FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1635, 31 December 1912, Page 8

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

THE FARMING YEAR. ' A GENERAL REVIEW. . : -^^.';PEO,^PBEITY'IN' THE LAND. S It jis of the farmer i that Jhp , ;;neyeriialla .'yery.: much > when.-, things \are going well; .and there ; has been' a ■'silence/ tor,'6ome'7time pasti which;,would, ■indicate that>.general prosjierity.'rests on land;' The Wool-grower is quite'happy, .'the', outlook, fo'rT,himibemgTrose-tinted.':The prospects frozen-meat trade would' be brightTbut' -for,"one of 'trouble with tho Wugbtermen as to ;rates;of' wages;-.etc., just '.when the fat shjbk iS'-bcing. rushed in. to: the /freezing' .works.:' Dairymen; Sot' in "such , a, : st'fong:.'position'" as;:th'e'y7werein-this; time' ;last' year, 'when*' record prices'were ruling,' ljut .still very. high', and dairy, farmers' ShSultt Ibo' well.'.cOntent with their, lot: i, •' 'V Dairying. .V.The -Dominion*' experienoed : a io're remarkable"diiirjing'year than"Jast' season; - which, . of/course, rail -well into the: present year. '; .phenomenal 'prices were I recorded,:and records were'established for. '.both-.butter; : and\ clieese.. ■, The consigning butterTinaters did much better .than those 'who sold their outputs,, and many of thosewho. sold: last; season ,ief;use<i the extrapr■Uinar'ily"high' prices'.bjfered. liy! buyers tit the 'beginning _'of .'.the season, anticipating',thif, fyices.'ati Home' would be as : high.'ibr'!higher,'this- year-than ;iast".. As :a;matter''.bf : fact, ; ; i had they sold instead of ; consigning,; they-' would,, ■ considering the. 'Opening 1 ' prit'es', l ' at? any rate,- have' made. 'abeginhirig.' .','The'.rates .ruling' iiiLondpn 'have.b'eenVve'iiy good, but'nothing •like ■ as; as - the ndea of j value' many ; : The moral is to, follow.tho oiie coursi;.persistently. ;Either consign; regularly', and, take :the, good iwi'th; ;the -bad;,, or "sell : regularly. •' ' , ;Clieese.;value'9' have .been 'a little'.discon-,: ceriingj the- ,big; increase, that .has ; taken vpiace; in the"' amount of - this;

.produce, manufactured: in; the Dominion' [tliisiyear.' 'Quite a number, of .factories .Ijayc 'installed cheese "plants,'-' as''a result -of. last ..'s.sason's.,prices, and, a . few.,have :even : 'turned',from butter, to cheese. The. .Canadian, expo.rt figures .were expected to f lower than .. ever' pis. year, . but.: such Qias.'iiot'beeh' , :the crfse,.:'and cheese;. prices. areHnofc ;expected[;to;,advance- much fur-"' theri'.V' 1 .... v ■ , Some idea'of tli^' ; variations in the price of the best .butter and; cheese 'this 1 season;: as":c'6mparea .with-Jast Reason, can be gained, fronj: the High : Commissioner's .- cable- [ grains: for the months.. •of both years:''.These.'.'a're":— . ■ ■; :. ' ; '' BUTTER. " /V : :Eer cwt. per ewt. : : r■ v-':: 1011 - 1912. Nivembor'' ir i3O ".' 12V'. November. -18 i..;... 131. ' 120, 'Nov'ember," 25 ' 132 , 116 Decsmbor- 2 ,132 . 118 '.Djifcemlier il?.', .'.'....1..... '132. ; . = 122 December 1 1G A 132 ■ 120 v Dsc'embar ,23 129." . [124 ■■ " Per.cwt. Per cwt. ib;tjl p T „::. .>:• .. . 1911,. 1912, ' si ;. iNovemhef ; 'ii^/,:.v.. l i..V: No-quote*. No quote.' November/\lß'/Y'; , ... , ;^.-V..68,'i 1 .['o3.* :Noyemb6i'2s , .;.'.:;i..?.A ; ...G8 [ '"61 December [ 2% V'. 69 : 'GO,'6 .Deesniter' G9 / l :, , .Gl/G December. 1G . 63 ; G2/G ;E(ei*emliet" .'JO '. ..-i6l', The' Casein Industry. ' , .• J During : .the year,; Mr;: L Pedersen, ,of ' the''.Dairy:.;.Division ['.of. the- Agricultural 'P'epartment, 'was sent" to Europe to m'ake

investigations into; the casein industry, ;whic.li industry has. engaged .the ; ,thouglit :of many Zealand" dairymen fot,'-some. time past. The outstanding.-fact; disolos-ie.d-by/;Jlr.:Pederseri's inquiries as to the prospects; for casein~bnvthc/world's roar-'.kets-.;was 'that .while ithe ■■ demand; for the rapidly, in- < creasing for. human 'consumption—as 'for .•skim milk, cheese-r-thi) uses, for ..'casein in ;.tlie ! manufacturing world are rapidly juult 'tiiilying. :The. former demand must.; not .Silly Ser,ra,,to maintain i inevita.lily ; .tehtl ; ';tp,s*ni'!ike manufacturers more dependent j/n -outside 'sources of "casein''.suppljjf In opinion;, New '■ -Zealand /dairyicompames, l . with' a properknowledge ■bfpthe; test-methods; .of.-, preparation, for- ■ tified' by; the; ; i Government, grading, should: •Have no difficulty' in 'supplying ;the higli-' • quality' .article in : demand. - Buyers pur-.

ch'ase'.Jstrictlyi according to ..quality, " and, with ; lyrfacilitated.'" Takiiig pverytKihg ' iiito: 'tbHaideratioii; Mr. Pe'dersetf coiisiders' the oiitlook for casein .manufacture . in New Zealand, to be good, and lie thinks casein should ; beconie . an ' important factor in ■ connection VwUJI-'-.JBo' dairying industry of the "Dominion. Y:/Y,." ... v- .• Home Separation., , ■ ,'*fn. spite of the,contentions,of the Gov.eriiMsnt' experts .and. others intereste.d in . dairying; :that>home' separation is. not in . theVbest: interests,; ofthe dairy industry, home Reparation[.continues... to flourish: exceedingly .'''The-system, in fact, , has becomS established as a/ necessary ; phase of r'Neir Zealand dairying, and is practically, ■the: base .of the huge industry/in the Auckland: province!,' where dairying has gone ahead; by leaps and. boynds. It seems be.yond question, that"home' separation has 'coiri'e to stay, 'and that .being so every ef- ; fort 'should be- .made.' to control it and impress".upon , farmers :the absolute neces6ify >;for .'cleanliriess and the - proper handling, of.-^the..creamand the separator, Whey Butter. - , . : Some concern' was expressed during the .year.regarding.the! export of whey, butter, ; •arid- the Minister .for .Agriculture, (the .Honi, W : . P. Massey) stated .publicly thatarrangements were, being made for'-.but-ter ,iiianufacture'd: from .whey to bo exported under a separate brand from "creamery" butter. Care, he said, would be. faken to see.that ,whey, butter, if ex:;pp.rfed, .would be-known .'as such,; so ..as not to .interfere' with or affect the. high standard of New Zealand-made. ..creamery 'biittorl,- - v ,' ; :.;..i;; ■ - .: Semi-Official Testing. ,i.The semi-official testing- .'of- pedigree dairy stock has been takeu' up during tlio.j I year,. and • Holstein and Jersey breeders

have embraced the opportunity of ;having ,their* Stock officially testZed. The, idea' -is: new. as yet,' but next ' .season will perhaps see it taken, full ad- : ' Vantage of, as is'tna case in America; . What theolnvestor Thinks. ; Soirio 'idea"; df. : tlie confidence: investors .tKave'in the :futiire iif, the dairy industry [may bo. gleaned from tho number 1 of--new.companies registered diirihg the year, the capital- sunk-, in twenty-se.ven new: , dairying..eoncerns' being The 'year's .registrations were as under:— ■' Company;; . Capital. ■Jlokauiti Dairy. Co. SiOOO. Jfomoua'Co'.-op. Dairy '. 2,000 Wakarqa Dairy -Factory . ;.. 2,000 Tologa Cff-op; Dairy 5,000 Kolii Co-op. Daii'y ; i), 000 ,Fairfax Dairy.' Factory 2,000' ..Moturoa: Co-op. Dairy 2,000 ■Rotanui [Co-op....Dairy 1,000. -Tho BtoSvn's'Co-op.-Dairy • 2,000 Lake County- Co-op.: Dairy .......... 2,000. :Avo,u;l)alry Co. ...' 5,000 •Ra])ahrii Co-op; Dairy <5,000 'Tarawer'a'Co-op. .Dairy 5,000 Awakiiio' Co-op. Dairy >.. 4,000 Okau Co-op. Dairy 3,000 Kaimata Co-op. Dairy ............... 4,000 Papatawa Co-op. Dairy 2,000 Horsham DowHis Co-op. Dairy ... : 5,000 •ililtoib Co-op. Dairy [ 2,000 JCumara Dairy-Fa'ptory , 2,000 •>Waitalia, Co-op. Dairy 2,000. ■Waikanguru Co-op. Dairy .5,000 West Coast Farmers' Dairy 4,000 Wnikato Co-op. Dairy 25,000. a,-, Tota- —................ 99,000 : In a(l(lition;• to' - tlio.'. above 1 ' daii'y;. companies tlieie, : we'.v also:— The New" Zoflniid' Casein Co. 5,000 The Eureka Alargariue Co. 10,000 Wool Prospects Good. Thii wool market is particularly, healthy ["at present, althouah tno early part of the

NEWS AND WOTBS,

year was far from good. Farmers will start the New Year with wool in a very strong, position, anil prospects' in' this connection could haVdly .be brighter. In connection with tho wool market, it. is interesting to note that tlie Wool Importers' Committee lias fixed. the following dates for tho London sales for the coming year:— ■ First series Jan. 14 ' Second series March 4 • Third'series' -.v........'..:.. April 22 , ,Fourth .series July i- ; Fifth series Sept. 23 , •• Sixth series Nov, 25 The Sheep Flocks, 'The sheep returns up. to April 30 show a deficit of 245,973,> fts against the 1911 figures, 198,204 ot the falling-oft being in the North, Island and 49,709 in the South. - The figures compare as under April; 1911. April, 1912. North Island J2,814,353 12,618,059 South Island 11,181,773 11,132,064 : • -23,996,126 23,750,153 The number ;of slisep in the Dominion each year since.lß92 has been :—IS92, 18,570,752; 1893, 19,380,369 ; 1894, 20,230,829; ,1895,. 19,826,604; 1896, 19,138,493; 1897, -19,687,954; 1898, 19,673,725; 1899, 19,348,506; 1900, 19,355,195; ilOOl, 20,233,099; 1902, 20,342,727; 1903, 18,954,553; 1904, 18,280,806; 1905, 19,130,875; 1906, 20.108,471; . 1907, 20,983,772; 1908,'22,4.19,053; 1909; 23,480,707; 1910, 24,269,620; 1911; 23,996,12G; 1912, 23,750,153:" .. ' j Imports of. Pedigree Stock. ' Tho year"'has been an' -eventful-'one as regards the,importation of pedigree stock .with whiohi/to; build up the nocks and herds of the. Dominion. •,. Big prices have been;, paid. for. higli-class dairy stock' and•'for • stud: sheep,'..whilst ith'e 'number ,o"f Clydesdale' horses 'imported from; Scotland' has.been particularly heavy. The import figures' 1 available' up' toj March 31, tlie, end of . the. Department of Agriculture's year,".are .•••ai.' un'dei.' the 1910-11' figures' being also given:— : ' -1911-12. 1910-11. Bulls■ 51 40 . . ..Cows and heifers ... 112 . 97 , Bams -38. .; 44 " .' Ewes ■ ,67 , . .74'.,' - Horses ...... 5 — Pigs • 40 [Most; of the horse, imports have been made during .the past six. nionth's.] Exports of Stock. There has; been :a .brisk',,business in the export of stock'. throughout the year, and some indication of tile volume of tliis :traffic can be gleaned from: the figures .'for' th,e eleven months ended with November, compiled from the monthjy reports issued/by the Department of Agriculture. These, are:—; • - . ■ HOKSES. 3?or . Australia; 1896' For Pacific Islands /187 For.' Singapore''' .........A.......... 1 For England 4 For Fiji . -4° :l'' CATTLE. ' 5. For Australia f For. Pacific Islands 383 For Java .••••• •••••••• .'-Si : . '. ~ SHEEP., ■ ' ■For. Australia ........... 3632 For; Pacific Islands 2752 For South America' •'..... ;144 SWINE. For Pacific Islands 579 Sheep for America. Quite a number of New: Zealand-bred sheep, have passed og,-Jo^Sonti}; Ams}c» during the year, several different. breedera having been called on for stock. Iho visit of the Uruguayan Commission during, the year lias.no doubt done a good (leal to. make New Zealand, stock known in that •quarter. On© ot ' New Zealand s best-, known sliou*. Herefords, Mr? .E. Short s

Crusader,- lias found' a purchaser in tlio Government of. Uruguay; Efforts have been made by some !of. the breed combinations to ' 'secure:.' a ' more satisfactory freight rate on stock'for South America, and if this is . attained ' considerable de-' velopment-.in- the . export.. L of -live stock is. contemplated. '" : Health of the Stock. ; The health Di tUe stocK tnronghout the' cbuntry has been normal as compared with other years: The dread 'disease, tuberculosis, lias caused-much trouble and will' undoubtedly continue to levy toll until such time as the pasteurisation of all.; separated milk and whey before it . leaves" the factory.'or-creamery l is. general. The experience of the. Government experts goes to. prove'that although excellent workhas bc-eii done iiivpreventing tuberculosis in districts , where pasteurisation is in force,: the condition of, the ; stock in districts where pasteurisation, is not in vogue is getting .worse ! each year. ; .t„ . As. .in previous ,years .the inoculation, of calves as a preventive of blackleg has been carried out in the-Tarahaki district and the results are stated to have, been excellent. Up to March 31, 69 cases of blackleg were reported, whilst there were -14 outbreaks in the Auckland province. Contagious abortion... and , contagious mammitis both gave'some trouble, but, according to'the Government ■officials it was less than,in previous;.years.' One of-.the forst sheep troubles experienced during. the year has been.'parasitie .gastritis, which'has made itself felt over, a -wdde area. : The trouble which is due to . the presence 'of : small w'orms in the. stomach' attacked calves as well as hoggets' and lambs. ' •

. Facijil eczema ;was not much in-evidence although, some of the flocks were, affected. Bush Sickness. ' .

■ Very -satisfactory progress lias been made, by Mr. G. J. Reakes, liead of the Live Stock Division, fith the investigations into the. busk sickness trouble in the Bay of Plenty district. The experiments, however, are still, in progress, although the bulk of the evidence 'to date points to_ the trouble being due to a lack of assimilablo. -iron.;!!!. the-, food supply. The presence of an excess of manganese majy Mr; Reakes "-thinks, bo a factor affecting the deficiency. Stallions' Registration. _ The' agitation .for a: stallions' registration' Bill lias been'revived during the

year, and a-satisfactory statement was made . ph. this important subject by . the Prime Minister. ! Mr.- Massey informed Parliament that the Government hoped to introduce a Bill early next session to prevent the acceptance of fees for the 6er;vice; of: unsound 'draught stallions. ,Mr. Mass&j; explained that the provisions of ;the Bill were intended to be optional in the case of thoroughbreds.' Control of Seed Sales. The control of'.the sale of seeds is to be inquired into by the Government during. the_present recess, and-a Bill will if found possible, be .introduced early next session.. ; , , . The .Fruit Industry. .The fruit-growing industry continues to increase in popularity, and with the enormous number of new orchards laid out within the past few years there is 110 doubt .that fruit-Rrnwing will mean a big thing for New Zealand in the near-future. 'As. things stand to-day, there is practically an unlimited demand for apples for export, and the demands for this fruit could 1 not be supplied last year. Prom South America alone • inquiries were made for some 70,000, cases, but the ordor was larger than; New Zealand growers are yet in a

position to fill. Orders for supplies for the Home .market are also being; frequently received,; but so far New Zealand is only on the fringe of an export trade. At the present time, the area .under orchard a iii tho Dominion is some 35,96t acres. The Auckland province loads the way' with 12,421- acres, aud then' conies Nelson, G224 acres; Otago and Southland, 4672; Canterbury and Westland,' 4593; Wellington, .3838; - Hawkc's - -Bay;.- 2555;Taranaki, 1058; and Mnrlborougli, GO3. The Poultry World. , * The poultry business is booming along tho .line of egg-nrodiiction, though the production of table birds does not receive very much attention. Largo , sums of money have been expended by private breeders on their plants; and- as a result of the existence of these and the Government plants, the class of birds kept in tho smaller runs is being gradually irnproved.