ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 23, 14 June 1923, Page 51

ON THE LAND

MARKET REPORTS. At the Addington market last week lamb values showed a slight advance, but there was a slight easing in prices of medium and lighter classes of mutton. Values for beef were well maintained. Fat Lambs. —Only 830 head forward, compared with 1720 on the previous week, the majority being of moderate quality. Freezing buyers operated extensively, with the result that improved prices obtained. The average price per lb was lOd. Exera prime lambs 33s to 345, a few special 44s 3d, prime 80s 3d to 32s 9d, medium 27s to 30s, light and unfinished 21s to 265. Fat Sheep.—The yarding filled 11 races, compared with eight on the preceding week. Many specially good sheep were included. The market opened at from Is 6d to 2s 6d per head less than late rates, but good wethers and ewes finished at previous week's values, other classes being easier. Best wether mutton made 6:£d per lb, medium (3d to 6-1-d, best ewe 5d to sid, and light and medium 33d to 4|d. Extra prime wethers 38s to 40s 6d, a few special 525, prime 34s to 37s 6d, medium 30s Gd to 33s 6d, light 26s 6d to 30s, extra prime ewes 32s to 345, a few special to 41s 6d, prime 27s 6d to 31s 6d, medium 23s to 275, light 19s to 22s 6d, aged and inferior ewes 15s 6d to 18s 6d. Fat Cattle. —A yarding of 412 head against 425 on the previous week. The quality was on the whole inferior, but prices were well maintained. Extra prime beef made up to 27s Gd per 1001 b, prime 25s 6d to 26s 6d; average from 22s Gd to 24s 6d; medium from 21s to 225, and rough 10s to 17s Gd. Extra, prime steers to £l3 15s, prime £9 2s Gd to £l2 ss, medium £6 15s to £8 17s Gd, light £4 10s to £6 10s, extra prime heifers £8 15s to £ll, prime £5 15s to £8 10s, ordinary £3 10s to £5 ss, extra prime cows £lO, prime £5 to £7 10s. Vealers.—Good runners to £4 15s. ordinary heavy vealers £3 5s to £4 ss, medium £] 10s to £2 10s, small calves 5s to 15s. Fat Pigs.—Choppers £3 to £6, extra good to £lO, light baconers £3 7s to £3 15s, heavy £3 17s 6d to £4 10s, extra heavy to £5 (average price per lb 6d to 6*d); light porkers £1 15s to £2 2s 6d, heavy £2 5s to £2 12s Gd, extra heavy to £2 17s (average price per lb 7d to 8d).

At the sale last week of rabbitskins largo catalogues were submitted and competition for all grades was keen. Prices were easily maintained at the previous sale's rates, while the better grades of winters wore considerably dearer. The following is the range of prices:—Runners and suckers 172 d to 22d, light racks 26i'd to 28ijd, summers 22}d to 28d, prime racks 32£d to 35d, early autumns 36id to 45id, late autumns 38d to 52$d, incoming winters 55id to 58d, early winters 583 d to 62$d, first winter bucks 63:id to 76d, first winter does 69£d to 79$d, super winter bucks 79}d to 81-Jd, super winter does 82£d to 90id, spotted winters 44d to 53d, first winter blacks 68id to 80d, second winter blacks 50d to 55d, winter fawns 60id to 6od ; horsehair to 26:]d. THE WINTER SHOW. The annual Winter Show of the Otago A. and P. Association was opened on Tuesday of last week and continued till the following Friday. The entries of exhibits exceeded 2000, and constitute a new record in the history of the Association. Some sections showed a falling away, but several others disclosed a marked increase—notably factory butter and cheese, fruit and roots. The display of apples was truly magnificent, and gave convincing proof of the extent and development of the fruit-growing industry. As on previous similar occasions the city was thronged with visitors from all parts of the Dominion and the attendance at the 'show exceeded that of previous years—especially on the opening day. The weather was good throughout, thus enhancing the success of all "Winter Show Week" undertakings. The arrangements for the show were, as usual. well carried out, and the popular secretary and his attendants were most assiduous in their attention, to all who came within the scope of their duties. SOIL ANALYSIS. At the period of the year when farmers are considering what manurial treatment should be adopted for their crops, the question of the character of the soil often arises, and in connection with it whether a, soil analysis would yield

any clear and definite guidance. Unfortunately, the answer is in the negative. > ■ ■ ' . Anyone who has tried to get a representative sample of a whole field knows how difficult it is to do so, and the analysis of the sample, when obtained, is a tedious and expensive process; and after all the trouble it has to be admitted by an experienced agricultural chemist that, except in exceptional cases, the details shown by analysis are of little practical value. As a matter of fact, an intelligent farmer with a, knowlodge of the district can give a better idea of the farm than an analyst. So that farmers are not recommended as a rule to go to the trouble and expense of soil analysis; they can get better guidance by watching the crops grown in the neighborhood, discussing the problem with intelligent neighbors, and paying a visit once a year to the nearest agricultural station. The agricultural stations would be more useful if the local farmers took more interest in them and used their influence to get the experiments conducted on lines which, would afford more really useful guidance. While deprecating the value of soil analysis, we admit (says the Mark Lane Express) that, in special cases, it may have a practical value, and. one test, of a useful nature, to ascertain whether a soil is in need of lime, can be carried out by farmers themselves; but even in this case an observant farmer can learn much by noticing the weeds that thrive in the fields; if inferior grasses or wood rushes, quaking grass, Yorkshire fog, etc., are growing, he can recognise the need of lime and know that a good dressing of basic slag will be of advantage. WO ,