ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, 29 April 1920, Page 43

ON THE LAND

:-;,,;-/ -~ r: - . ... MARKET REPORTS. V; '■ : \ ''''* : -\ '■■ , At r Burnside , last week 259 head of fat cattle were. yarded. $.- Prices ?at the commencement of the;,sale were 10s per head; easier than the. previous week, but towards the end of the sale they receded fully another 10s. Prime bullocks , made: from % £l9 to £24, medium £l6 ito £lßj light and unfinished from : £l2 10s, prime heifers from £l4 to £l7 10s, medium £lO 10s to. £l3, light from £8 10s. Fat sheep: 4118 penned; an extra large yarding, but except for a few trucks of good wethers the quality was very; poor. v Prime well-finished sheep sold at prices equal to the preceding week's ■■ rates, but unfinished sheep were easier by 2s to 3s per head. Extra prime heavy-weight wethers made from 48s to 52s 9d, prime 40s to 48s, medium 35s to 38s, light and unfinished from 245. A few extra heavy .ewes made from 45s to 535, prime 34s to 40s, medium 26s to 325, arid light from 18s. Fat lambs: 1169 penned. A number of the lambs sent forward were scarcely " fit for freezing, but the yarding included several trucks of well-finished lambs. Owing, however, to congestion in the freezing works, buyers had only limited space, and the sale was very dragging and competition poor. . Prices were back fully 3s per head. Extra prime heavy lambs made up to 355, prime 28s to 30s, medium 22s to 255, light and unfinished lambs from 14s. Pigs: There was only a medium yarding, but prices were again easier. Bacohers made from 9d to 10£d for the best, and porkers from 9£d to lid. At the Addington market last week there were good average yardings of all classes of stock except fat lambs. Prices eased considerably for fat cattle. Freezing buyers were not operating, but for fat sheep and lambs the demand was firm, and recent rates were maintained. Fat lambs: 2700. yarded, compared with 4300 on. the previous week. The sale was on a parity with recent ones, freezing buyers securing the bulk of the entry. Extra prime lambs brought from 33s 6d to 41s, prime 27s 6d to 32s 6d, medium 25s to 27s 3d, lighter 21s 6d to 24s 9d. Fat sheep: The market was good throughout. Freezing buyers operated to a considerable extent. Extra prime wethers brought-from 45s 6d to 535, prime 37s 3d to 44s 9d, medium 31s 3d to 36s 9d, lighter 28s 9d to 30s 9d, extra prime ewes to 465, prime 35s 6d to 43s 6d, medium 31s to 355, lighter 23s to 30s 6d. Fat cattle: 355 yarded, against 425 on the previous week. There was a distinct drop in, anything but prime stuff, and the market was also, much easier for best breeding, animals. Freezing buyers were present. Extra prime steers brought up to £24 7s 6d, prime £l7 15s to £23, medium £l3 15s to £l6 10s, lighter £lO 2s 6d to £l3, prime heifers £l2 10s to £lB, ordinary £7 to £l2, prime cows £l2 10s to £l7, ordinary £7 12s 6d to £l.l 15s. Fat pigs: Choppers to £9, heavy baconers to £8 10s (average price per lb IOJd to 10Jd), heavy porkers to. £5 5s (average price per lb Is). . '■'•-./'., THE GERMINATION OF SEEDS. ; -"' It has been demonstrated that seeds cannot germinate in the soil unless there is a sufficiency of moisture in the soil for the seed to attract what it requires. ~-. The soil will give to the seed the necessary supply, but only on the condition that it has some to spare; if not, it will refuse to yield any, and in consequence the seed cannot germinate; in fact, the soil will draw from the seed the small reservoir of moisture it possesses. It is this. fact that makes the presence of organic matter, as supplied .in farmyard manure, so important in the soil. It retains sufficient moisture to supply the seed with the requisite proportion. I <€>~U- :V THE SOIL. ~.- 'i % Scientists have viewed the properties "of the soil from many standpoints. At one time it was thought that the solution uof the fertilising problem would be found by the return to l " the soil of the principal fertilising ingredients extracted by the crop. This seemed simple enough, but unfortunately had' to be abandoned as unsatisfactory, as it left out of account the complex nature of the soil and the chemical^ biological, and physical agencies, which all exert influence of a more or less important character. fe; Of. late years these obscure agencies have received more attention, r and the importance of further ; investigation seems to be well warranted. Their study has become an established and well recognised part of the soil problem. --.-

• Bacterial activities have, under , the light ..of -, modern science, been shown to exert a great influence 'in soil productiveness, the kinds, and'abundance of the bacteria carrying on the functions of ; fertility according I to '.'the

suitability -of-their environment in - the | soil.\; Theifc) «s*"■ tivity is thus influenced by methods of cultivation an<t the employment of organic and mineral fertilisers.. „f . ORCHARDS SHOULD BE FERTILISED. °^*n : ; : "You might just as well hope to always* have money in bank • by -repeatedly drawing cheques on your account without" making deposits, as to hope 'for J annual yields from your orchards without fertilisation," says Professbf' J. P. Stewart. - y: ~ •':''. ■" ' : - : •:. V-' ■~: : .; : Q-'x7MJj&ip. >.>'.: He considers that soil exhaustion' is the 0 most potent cause of orchard deterioration. When v the food account; in -an orchard has been overdrawn, a very simple experiment will evidence the depleted condition. Plants a young tree in the place of an old one; and it dies or suffers from starvation. - He said:— - : ." : -'i'-L'V::K:V£&&%--. "By a thorough and impartial investigation: of fruit-' growing districts, it has been found to be the exception where an orchard has been given the care usually.;, apportioned other cultivated: plants." - ::,-.:■., - voi^:-;5 LIMING—ESPECIALLY NECESSARY. ,'2?f Liming the soil periodically was a general j practice half a century ago, but its use has gradually become less general (says, a writer in „an English journal). ... Agricultural experts are of opinion that there is evidence in many parts that applications of lime are becoming ■essenr tial, and although it may not be necessary to revert; to the old practice of such heavy dressings as six * or' 1 eight tons to the acre, smaller dressings on soils not naturally rich in lime, of about a ton, or even half a ton, of quick-f lime to the acre, applied once in the course of the rotation, would be attended with good results. Lime, by its chemical action, disintegrates the soil, and thus helps to render available the natural stock of soil-potash, which, unless stimulated by the chemical action of ; the lime, would remain inert. This is a consideration worth attention. ' . *•" :."' ■■; ,• •«;.}[__} .._-- , Tho Kinds of Lime. | Quicklimo and Slaked Lime.—The most . common form of lime is that known as burnt lime, lime shells, quicklime, or caustic lime. It absorbs water very rapidly, becoming then slaked lime; it also takes up carbonic 1 acid gas from the atmosphere, forming then carbonate of lime, similar to chalk or limestone. It should contain 85 per cent of quicklime, and farmers should insist on a definite guarantee. ... , ... .- ; sg Ground "lime is the burnt lime ground to a fine powder, which is more convenient to apply and recommended as more commercial to use. df*fir % Ground limestone is coming more into use, especially for meadows and pastures. It is easy to : handle, and is cheap. It should contain 90 to 95 per cent, of carbonate of lime, and 1$ tons is equivalent to a ton of burnt lime. Gas lime is a by-product in the "manufacture of coal gas. When obtainable at a very low price near the factory it is worth buying for application to heavy clay lands; which it helps to break up. As it contains some poisonous substances, it should be spread on the land some weeks before ploughing. ■ ' :";'-';> it ■:■'-'■' Advantages of Lime. ; ; .: : - 's' The benefits to be derived from applications of lime to the soil are well known, and may be summarised as follows: *" • ;:. :, V: & 1. It acts directly as plant food. -. ..■ *S 2. It cures sour land, and by so doing ; improves the herbage when applied to grass land. % 3. It -prepares the locked-up vegetable matter of thfl soil for plant food by liberating the nitrogen which it contains.

4. It decomposes tho dormant mineral food of the soil by splitting .up the silicates and liberating the potash. ■■ ■ 5. :It improves the physical condition of heavy , clay land. v-- . : ,:. ■'..,. ; . V; >: