clay soils it acts by loosening the texture and letting the air act on it. When conditions as to warmth and moisture are favorable, the green crop decomposes without much delay, and the production of soluble plant food proceeds with considerable ' rapidity. This is especially the case with the valuable nitrogenous portion of the green stuff. Nitrification —that is, the conversion of the nitrogenous material of the plant into soluble nitratestakes place quickly. In sandy soils green manure nitrifies more quickly than ordinary organic manures, such' as bonedust, ground horns, dried blood, etc., while in stiff clay soil it nitrifies more rapidly than even the sulphate of ammonia or animal manures. ,