FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1223, 4 September 1911, Page 8

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION,

HOME AGENTS IiEPORT. A niseting of tho Noiv Zealand Producers' Association was held-in'tho New Zealand runners' Union rooms on Thursday, but tho proceedings -were not open to the press. It is understood, however, that the negotiations for the improvement of tho South-West India Docks to accommodato New Zealand shipping arc progressing satisfactorily. In reporting on the handling of'frozen mutton, Mr. Shelton (Homo representative of tho association) says that sonio-ot' tho truclis used in conveying mutton and lamb from van to stalls have 'no hacks to protcct their load from slipping off, and so o. couple of c.ircasSes are stuck between tho battens to make a temporary buck,-and .are thus seriously damaged. Some of the vans are all that can bo'desired, while others are .very incomplete and unsatisfactory, but :improvements, are now being made, and it is only a matter of timo to get the system put right. Mr. Shelton considers tho suggestion to have rails from van to stalls, to carry the meat, is impracticable. Ho also thinks that the practice of overloading slings containing carcasses is a ; fertile source of damage, and recommends ■ not more than 20 td 25 carcasses as a maximum load. Tho question •of ' the effect on meat : through variation of 'temperature is be:ing investigated by Mr. .Shelton, and among the Opinions he has reecivcd is : one from Mr. Chtirles H. Utley, president of the Quincy Cold Storage Company, Boston, U.S.A., who writes: "Goods that : aro frozen, principally meats, iish, and butter, could bo held for an indefinite . period of time, though, there would be some ■ deterioration affecting their palatibility. but not making them unwholesome.'' In reply to Mr. Shelton's inquiries,'he says: (1). A steady temperatiiro will produce better result tlian a varying: one, a steady temperature of 15 decrees 'Fall, would keep meats (in my opinion) practically an indefinite period. Many of our patrons, however, r believo a lower temperature gives better results, so that Iwe 'mostly store goods of-this kind at nearly zero. A.variation' of temperaturo from 15 to 20 would ho less desirable, and probably show inpro undesirable effects than a variation of 10 to 15. (2) I do not believe that goods mentioned would show deterioration on account of an occasional temperature of 4.' if at no tinio the temperature exceeded 15. (3) My .own belief is that the best results are obtained by quick freezing in-'zero temperature, followed by holding at a nnilorm teiupcraturo'of 12 to 15. '

MOUMAHAKI STATE FARM. .TEE AYRSHIRE HERD. ' licferring to the experiments in tLc breeding of Ayrshire* now bc-hi'g carried -Oil at the Moumah«ki Stato Farm,.to detenu ins their utility' for dairying purposes, a Hawera "Star" reporter,, who visited - the farm last week, states that tho 'manager (Mr. Lonsdale) lias caro f of a'hard of twenty at present, and with those it ia expected to found a herd of the best milking-strains. .- /Having given tho most careful attention to the selection of sires and dams,. litest which is regarded as infallible is applied to .sen whether tho. animals arc free from tuberculosis. - Should any animal- show signs of disease, she is' at once ■disposed of in such a way that there will be 110 possibility of her transmitting tuberculosis to .offspring. . By talcing these precautions the Department is 'nble to guarantee all stock sold as absolutely free from disease. Another 'important point is'that no bull is retained in the heard whose dam does not show a good 'record,-and every factor that might count against tho best results in the offspring is carefully eliminated. Two of the bulls on'the farm at present have already beon sold,.coo to a Hawera dairy farmer, and tho other to ...... an Auckland fnrmer. In selling' no attempt' is made to obtain fancv prices, - end the.figure paid in eaeli of the cases ttonfionod was 15 guineas. In breeding. Mr. Lonsdale attaches gTeat importance to the records, and he holds that, this is the only reliable guide. The milk mtist bo weighed and tested right through the season, and oulv when a satisfactorily high standard is reached in the results-is it wife to breed from cows if' tho object is to build up a perfect herd. No bull from an inferior i cow is over used on the farm, nor would he tho sold to- another farmer to breed from, is discarded as useless. Each year "•"''it is expected to have a certain number of young bulls for sale. SOCIETIES. MOVEMENT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. A verjr practical step has bsen taken by the South Australian Government in the. direction of making an organised effort to improve the draught horses of the State. On the recommendation of Professor Lowric, Director of Agriculture, the Government has decided to assist in instituting a scheme of encouraging farmers and others to raise' the -standard of their draughts by establishing horsebreeding societies on somewhat- similar lines to those of Scotland, nnd tho horse improvement scheme instituted last year bv the British Government. The ,voc:o----ti-ss will be liberally' subsidised' by the Slate, and care taken to secure the services of really good 'typical sir-?s. The formation cf such societies should'stimulate' horic-brcadins very decidedly (says «n Australian writer) and the quality of •the uiTiiiglii stock will T>o in'j»rcv<Kl <\s sue-ee-SY-ive gsr.erahons of mares come to the .. 7 1 nc schema does not aim at reducing tho fees to I* paid bv the owners of mares. One object is that tho snbmdy should'be made the means of increasing inducements to breeders to introduce first-class sires from Scotland or ftew Zealand by augmenting tho fees to be earned by a good horse. Profeasor Lowrio flunks it likely that, as enth-js-' lasm and tiro spirit «f emulation among the societies grew, as, has occurred jn Scotland, tlia.t some ot them, whcii they tailed to secure for the premium they could oiler horses of the desiied breeding' friul fjuciliij in flic Slate, would bo enter- - prising enough ro send delegates to tho eastern States or to New Zealand to <«. euro horses- up to thciu aim for the <cason. Professor '1.0v,-rio savs: "We - have to confess that our draught horses do not compare mineral average quality with the hordes .in New- Zealand, or even, in Victoria, l \nd - there is good reason to urge that an improvement in quality is niiicu to be desired as well as an inere-i'o ,111 the numbers bred. Tqo large a proportion oi t.\e farmers now breeding a tew ioais a year, through carolessno«s or ignorance, use poor ouaiitv draught «ire< mongrel roadsters, or weedy thoroughbreds, because they can hire tho service cheaply, failing to realise what will bo '• tho diiicrcnee in value at three years old ;. given care, and judgment in rearing, be- ■■ hveen the colt by a'typical sire, nnd that by a mongrel, lhe'bleeder's axiom—the ; , best pay beat—is overlooked." ; GENERAL, FARMING NEWS. The Wellington_Provincial Executive of - ir° i ar ™, Br T s have arranged with Mr. David Jones, organiser of"the Cantorbury I'ar.nerr, Political Federation, to givo addresses in various parts of the province, commc icing at Mastorton on September 13. Matters of general interest to. tanners and tho platform of. the union will be tho mam topics of the addresses. It is stated that Mr. C. E. Daiiiell has . purchased ,t">vo blocks of white pine bushfrpm Messrs. Percy Bros., of To" Ore Ore tiie intention lieing to cut the trees into butter boxes, cheese cases, and meat pack- ' ing cases. It is anticipated that the bush purchased will supply enough material for two years' supply. ... A Levin farmer, Mr. P. E. Palmes, has town tlireo acres of his farm with lucerno nnd purposes putting down another five acrcs. Dairy farmers mnst have strong sorvico üblo and, easily-cleaned cans. Victor is the namo of tho can that suits every requirement, and it pays handsomely to uso these cans and no others. Every lid will fit every can. Send for a catalogue to Albert J, Parton, Carterton* *

HEWS AND NOTES.

l-.xperiiufnts carried out with lucerne in the l-'eilding district aro said to have been 3 complete success. Mr. 11. J. Bo: t!i supplies- the I'eilding "Star" witli tho following . particulars in regard" to a . pjpt- of lucerne on his fjirm, - Kimbolton ltoad:—The ground on which . the seed was sown is river deport. It ; had previously been cropped for several , years, and before putting in tho lucerne the owner had it thoroughly ploughed . and worked. A mixture of superphosphate and sulphate of potash was applied to the soil, but in tho opinion of Mr. Booth this did not do much good to the crop. At the end of the first year the leaves took on. a sickly, yellow appearance, and Mr. Booth put the discs on and gave it a thorough working, in addition dressing it with lowt. lime and Jcwt. sulphate of potash to the acre. The lucerne then went ahead rapidly, and. now,'at the end of the fourth season, it is firmly established. It is cut four times a year, an ordinary mower being used, and made into hay. Mr. Booth's opinion is that it makes tho best, hay, r.-id for horses, cattle, sheep, or pigs it is the best food that can be got. Planting operations in the various orchards in tho Nelson district have given employment to a considerable number cf persons oi' late. Sonio settlers at Mo.utero are stated to have planted -10 or 50 acres, and .it Kuby Bay as many as 150,000 trees have been landed for the orchardists in that neighbourhood. Some thousands of trees aro being added to the already cxtensivo orchards at Motueka. Testimony to the increasing popularity of the Holstein breed of cattle was offered in Levin last week, and an incidental proof ( given of the high; value placed by good judges upon the herd now maintained at tho Weieroa State I'aTm, says the "Horowhenua Chronicle." The firm of Palgety -and Co., on behalf of a client at ralmerston North, made an offer of .£IOO to the manager of tho State Farm for ono of, the registered cows of the Holstein herd. The Department declined this offer. Later on a seo.ond offer was- made by tiie Palmerston farmer direct. He raised his offer to J3200. This tempting offer was'also' declined, and the animal stays on in'her old-Quarters. , Ayrshire cattle, according to the manager of (ho Monmahnki State Farm,'are highly strung and nervous animals, but .with quiet treatment they aro very docile and easily managed. They are not, as Styne erroneously suppose, wild in nature, and if their temperaments are studied quieter cattlo could not be desired. Sir. Lonsdale's experience is that nervous cows give the test results. Ayrshires do not give high-tests, but-they are admitted to be the best breeds for making cheese. They, give a large quantity of milk, and wliat is very important, they will live and do well (mu:h better than Shorthorns or Jerseys) on poor country. Arrangements are being made for Mr. D. Jones. organisor of • tho Canterbury section of the Farmers' Political Protection Federation, to address meetings throughout tlio "Wellington province. _ Jliv Jones will probably, begin in the AVairarapa about tho middle of 'this month. A number of-additional diseases under; the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act are. gazetted, and includo tho following us. coming within the" moaning of 1 tho_ Act':--Lemon brown rot, lemon buctoriosb, currant or gooseberry borer, grey scab of lemon, arid gypsy moth. Mr. J. G. Wilson, president of the Far-, mors' Union, who Was asked bv the re-, ceat Dominion Conference to give a..resume of what ho knows about t.he growth of maize, "has of late been collecting a good 'deal -of information as to the varieties grown and tho experience of others in ooiiTiectioh with the growth und feeding of maize. Mr. Dibble, lato manager of the Ruakura farm, and who is now i:i Ihu Feilding district, has been asked by several branches of the Farmers' Union to give his experience of mangold .growing. Mr. Dibble is ' to address a'mceting' ttt Sandou rtt an early date, his subject being' ensilage. The question of merchants only allowing ono" price for both wheat and. oat sacks when retained was scrtrelv commented on at a meeting of tho St. Andrew's branch ef tho Farmers' Union. Members considered a loss of ljd. and ljd. too much to lose on each sack. Finally the- following resolution was carried: "That this branch protests against mei'chants charging one prico to farmers on all sizes of grain sacks whe.n returned with produce, and that-this resolution bo forwarded, to the executive for consideration." Tho question of loss of sacks and short weight in the settlement, of accounts was considered, -several members .remarking that- tho district must bo losing thousands of pounds in this manner. \ ■ 1 Possibly no animal iii this country is . subject to more abuse, frequently amounting to cruelty, than. the pig, which is often kept wallowing in dirt and filth, exposed to cold, in miserable, open sheds, and without litter of any description, says Mr. J. L. Bruce, in an article on pigs in tho "Journal of the Department ( of Agriculture." Apart from the cruelty of it, pig-keeping under theso conditions cannot bo profitable. Under proper conditions, but nrobably contrary to_ tho belief of som6 pig-keepers; the pig is naturally a clean animal in its habits, and deserves more huniano treatment than ; is "often meted out to it. LIVE STOCK SALES. Messrs. DoJget-y ar.d Co. (palmerston branch) state:—We have to report having held a special hogget- sale at Marton, on Thurrxiay last, when there' was a gocd attendance, ' buyers being present from Wanganm, Taranaki, Waikato, and Ma.iterton districts. Competition was very , keeii, especially for the better-class hoggets, of which there' were a larger number yarded, the total entry being BCCO. Cull flitted lioggots. 6s, 2d. to IDs.: small wot-hcr hogcet-s, 9s. Id.; 93. 5d.,- lfo. to 10s. Ed.; medium wether hoggets, lis. 9d., 125.-to 12=. Bd.; better-class wether boggcts. 135., 13s. Ed. to lis. Id.: small ewe hongcts, 10;., lis. Bd. to 12s. 4d.;.-medium ewe hoggets, 12s. lid. to 13s. 3d.; good-ewe hogget 3, 14s. 7(1., 14s. lfld. to 155.: best ewe hoggets, 15s. 9d. to 153. lid.; 2-tooth wetliers, 15S. Messrs. Dalgety and Co. report:—At oux Palmerston North sale, on ThurEday la.'it, a small entry of both sheep and cattlo came to hand. Medium ewe hoggets, to lis. 3d.; owes with lambs, to ISs.lCd. Cattle: Small weaners, 17s. .6(1.; weaner steers, 305.; empty heifers, £3, £3 45., £3 55.; empty cows, to £3 10s. : Reporting on their,FeildinK sale on Friday.last. Messrs. Dalgety and Co. state:— A fail- yarding of both sheep and cattlo came to hand, and sold as below:—Aged ewes in lamb, ss. 7ci.; cull: ewe hoggets, 7s. 9d.; wothcr hoggets, to lis. lid.; ewe hoggets, to 1 Js. Bd.; sma.U mixed yearlings. 28s. 6d.; dairy heifer 3, £4 4s. to £4 15s. COMMERCIAL ITEMS. INVESTMENT SHARES. The sales of investment shares recorded on Saturday were: Christchwrch fla-s at £9'145., Standard Insurance at 31s. 10d„ ajid N.Z. Consolidated Dental at 235. The buying and selliug quotations were as'under:— Buyers. Sellers. I £ s. d. s. d. N.fl. Lean and Mercantile — 017 9 N.Z. ami Kiver Plate ?. 0 6 — Vr'cll. Investment 0 11 9 — Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 9 0 — Well. Deposit — 0 0 0 Felidiitfc Gas ; 116 1 S 6 Napier Gas (£5) 12 0 0 Well. Ga,i (new) 2 15 0 - Well. Gas (rights) 0 0 4 0 0 6 Christchurch Meat — Ifi 2 6 Well. Woollen (prof.) 3 1 0 3 2 0 Wcstport Coal 18 9 Sharland's ordinary — '14 9 Tarannki Petroleum — 017 3 TTringawntu Totara — 2 7-6 Ward and 00 ~ f> 1 0 . Crown Brewery — 1' 17 6 ADVANCE IN SUGAR. The advance in pucar by another pound por ten wMI hit the storekeepers, uhld.-s they decide to pacs the odvarvee on to (heir customers. Sugar is what is known as a leadinpr line with most grocers,' and is generally retailed at about actual cost, and sometimes at a loss. Tho price of sugar in Australasia is raift t-o be regulated by the quotations ruling for beot s\t?ar in Kuropc. If this be so, then tho advancc i-s fully warranted. bceau?c German bcot sugar is now up to £15 lC*. por ton, and first marks stand-s at about £18 per ton. A year ago the prices wero £13 ss. and £16 10s. respectively. It is matter for comment that not much, if any, sugar is imported from the East. Supplies should he available from Java, China, and Mauritius-

CUSTOMS. The Customs revenue ro'.lfrtcd at the port of Wellington on Saturday totalled £1129 os. <M., the amount for the wcok heinc £18,156 Is. 6d. The return for c:\t-ii of the past eicrht weeks, compared with tile figures for the corresponding period. of list year, show as under:— 1911. 1910, . July 15 27,889 22,2.12 . ' July 22 13,126 9,060 July 29 21.343 23,362 Aug. 5 11,608 18,282 Auk. 12 25,137 2-3X55 Aug. 19 11,592 10,161 Aug. 26 15,965 26,163 Sort. 2 18,156 11,395 m. < , . . H5 ' 016 143.735 <.<£», r 'h'ty. f° r the week amounted to £<.C 3 65.. as against £202 7s. for the corresponding week of last year. FROZEN MEAT. By Telegraph—l'rcss Association-Copyriehl (Rec. September 3, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 2. Tho Frozen Meat Trado Association's Sroithfield market auotationa for tho undermentioned classes of frozen meat aro based on actual sales of not less than one hundred carcasses of mutton or lamb, or twenty-fivo quarters of beef of fair averago quality. The quotations aro not for' selected- lines, but for parcels fairly representative of the bulk of tho shipments now on tho market. Tho prices which follow are on an avoratre a farthing per lb. moro thap the value ei ship, this difference representinc an averago cost in expenses,'- handling, conveyance, and selling tho meat:— Aug, 26. Sept. 2. Mutton— d. d. ■ Canterbury, light — — Canterbury, medium 51 51 Canterbury, heavy — — Southland — 313-16 .North Island, best 33 313-16 ■ North Island, ordinary — 311-15 Australian, light 3ii 3A Australian, heavy 31 3i River Plate, light 32 33 River Plate, heavy 3 9-16 3 9-16 Nov/ Zealand owes 3} 3 3-16 Australian ewes 33 . 3J River Plate owes 33 31 Lamti:— • " Canterbury, light 61 51 Canterbury, medium 51 5J Canterbury, heavy 5 5 Southland : 53-16 5} North Island, selected ... 5 3-16 5», North Island, ordinary 5J 51-16 ' Ausiralian. best — — Australian, fair — — Australian inferior — — River Plate, first <2 <8 River Plate, first 4% 4| Beef :— New Zealand, ox fore? ... 21 Now Zraland, ox hinds... 3* Australian, ox fores 1\ 2J Australian, ox hinds ... 3 5-16 30-lfi River Plato, ox fores ... J 5-16 21 Diver Plate, ox hinds ... Hiver Plate, chilled fores 21 21 Itivcr Plate, chillcd binds 3jj l\ New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Atrency Company. Ltd.. have received tho following cablegram from their I/indon house, under date Sept-ember I:—Frozen Meat: Tho market is steady for mutton, unchanged for beef, but slightly . weaker for' lamb. I ; London' markets. J3y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Bee. September 4, 0.45 a.m.) . , London, September 3 TiiUter: Danish, 1335. - Wheat: Six cargoes of Australian sold at 3<s. 104(1. to 3£s. '6d.: also 13.CC0 quarters, September and October shipment, at 365; 6tl. ' The hides sales are neglcetcd. Offerings -withdrawn. - Basils aro Arm. First New Zealanda, lE. 7d. TARANAKI OIL. PROGRESS REPORT FROM LONDON. Uiy Telegraph.—l'ress Association.) New Plymouth, September 2. A further cablegram from Mr. • Carter, chairman of tho Taranak'i Petroleum Com-' nany, who is in London, indicates that ■ tho capital of the new company is underwritten to' a sufficient extent to provide for the whole of tho purchase money,' as well as a large proportion of tho proposed working capita!, tho whole of which, however, will bo fully guaranteed before notation. . Tho prico obtained for tho oil in stock is fourpcnce por gallon, or about £35(0. , NORTH OTAGO GRAIN. (By' Telegraph.—Press Association.) Oamaru, September 3. The markets durinz. the week have been stationary, awl few transactions have taken placo. The cereal stocks arc low, and these are being held for higher prices. Prime velvet is quoted at 3s. 9d. to is. Ltd. f.0.b., and tuscan at a penny lower. Oats aro practically cleared out. Gortons are emoted at 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d. Barley sells at 4s. 3d. to 43. 6{d. first grade, and second gpade at 4s. Potatoes axe quoted at £2 to £2 7s. 6d„ -with very little demand. Ryegrass, clover, and cocksfoot are in strong reouest, with excellent demand. Rain is badly wanted here.

MINING NEWS. WELLINGTON SHARE MA.BKET. Waihis weakened considerably on Saturday, and were on offer at 695. 9d„ or ss. 6d:- below the highest price realised on Friday. There is nothing to account for the lull, except that proiit-takiiig is pretty general. The sales recorded on Saturday woro as under:— Wa-ilii, 70s. 6d., 70s. 6d., 70s. 6d„ 71s. 6d. (liret call). lVaihi Grand Junotion. 28s. 3d. (third call). Tho buying and selling quotations wore as under:— • . Buyers. Sellers. £> s. d. j)s. d. Con. Goldfields 019 0 019 9 Now Sylvia ' 0 2 4 0 2 6 Saxon 0 l 11 0 2 1 Tairua Mines — o 010 Talisman 2 10 0 — Waihi ; 3 8 6 3 9 9 wailu Extehded 18 3 18 6 Boss 0 2 0 — Murray Creek 0 5 0 — . The course of sales during tho past week was as under :— ilaorUand, 5Jd. New Sylvia, 2s. lid., 2s. 10(1., 2s. Bd., 2s. 7d. t'alisuia-n, 5Cs., 50s. 3d. Waihi, 615.: 9d., 635. 6d., 635. 6d., 655. £-d„ 655. 6d., 675.-fed., 675. Gd,, 670. 6d„ 675. 6d 695., 695. 6d„ ,705., 705., 725. 6d„ 735. 6d„ 74s 9d„ 75.-., 755. 3d., 745., 725„ 70s. 6d., 70s. 6d„ 70s. 6d., 71s. 6d. Woihi Grand Junotion, 28s. 3d,, 235., 28s. 3d., 295., 28s. 3d. . .Itoss, 2s. 2d. Tho Wellington Stock Excliango received tho following telegram on Saturday l'rain the Worksop Dredgiug Company:—"ileturn, 119oz. l<dwt. for 127 hours." STOCK EXCHANGE. (By TcleeraDh.—Press Association.) Auckland, September, 2. Business dono at tno morning call on Change included:— Waiotalii,' 3s. 2d. Hauraki Iteefs (conj. Is. 6d. Golden Crop's, lOcl. . 't-airua Mines, lUd.. lid, Waihi, £3 lCs., £3 9s. 6d. Grand Junction, £1 Bs. 9d„ £1 8», -d Kuranui Caledonian, Is. 3d. New Zealand Insurance, £4 11=. Auckland Gas, £3 Bs, 6(1. ot i Duncdln, September 2. Stock Exchango sales:— ■ Waihi, £3 10s. (four parcels). Sailor's Bend. 7s. 6d. reported :-Wailii, £3 12s.' 9d., £3 DREDGING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) _ , . Duncdin, September 2. Dredging returns: Itisinc Sun, 3aoz. 13dwt-.: Otago, 190z. : Rie-e and Shine No. 1 we. 3dwt.: Golden Sun, 7oz. 7dwt • Wa : kaka United No., 1. 16ob. 12dwt.- \*o *2 12oz. lCdwt.: Worksop, 119oz. Wdwt.: Ka'ndv Point, 270z. 16dwt. 12gr.; Sailor's 11-nd 690z. lCdwt.; O'.rig, Boz. 3dwt '