FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 231, 30 October 1940, Page 3

FARMING NOTES

PRICES AFFECTED FARMS OVER PRODUCTION CRITICISM OF PROPOSALS A vigorous attack on the attitude of the National Council of Primary Production in refusing to indemnify farmers against loss through overproduction through their war eflort was made at a meeting of the Waimate branch of the Farmers' Union.! "I entirely disagree with the ruling of the council, particularly that portion which states that secondary industries are in a similar position to farmers," said Mr W. J. Fletcher. "That is not the case at all. If a manufacturer is given an order for the production of a commodity, that order is for a definite quantity, at a definite price. The farmer is not so fortunate, and if he happens to over produce, the surplus becomes a fac-' tor in governing the price of his product. It is most unfair that the primary producer should be in this position. He is the only exception." Mr J. Dempsey: As a member of the South Canterbury Primary Production Council, I shall be in a difficulty when fellow farmers, asked to produce more, turn round and inquire what they will get if they do so, Mr lan £oss agreed that it was asking a good deal of farmers to expect. them to produce a commodity, and then have it left on their hands, or the surplus thrown on the market to depreciate the value of the whole cron. "We do not seek to be guaranteed a profit, but we should have a guarantee against loss," lie said. It was claimed that although there was no uncertainty about the market for meat, wool,' cheese and linen flax, all of which were definitely required by the British Government. the position of pig meat Avas less clear. Mr G. Barclay said he understood the Government had asked for 10,000 tons of pig meat, "Did they?" asked the president (Mr A. W. J. Robinson). '"We can'i find out who asked for it."

As stated above this letter was ' forwarded to the Minister of Agri-cultui-e, arid his reply, "which, was read to the branch meeting, was as follows: "I am in receipt of your letter and in reply beg to state that Mr Seaton's recollection of his conversation wjth Mr Cockayne and mvseli' is evidently at fault, since neither of U,s gave any indication of agreement with his contention that ryegrass should be eliminated from permanent pastures." The meeting decided to forward a copy of the Minister's reply to Mr Seaton Avitliout comment. Mr J. W. Armstrong said the potato grower was in the worst posi tion. A surplus of grain could be held for another season, perhaps even to the grower's advantage. The potato-grower had been asked to grow more, and he had received a very rough deal. "Why is the farmer left without protection?" ho asked. "The manufacturer is protected—overseas goods are kept out of the country in many instances." Mr Barclay said he thought the Minister had offered potato-growers a guaranteed prico for next season. "Even a guaranteed price is not a great help if there is no' market," Mr Fletcher said. He said that while men were fighting for the Empire for a small wage, farmers had an obligation to produce what was need ed, but they had other obligations also, and these had to be met. Mr Fletcher said he considered ii useless to make any protest. "I feel we have reached a point where these resolutions arc more or less beating the air," he said. CATERPILLARS DESTRUCTIVE Green crops and' turnip crops in various Canterbury districts have recently been suffering considerable damage owing to the ravages of the diamond-backed moth caterpillar and the white butterfly, which has been doing extensive damage to cabbages. The Government Entomologist has liberated ;i parasite in the Ashburton district to cope with the moth, but it i.'< thought that the caterpillars w>!' continue their destructive work until the weather becomes colder.

FACIAL ECZEMA ALLEGED CAUSES "I received an invitation, with expenses paid, from the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, to go to Wellington and give a personal explanation of my successful research and finding of the causes of facial eczema," wrote Mi W, P. Seaton, of Onehunga, Auckland, to Mr C. Gates, secretary of the Morrinsville branch of the Farmers' Union, in a letter which was read to the September meeting of the branch and which was subsequently forwarded by the branch to the Minister for confirmation. Two Distinct Causes. "They seemed very much surprised to find that there were two distinct causes of the disease, i.e., dietetic, where a farmer fails to recognise that sheep and cattle have a cud and further fails to provide roughage so that it can function in times of fibreless growth, and the epidemic cause in which the farmer experiences the above failure and has perennial ryegrass, in the pastures," continued Mr Seaton. "Owing to our climate conditions it has now become almost 100 per cent., ergotised. The spores grow from the ground and when weather conditions are - not favourable for the sporing they remain dormant until they do. As they have an oily surface they don't perish. By using artificial topdressing indiscriminate\y the pasture becomes dominantly perennial rye, and beinu a gross surface feeder it draws the poison of ergot from the soil in the very lirst growth of ryegrass through the sap. I have proved this conclusively in 1914, but because I condemned perennial ryegrass I was looked on as a crank. In my interview with the Minister and Mr Cockayne they admitted they had learned enough to agree with me that perennial ryegrass would have to go out of pea*- 1 manent pastures. That is a comedown for our orthodox scientists, but still I could not get rlieir cooperation. They are more concerned in trying to write me out in some way and save their own face. Epidemic Worse Than Last? "Farmers should know where they stand at once and there is no excause why they should not invite mo to Ruakura, when we could issue a statement letting farmers know the position. What is worrying me is that climatic conditions are exactly the same to-day as the ( y were in 1937 before the epidemic. Everything points to a hot, dry summer yhen we only want humid conditions that may easily give us an epidemic worse than the last. There is no earthly reason why we. should have any," concluded Mr Seaton, "so I trust I will be listened to."

VALUABLE STOCK SAFEKEEPING IN DOMINION) The New Zealand veterinary officer in London has been instructed to inquire Avhclhcr British farmers owning valuable stud stock would like it sent to New Zealand for safety during.the war. Advice to this effect has been received by the I Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which suggested the scheme, from the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Lee Matrin. The secretary reported that he had advised the Minister that it was realised some relaxation of quarantine regulations would be needed. It was not intended that anyone holding the stock should profit from it. While it might be desirable to breed from the stock, any profits would be held, for the owners by the appropriate breed societies. Transport might be arranged by the Imperial Government and the shipping companies.