On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 18 May 1916, Page 51

On the Land

GENERAL.

The returns from the output of butter and cheese from the Taranaki province this season will probably approach £2,000,000. Meat, wool, skins, and hides will account for another £1,000,000. The province contains fewer than 60,000 inhabitants.

For the month of. April the dairy factories in the Winton district paid to suppliers the sum of £2353. For, the corresponding month of last year the amount paid out was £1997. Milk supplied during April totalled 871,7701 b, as against 906,7541 b supplied during April of last year. At the Shorthorn sale at Perth (says a Home exchange), two new records were set up for this fixture. Four hundred and thirteen bulls realised a total sum of £38,630 0s 6d, or an average of £93 10s Bd—an increase of £9 9s 3d on the record established in 1906, and over £29 per head more than last year. For the yearling roan, shown *by Mr. Mowbray, of Naemoor, which won the championship, Mr. George Campbell, Aberdeen, gave 1550 guineas, a record figure for the sales, the same buyer also paying 1500 guineas for Mr. Stewart of MillhilPs first prize yearling. Last year the top price was 1050 guineas. A rather serious pest has caused much trouble this season to lucerne growers in Marlborough. It is a caterpillar of the variety that has figured as one of the chief enemies of the barley growers. The owners of several lucerne fields, which were intended to be cut for seeding, were puzzled by the bare and lifeless appearance of the stalks, which had been stripped to a very large extent of the leaves, flowers, and seeds. Close examination revealed the presence of numerous caterpillars, fastened for the most part at the top of the plants, and it was seen that these had been drawing the sap from the plants and causing them to die prematurely. More than one crop has been damaged to such an extent that it is not worth the expense of thrashing, and, being so advanced in growth and the stalks being hard, its value for hay-making has been greatly lessened. It is thought that this pest, in common with others, has been encouraged to an extraordinary degree by the dryness of the last three years. At Burnside last week there were only average entries of fat cattle and lambs. There was a large yarding of fat sheep, whilst pigs were in limited supply. Fat Cattle. —The entry consisted of 188 head, of which the greater part were bullocks of good to prime quality. There were also a number of pens of cows and heifers. Prices on the whole were easier by 10s per head. Prime bullocks sold at £l4 7s 6d to £ls 5s : extra, to £l7 7s 6d; medium, £l2 to £l3 10s; light, £7 15s to £9 ; best cows and heifers, £9 15s to £lO 10s; extra, to £l2 5s ; medium, £7 to £9 7s 6d. Fat Sheep. There was a large yarding, 2980 being penned. The quality was only medium, there being few really good pens of prime heavy-weight wethers. Competition for this class was keen throughout the sale, but inferior quality was difficult to dispose of. Extra prime wethers brought to 33s 9d; prime do, 27s 6d to 30s; medium, 23s to 265; light, 18s to 21s 3d ; extra prime ewes, to 33s 9d : prime do, 23s 6d to 26s 9d. Lambs.—lsl2 were penned. Freezing buyers were operating for prime quality only. Prices ruled much the same as those of previous week. Prime lambs brought 20s to 23s ; extra, to 27s ; medium, 17s to 19s 3d; inferior, lis to 15s 9d. Pigs.— There was a small yarding. Competition was keen throughout, and a slight advance on previous week's rates must be recorded.'

At Addington last week the, entries of fat sheer and lambs showed a further increase, but there wer' fewer store sheep. There was a large yarding of fat cattle. The attendance of buyers was good. Fat cattle were easier. oFat lambs sold well at previous week's rates. Store sheep-showed no change, and were in good demand. Fat sheep were firm. Pigs sold well. There was a good demand for useful .lines of store cattle and dairy cows. Fat Lambs.—Extra prime lambs, to 355;

prime lambs, 22s to 265; medium, 19s to 21s 6d: lighter 15s to 18s 6d. Fat Sheep.-Extra prime wethers, to 47s 6d-; prime wethers, : 25s :> 6d to "'33s 6d; others, 21s 6d to 255; ; merino wethers, 22 s * to o? ssj extra prime ewes, to S9s; prime ewes, 24s 6d to 295; medium ewes, 19s 6d to 245; others, 14s 6d to 19s; merino ewes, 13s 3d to 16s 9d. Fat Cattle Extra prime steers, to £2O; ordinary steers, £8 lOs to £l3; extra prime heifers, to £l3 15s; ordinary heifers, £6 7s 6d to £9; extra prime cows, to £lB • ordinary cows £6» 5s to £9 10s. -Choppers, ,£<i 10s to £5 4s; baconers, £2 17s 6d to £4 13s 6d (equat to 6|d per lb); porkers, £1 ids to £2 7s (equal to 7Ad per lb) ; large stores, £2 2s to £2 7s; medium, £1 131 to £2 Is; small, 18s to £1 10s; weaners, 8s to 12s 6d

SELECTION OF POTATO SEED Seedsmen do not always grow their own stocks but supply the seed to farmers, who grow them at so much per ton or by the acre. There is nothing again" this system if reliance can be placed on the "grower. The latter however, generally aims to get the biggest crop, and it is therefore unlikely that he will make the rigorous selection which is of so much importance unless the seedsmen enforce it under the conditions of contract.

u 4. ° ne . h ears of varieties sporting different flowers but this is due more to previous lack of care in roguine than anything else. When potatoes are in flower it i< advisable to look the crop over and fork out the wrong varieties, which may be used for table purposes. For example, m a field of Up-to-Dates white-flowering sorts would be rogues and should come out. Pure seed is worth more than a mixed lot; in order to make a reputation for sending out pure seed one must, therefore be careful in roguing. It is also necessary to cull out weak and undesirable roots at the same time; b so doing the quality of the seed is improved. I would advise small growers to select their own seed whilst the variety is in full vigor, just after flowering ; in other words, to obtain immature seed, sufficient tor their own requirements, from the best roots qr hills. There is a big demand in England for Scotch seed potatoes, which are partially immature, as the frosts generally cut down the haulm of the main-crop varieties before maturity is reached. When a change of seed is necessary it is best to obtain it from a colder or a later district, and, when purchasing, to make inquiry where it was grown. Change of seed every second year is advocated by many people as being beneficial to the general crop Others, however, find that abundant crops of sound tubers can be grown for years from self-saved, seed if only the plant is well cultivated and a little care is exercised in selection and proper storing over winter. Potatoes produce best in moist, cool climates, such as their original home on the plateaus of the Andes. Hot, dry weather at the time of maturity weakens them for reproduction, and after such weather the disease which the Americans call ' spindling sprout' is often troublesome. Tubers affected with this disease either refuse to sprout or give weakly growths almost like cotton. If the boxing system is adopted, all the affected tubers can be removed before planting-time, which is an advantage. The disease mentioned has been common in the south of England for some years, being known as ' potato bacteriosis.' Many theories respecting the cause have been advanced; one is that the starch of the tuber not being converted to sugar fails to provide the plant-food necessary for the sprout to feed on and develop. Immature seed is mostly free from the disease. As regards the size of tubers for seed, I advise a 2oz set. If riddles are used to grade the seed through a If in and over, an Hin mesh gives a useful size for main-crop varieties. The storing of seed is a most important matter. Wire benches under pine trees are used at Moumahaki, thus ensuring sufficient light, plenty of air,, and freedom from frost during the winter. .."" Beverley in the Journal of Agriculture.