RURAL RIDES.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20488, 5 March 1932, Page 10

RURAL RIDES.

NORTH " CANTERBURY EWE FAIRS. ' *» . y THE IMPROVED PROSPECTS. No. LXXI. K y (By H.A.M.) > ' ; All roads in North Canterbury load to Ambcrley on Ewe Fair day. Tlic farmer lias often been chided about the lie spends at the sales—not in his own particular district—but it is rea business tliat takes - him to Amberley. Even if lie is not a buyer at the moment he is likely to be at the later Fairs, and the knowledge gained at the first Fair is most valuable and really indispensable. It is the. , first ewe sales, and the most important sheep one in the province—or in the Island, for that, matter—and it establishes a standard oiVvalues for the province as a whole. The huge array of ears parked in the streets of the village bore number plates indicating the long distances from which they came. Whilst oh the subject of car parking,' the Ha.ward.en yards' committee prevented the roadside being used for. this purpose'. Sheep, have been, lost and injured by being hunted arouiid the cars, and the , precaution-.taken in this', respect at Hawarden , could be followed by other' Fair committees. « ■ The Healthy Demand. ;

There is no doubt that the demand for two-tooths -was erratic, but distinctly better than even tho most sanguine expected. One firm realised approximately 3s a head more than v its valuations. This, of course, does not ; necessarily mean that the prices were'that muchbetterthah were expected—valuations are frequently on a basis to encourage sales. However, the figures, indicate the degree of. the advance. - ■ > • -■ • , In tho early part of the' two-tootn sale some nice drafts were, selling at 16s odd. One of these was Mr Gillandors's, which brought 16s 3d. The excellent price (20s) brought by the Hon Mr Forbes's ewes —and they were au even well-clothed lot —set a higher basis, and for some of the pens immediately, following there was an obvious advance of a shilling or two per head. Apparently buyers took stock of the position while adjourning to the yards on the other side of tho road, for with the offering there a fair proportion of this , advance was lost. The Seaview and; Mt* Vulcan ewes sold reasonably on the day, and a small but very classy draft from Cannobielco made 18s. The Overshiels draft of 350 sold at, 18s• Oil:tO;13s sd.-#hc3(> sheep ,wer? 'generally 'conceded to bp. ■ its good us any halfbrcds at the sale. Mr T. Edridge's very classy line of Corriedales were admittedly tho most attractive two-tooths forward, being very uniform, well-grown, and splendidly woolled, This vendor, brings his sheep out well every year, and Monday's offering was entitled to top the market. The Older Sheep. The four-year old sheep at Amberley did not represent the usual selection. The big draft always 1 from Stonyhurst in the past was absent, as were also-the Lowry Hills ewes. These two stations accounted for" about 1200 cast ewes at the 1931 Amberley Fair. The Blythe Downs ewes were- a particularly good type for lamb production, with size, a good close wool,, and the apparent capacity to do the lamb well. At the 14/- the first run off made, they were not' dear in comparison with other drafts. They should be standing' the buyer-a credit after the first year, and one, or perhaps two years, will not finish their utility. Theoretically—and actually, for that matter—it is sound policy to stock up with young sheep, when they are cheap. It means a low capital cost spread over three or four years' ' service, although the first return is likely to be less than from' older ewes. Conversely, the high priced two-tooth means the retention

ofvaii excessive capital cost throughout 'the;ewc.'s life.

The Ha warden Fair. v Tho, feeling that buyers were a •litfelo:'.venturesome at Amberley was t'Xpfectrectv.to- liavu.a>;quietcning effect on tho Last year '.lU&t s6fi.osi<>.< '<asi, after it .prices; 'continueitsly^ia^ilejjed, until at month"' the, Hdva tic«f : on -iHflivarden was \tults : #6/pqi£ ; ewes ftt*lii ely sold, W.t'th." difficijltV jat; 7s at the two-tootlis i qvedv t fe;:ißs to 5.T110 expectaa. dl'ppwj»s.,-r6aiiisc , d over tho (itlst' i'aee.:'_of „twq-.tooths at Hawardcu, particularly /f6r the classier sorts, but the average -good 6h:o (from lis to LGs) sold at only a rriinoi- difference. A really good' from Timpendean Station Hvas : ' passed at 18s at the opening of- .tfie-sale, but was disposed of lnfsr£passed-in Ggurc. iTawardeii J'ias/ been noted for its sliov.' display of .twoTtijotlis, but the money is not about these times to pay • fancv- prices, of them on Thursday only ufadp .;ai couple of shil-lings-Or'so pick of the "nnpampered'a sale expression—ewes. It has. ; t>pen a record bad season in the district for feed, and breeders who brought their sheep out specially in such a year deserved a decent premium. On Amberley values there were some reasonably priced twotooths at Hawardcn.. Ono pcri that attracted special attention j were: Mr 11. B. Kollock's 130 first cross ewes from • Ilomnev rams and Mci'ino ewes, which Iliads 18s ;6d.-.

The cast ewes came forward in much bettor condition than expected, and indicated that there, was a. wetter season on the. hills . than ; in the ' front country. The market was definitely better 'than at' Amberley ■ for_.the Jarmers'' average owe. the class making about Ds to l'2s. There were apparently very few of them that did not go into farmers' hands, as some ol the big drafts were broken up into four or five lots. A pleasing feature about' most of the hill sheep is that their size is being well maintained. A few shillings per head are neither here nor there when it comes to this important point, which generally means a better capacity to "do" twin lambs better, and with woo! at its present price 80 per cent, of tho total consideration lias to bo given to the fat lamb aspect. The two Fairs allayed much uncertainty; as to values —present and prospective—and it would seem that a stable market, should,, rule at: the onsuin" Fairs, the next of which is to bo hold at Little River 011 Mondav. followed by Wniau 011 Tuesday, '"id Calvcrden on Thursday. • , The Hawarden District.

Perhaps no district in North Canterbury, and perhaps including Mid-Canterb-irv. was affected so much by tire drought as the flat and downs or Hawarden. The district was placed in a cleft between the hills, where showers were periodical, and the sonsfcal areas. tfas 1 efrvy. - "EvffleVice' oP tTils ■ raM«tw& neglect north of Waikari can be seen in the lieavv top erowth of turnips on tlife 6011 th side of the Weka Pass, where there is a springliVp appearance qt present. , . . i Some of the lightest wheat "yields on record were reaped at Hawarden, although there were quite a'number up to 30 busliels or more, but the heavy yields for winch the is notec. were few and far between. Hint stocu sho'ild be looking'so well is a strikm o tpstrmnnv to the grazing quality ol- tne district. * One "old timer," stressing this aspect to the writer, mentioned that he bad seen tin* country as bare as a table," but still fat stock came off it. Limestone country is the hrs* to show the effects of a dry spell as it is the first to respond to the rain. The rains of three weeks ago. wincn deluded many other parts, brightened up the country side; but there is st'l a great need of moisture to bring the turnin >crop along to anything, and stimulate tlie growth of green leed, of which the area of land turned oier suggests tlicrfi will bo nn increase. In the South. A month ago this column contained, a few observations on ■ conditions in Central Otago. The abundance of feed on the Maniototo Plain, and the excellent condition of the stock were noted, and . a suggestion was also made that, as time went on, Soutli and MuiCantorbury lamb-raisers might find this source of supply for breeding ewes nocessary and desirable. There hss been a moderate trade in Central Otago ewes for some years, but it is understood that it will- bo increased this season. There should be room, for them. At the two Fairs held so far,in North Canterbury, the total sheep offered were 37,000; last season they were 47;0f)0. and two years ago 67,000. The Fairs next week may have larger entries than last year, but the North Island supply has disappeared, and just a. little concern is warranted as to where all the ewes required will come from. This concern may have , had some influence .on the solid prices realised. To return to the note about Central Otago. A Canterbury man visiting that district the other day mentioned

to the writer the case of one farmer who sent to the Refrigerating' Co.'s works at Burnside, on January 12th, a first draft of 360(i lambs out of 5000— the flock lambed 150 per, c«t.—and they averaged 37.51b., Another draft of 1100 ° Maniototo lambs went 40.51b. Verv few drafts are ffoing away under 351b weight. It would appear that the reputation for "Prime Canterbury" this season is to be partially maintained by the aid of the South, although this claim lias been much overdone in the past.