On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 20, 3 June 1925, Page 53

On the Land

X MARKET REPORTS. At Burnside -last week; 355 head of fat cattle were yarded. For the show market the quality was extremely disappointing, and only a small proportion of the entry was really prime cattle. The latter met with good competition from start to finish of the sale. Medium cattle met a market on a par with the previous week's sale, but unfinished and. green cattle showed a decided easing in price. Extra prime heavy-weight bullocks made from £lB to £l9 2s 6d, prime £ls 10s t0..£17 I.os, medium £l3 10s-to £ls, light and unfinished £8 10s to £l2 10s, prime heavy heifers £9 10s to £l4, medium prime £7 10s to £9, cows (prime) to £ll 10s, light and i unfinished £4 to £7. Fat Sheep.— 3686 were penned. The yarding . consisted of some very fine show heavyweight wethers,, which, however, sold reasonably enough. Medium sheep were well represented, and these met with an erratic market, which opened on a par with the preceding week's rates and eased to the extent of 2s before the finish. Light-weight sheep were eagerly sought by the exporters, and those that were well fini- , : shed .met with keen competition. The sale . for t ewes was very erratic, and while wellfinished light-weights went to the freezing, heavy ewes see-sawed throughout at up to 3s, below the previous, week's grates.. For /the Winter Show double, market- the display in the pens was good, but, as has been the ease in late markets, a preponderance of ewes was forward. Extra prime show heavy weathers made 75s to 83s, extra heavies 54s to 60s, prime 43s 6:1 to '4ss 9d, ; lighter 35s to 35s 9d, maiden ewes to 495, extra heavy 40s to 45s 6d, prime 31s 6d to 38s, lighter 23s to 28s 6d. Fat Lambs. —887 were penned, a fair entry of mixed quality, with a few pens of extra choice show -lambs. Competition for prime s lambs' was well up to schedule rates for :<freezing, but unfinished and thin sorts were neglected. Extra choice show lambs, brought from-.60s to 74s 9d, prime from 36s 6d to c; 4os,, unfinished. 31s to 345, stores 20s to 275. Fat Pigs.-—147 were penned, an average yarding. At the start of the auction prices were up from 5s to 7s 6d r. head, but towards the 'end'of' the market 1 eased to a par of the preceding week's rates v, At the Addingtoh market the entries were smaller 'last week and a good sale eventual ted' r, for i 5 all classes of fat stock : and store sheep.'' Fat Lambs.—A small yarding and a good sale at schedule rates, viz., up tolled for first quality 365. Extra prime lambs made to? 46s ; Id- prime : 36s 6d to 40s Id, medium 33s .-,to ;365, light ; 265, to 32s 6d. Fat Cattle.— entry, of 540 head, and. an improvement on the previous .week's values . ,Vof from 20s to 25s per head. Best beef made '.from 36s to 40s per 1001 b, prime steers £l4 ;10s to £l7 17s 6d, medium £l2 5s to £l4 ss, ■ light f £9,ss|to_£l2;os6d, rough £7 to £9, . h ' prime heifers £9 to £l2 2s 6d, ordinary £5 \ 10s to £8 I,os, extra prime cows £ll, prime J £8 5s to £9 17s Gd/medium SI; 15s to £B, i :'.'; light 1 Os, to £5 10s, aged £3 to £4l7s 6d. . ■:■'■'.:„Fat' Sheep.—lncluded in the fat sheep entry was an exceptionally good draft from Nel- r ■ son," which topped the market, . and lines from.-

South Canterbury. Themarket!: for wethers was firm at the preceding week's rates, but ewes were easier. Extra prime-wethers 49s 61 to 52s lOd, prime 42s to medium 38s to 41s, light 32s 6d to 37s 6d, extra prime ewes 42s 9d, prime 34s 6d to 3.7 s 6d, medium 31s to 345, light 36s to 30s aged 21s 6d to 25s 6d. Vealers. —Vealers and . runners to £6 10s, vealers £3 to £5 ss, calves 10s to 555. Good vealers sold well. Fat Pigs.— Baconers sold well but porkers were easier. Choppers £3 to £7 3s 6d, light baconers £3 15s to £4 ss, heavy £4 10s to £5 16s 6d (average price per lb 6Jd to 7^d); porkers 47s to 67s 6d (average price per lb 7d to 8d). i ANALYSIS OF SOILS: SOME | ADVANTAGES- '.-1M:*; The greatest advantage of having an analysis of the soil made.-" is in the saving of money and labor spent on buying and applying constituents which; are : unnecessary or are already present in sufficient quantity (says an exchange). An analysis will show whether the elements of fertility, present in the soil are in an available state or whether it is necessary to give the plants extra help until they have become established. To be of real help an analysis should show the percentage which are probably available for plant food in the near future. '*■ A grower doos not require to know how ! mu'.vh unavailable wealth he has. in his soil. For instance, it is well known, that potash. may be present in large quantities, and yet the plants may show signs of potash starvation ; the same remark applies to phosphoric acid. It has been established that the roots of plants exude acid which, acting on the elements of fertility in the soil, renders them soluble and fit for plant food. In making an analysis the total potash or phosphoric acid is first ascertained then these results are acted upon by an acid, and 'so much as remains insoluble is considered: to be combined or. tied up and not immediately available to the plants. The percentages that are soluble in these tests are those that are probably available for plant food in the near future. Every chemist is not capable of making a soil analysis, and more especially a soil analysis for a market grower. Only those who are specialists at this kind of work are qualified, since soil analysis is becoming each year more and more recognised as a necessary, part of the season's routine. !