FARMING & COMMERCIAL THE HONEY CROP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 2456, 8 May 1915, Page 14

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

THE HONEY CROP.

NEWS AND NOTES.

DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW. The Director of the Orchards,' Gardens, and Apiaries Divisiou has received; from the Apiary Instructors tlio following reports concerning tho honey crop prospects:— Auckland.—Local merchants report good honey very scarce and prices steadily advancing. Beeswax is bringing from 14d. to 15d. per lb. wholesale. I havo graded 268 cases of honey for export, the bulk of it being "prime grade." It is now in store awaiting shipment. There seems to be considerable difficulty in. securing space for it on the Home boats.—G. V. Westbrooko, May o, 1915. : Wellington.—The season -now being closed enables one to report accurately on the harvest gathered. Unfortunately, and wholly due to climatic conditions, very small returns have been reported from all districts. Up-to-date sorn'o forty odd tons have teen exported from Wellington and Taranaki, and enough has been retained to supply local demands. The quality in the northern district has been up to the usual high standard. It is' disappointing that a young industry, practically only now feeling solid ground, should receive a check from a quarter with which it is unable to cope.—F. A. Jacobsen, May 6, 1915. Christchurch.—The local trade in both extracted and section honey is steady. Sections appear to be in demand, and are advanced slightly in retail price. Reports from South Canterbury state better prices are being obtained this season. The export season commenced at the Lyttelton grading stores last month, 93 cases being graded and exported. A few lines' are forward for this month to grade, and will bo forwarded to tho oversea markets as soon as possible.—L. Bowman, May 6, 1915. Bunedin.—Reports received to date aro no brighter. There is no available honey for export, and beekeepers are unable to supply local demands. Bulk honey held over from last season is being liquified, and is commanding a ready sale. There is very little pat honey offering. Section honey is scarce. Beeswax is in strong. demand.—E; A. Earp, May 3, 1915.

THE FRUIT CROP

REPORT FOR APRIL. Officers of the Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division report as follow regarding the condition of the fruit crop at tie end of April:— _ Whangarei.—Apples: Only late varieties left, which are heavy. Lemons: Recent rains materially benefited tliis crop, which promises fair. Peaches: Crop finished. Pears: All harvested; late varieties fulfilled- aU expectations. Oranges: "Poorman" promising heavy to medium crop; "sweet" varieties will be light. Occasional heavy rains have been experienced throughout the month, although being too lato to benefit the fruit crop to any extent, the rains which feli during the last week of March and this month have done much to help the newly-planted orchards and the ground yet remaining warm growth still continues. Speaking generally the season has not been very favourable to tlie orcliardist, this • being the third dry season in succession.

Auckland North.—Apples: Late varieties have much benefited by the rain, and will soon be harvested. Pears: Late varieties looking remarkably well. Shipments- of apples - are commg to hand well, and growers are to bo commended for the increased interest taken in the handling oi their fruit. . The greatest care; must be exercised in liand'ing fruit, more especially that intended for export purposes. Auckland South.—-Apples and Pears: Lato varieties being gathered, good crop, prices advancing. Apricots: Trees doing fair, but would be improved by cultivation, which is generally neglected. Lemons: -Majority ' showing promise good crop. Tomatoes : Last crop now practically 'finished. Poverty Bay ; The month has been fairly 'dry with some wet and showery days. The nights have mostly been cold, with a few light frosts on the-flats and heavier ones further inland. For the first time for several years stone fruits are losing their leaves early, which will give them much needed rest after the long summers of the past few seasons. Sveral here are now beginning to talk fruit,' and the addition to the existing acreage under commercial orchards will be considerably augmented this coming planting season; ill fact, there will be more planted this year than in the last five years put together. Apples and pears are now the only fruits left. Hastings.—Apples: Lato varieties although in some cases small are fairly plentiful, and are quite up to expectations. Pears: Practically all picked and stored. This crop oil the whole was quite satisfactory. Peach pruning in many cases has commenced. , Considering the dry season the trees are looking remarkably well. Given fair conditions next season's peach crop should be a heavy one. Wanganui—Apples: A bright attractive sample in good quality, though less than last year. Apricots: Sound, fruitful growth has been made. Cherries and Gooseberries: The general condition is good where they receive attention. Lemons : The good prospects aro well maintained. Nectarines and l'oaches: The condition of the trees is above the average. Pears: Average fair crop, and meeting a good demand. Plums and Raspberries: Crop now over. Strawberries: Some new plantations are going in. Tomatoes: The profitable condition is being well maintained. The month has been a .dry one, though the trees have not suffered where they have received consideration.

Palmerston North.—There is very little further to report on last month. Practically all apples have now been picked, and a fair quantity will be stored this season. Sonie growers havo already sprayed their apple trees with oil for aphis. A large quantity of this spray will he used this year. Frosts have been very prevalent in the Wairarapa, and practically all tomatoes have been cut down in this district. This' class of vegetable has not been very profitable j this season, ripening very poorly, and on top of'that the early frosts. Wellington.—Apples: Late varieties are good, with very little disease. There is a fifty per cent, improvement in clean fruit this season. Orchardists are preparing for further planting,' spraying, etc. Pears: Good, with great percentage of clean fruit from last year., Tomatoes: The crop was abovo expectations, and prices ruling for clean grading and packing are satisfactory. Nelson.—Late varieties of apples now being gathered. Crops good. High percentage of russeting in Stunners in some parts of the district; average size. 2} inches. Large quantities being cool stored for local trade later on m the season. Best specimens being exported. During April over 21,000 cases sent to South America. i Blenheim.—Apples: Is early all harvested. Apricots, Cherries, and Gooseberries: All varieties gathered. Lemons: Good crop, a few being harvested. Nectaries and Peaches; Crop gathered. Pears: Heavy crop, only a low late varieties to gather. Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries, and Tomatoes: All harvested. 'Walnuts: Light crop. North Canterbury.—Apples: Fair to medium prop. Apricols, Cherries, Gooseberries. Ncctarinsi and i'caclics; Orope

past. Pears; Fair crop. Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tomatoes, and \\almits: l'air crop. Harvesting ot' apples and pears still continues. Only a low Into variotios left to harvest, lliey hare turned out a little better than was oxpeeted. Owing to the dry season, practically none having to b'o discarded for black spot or scab. Although the season has been exceptionally dry, generally speaking the fruit is of good quality and size, as the trees wero not over-laden.

Christchurch.—Apples: Very short; not turning out as well as expected. Pears: Very plentiful ;• heavy crop. Strawberries: Second crop only mo4frate. Tomatoes: Turning out fairly well, though rather badly cut by frost in places.

Timaru. —The major portion of the season's crop is now "harvested. A few of the late varieties of apples and pears are still to gather. Growers are now ploughing tlieir orchards, preparing for winter. Areas for new orchards are now being prepared. The crops generally have been freer from disease. The lato tomato crops are failing to mature properly, owing to the early frosts. Strawberry planting in full swing in some localities.

Dunetliu.—Apples: Main crops being harvested. Pears: Crop nearly over. Tomatoes: Crop over. Walnuts: Crop harvested.

Many a small farmer whose account with us a few years ago was very small indeed, has to-day erown into aa account worth handling. Wo can claim to have done our share to help him along, in handling his Home-separated Cream, Butter, or, Eggs, to the best advantage. Let us. get a chance of your business now we are short of all stocks, and can deal with your produce to your advantage. Wanganui Fresh -Food, and Ice Coy.—Advt.

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTJIENI" SHARES. There were no transactions in investment shares. yesterday. The', quotations were as ninder':— Buyers. SelleTp. ■ • £ n. d. £ s. d. Bank N.Z. (£6 13s. 4d.) .. 17 2 0' - Union Bank .■ ■ — 67 5 0 Equitable Building 9 10 0 — N.Z. and E. Plate 2 10 - WeH. Int. T. and A 0 11 3 - Well. Trust Loan, Ltd. ... — 712 0 Well. Gas (£10) 16 7 6 - National Insurance 2 9 6 — N.Z. Insurance 6 0 0 6 2 6 South British. Insurance . 4 13 0 4 15 6 Canterbury Meat — 812 6 Union Steam (ord.) 14 0 14 6 Kaiapoi Woollen (ord.) ... •• 6S 0 Well. Woollen (pref.l 3 5 0 — *Jfanning and Co. — 416 0 Golden Bay Cement 1.0 9 — Ward and Co — 6 15 0 # Ex: div. Customs duty collected at the port ol Wellington yesterday, amounted to £1250 ss. SOUTHEEN PKODUOE MARKETS. (By TeJefiraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, May 7, There is very little wheat offering, but neither millers nor merchants appear .to bo operating. Nothing can be done in oats in view of the lower prices ruling in Southland. Oatsheaf chaff is firm,'but not much business is being done in straw chaff or baled straw, as there is difficulty in getting shipping space to Australia. The potato maj'ket is quiet, and buyers are only; offering £3 10s.. to £3 15s. at country stations, as tho quantity coming forward has been larger than could be dealt with. LOUDON WOOL SALES. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) London, May 6. At the wool sales there was a better tone. Orossbrcds showed a hardening tendency; prices for merinos wore unchanged. The following prices wero realised for tho fleece portions of the clips named:—Walma, top 23Jd., average 22 3-Bd.; Spring Plains, 14} d. and 13Jd.; Warbreccan, 13d. and lljd.; OBWB, lljd. and 10 3-Bd.; Bedcoba, 13} d. and 12id. JJew Zealand: Awaroa, 16d. and 14Jd.Pakira, 15d. and 14JH. Messrs. Murray,' Eoberts and Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London friends, Messrs.. Sanderson, Murray, and Co., under date May 6:—Wool market firmer except for inferior and faulty merinos, which are difficult or sale and 5 per cent, lower; crossbred greasy, coarse to medium', prices slightly recoverqd. - Sheepskins, three-quarter to fullwoolled, par to id. decline. Other descriptions declined id. to 3d.

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) London, Maj; 6. The Bank of England return issued for_ the week ended Wednesday, May 5, is as under i— , ■ ■ ISSOE DEPARTMENT.

• GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The following are the latest quotations for Colonial • Government securities in comparison with those ruling jast week

MONET MAUKET. Tho Bank of England discount rate was on January 2, 1914, reduced from 5 to 4J l,er ccnt.,* on. January 22, it was reduced to 4 per cent., and on January 28 . 3 per cent. On July 30 tho rote was raised to 4 per cent., and on January 28 3 pit cent., and-oa August 1 it was further advanced to 10 per cent; On August 6, tho rato was reduced to 6 per cent., ou August 7 it was further reduced to 5 per cent., at which rate it now stands. The Bank of Prance rate is 5 par ceut., as against 4 per cent, last year. OPEN MARKET BATES. The open market discount rote for three months' bills is 22 per cent., as compared with 2! to 3 per ceut. last wick, and 28 per cent, last year. r Short loans are Quoted at 11 per cent., as against 2 per ceut. last week, and 13 per ceut. la,st year. COLONIAL AND OTHEK PRODUCE. Wheat.—Jlarkct Arm. with Tew oilers. Vlour.—Market linn, with :i tendency to dearer prices. Oats.—Quiet. New Zealand, 375.; Bahift Blanca, May-June, 30s. 3d. Peas.—Quiet. New Zealand Maples, 58s. to 655. lUitter.—Tlie market is very nrm; slinplit\' nrc snorl. Sovrrnl M]nik-;inrt boxes arc being shipped bflelt lo New Zealand by l.lic Ruahlur. It is estlmotcd thai about 10,000 buxps nlt<.nul.li.ci' arc 1.«51U6 returned tt> Australia and New Zealflna.

Prices Teaised: Choicest Australian, 1345. to 1365.; xmsalted, 1385.; New Zealand, 130s. to 1405.; unsaited, 1425.

Cheese—The market is firm. Is T ew Zealand, 94<*.

Sugar.—Market auiot. Foreign granulated, 275. 6d.

At the Bradford market merinos, strong, medium, and low crossbrede, were neglected, at 3&d,, 33£ d., 30id., 291 d„ 281 d„ 253 d., and 23id.

At the sheepskins sales also 8600 boles of Australian were offered and 6300 sold. There was a fair attendance, but competition was irregular. Merino combinpe wer© a, farthing lower, and crossbred combings and all clothings a halfpenny lower.

THE-METAL MARKETS. Copper.—Cash, £78 10a. to £78 15s. Tin.—For forward delivery. £162 as. to £162 15s. Pig-iron, 645. 10a. Spelter, £67 and £62.

MINING NEWS

WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. In the mining market a solo of Waihi at. 395. 9d. was reported. The quotations wero as follow;— Buyers. Sclleri £ s. 4. £ s. H. New Sylvia. — 0 0 10 Talisman 16 9 16 0 Grand Junction 16 0 — Wadtangl 0 12 0 1b STOCK EXCHANGE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.? Auckland, May 7. Sale; Grand Junction, 265. Christchurch, May 7. Sale; New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative, 6 per cent, preference, £5 3s. 6d, LONDON QUOTATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) London, May 6. ■Stock and share market quotations include :—Broken Hill Proprietary, 41s. 6d. and 425. 6d.; North Broken Hill, 435.'9 d. and 455.; Mount Elliott, ■ 60s. and "625. 6d.; Waihi, 425. 6d. and 455. ■ MOUNT Li'ELL MINE. Melbourne, May ?. The net profits of the Mount Lyell Company for the half-year ended March 31 ere £98,220. A dividend of a shilling per share lias been declared, payable on Juno 15 at Brisbane. MOUNT MORGAN MINE. Brisbane, May 17. For the four weeks ended May 2 the Mount Morgan Company produced 2878 tons concentrates estimated to contain 184* tons of copper and 2043 ounces of gold, to the total value of £83,710,

Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., Palmers ton North, report:—At our Palmerston North sale on Thursday, wo have to report having a very good entry of both sheep and cattle. Bidding was not at all keen, but we managed to quit the majority of our entries at prices as below:— Mediumi lambs, 6s. sd. to 75.; cull owes, to 55.; empty ewes in fair condition, 13s. 3d.; two-tooth wethers, to 15s. Bd.; forward lambs, to 12s, llil.; four-tooth, wethers, to 20s. 6d.; Border Leicester ram lambs, 1 3-8 guineas; Border Leicester ewe lambs, 1 3-8 guineas; mixed-age Border Leicester ewes, 1 3-8 guineas; two, four and six-tooth Border Leicester ewes, 13 guineas; 6tore cows, 245. 61, £2 10s., £2 125.. to £2 13b. 6d.; faircondition cows, £3 15s. to £4 55.; light fat cows, to £6; cull weaner heifers, 135.; lowcondition fifteen-mouths steere, £2 13s.

Note Issue .673,386,000 Gov. debt ... £11,0X5,000 Other socuri- ' ties 7.431,000 Gold 54,937,000 £73,386,000 . £73,386,000 ■ Bankixg Depahtment. Proprietors' Gov. securicapital £14,553,000 ties £51,043,000 Public do- Other securiposits ... 134,165,000 ties 146,153,000" Other deposits ... 85,129,000 Notes 38,441.000 Best, 7-day and other hills ... 3,158.000 Coin 1.368.C00 £•237.005,000 £237,005,000 The leading items of the Bank of England return afford tie followine-compaii. eon. This week Last week Last year Bullion 64.937.000 54.065.000 ' 34.253.000 Deserve ... 30.609,000 39,070,000 05,583,000 Note Circulation 38,441,000 34.686.000 28,808.000 Public Deposits 134.165,000 132,067,000 18.387.000' Other Doposits 85.129.000 87,030.000 39.402,000 Proportion of reserve to ' liabilities 18.15. 17.87- 44.26

Variation Stock „ . compared Price. with : Iflsfe week. ' £ b. d. 2}% Imperial ConsolB 66 8 0 Unchanged „N.S. W.1933Jan.-July 97 6 0 Unchanged oi " Unchanged 35 „N-S.W. Early Curr 83 7 6 2/6 lowor 3 ..N.S. W. 1025 Apl.-Oot 80 17 6 7/6 lower 4 „ Vic. 1020 Jan.-July S8 15 0 5s lower Si „Vic. 19-21-6 Jan.-July 91 10 o • Unchanged 3 1920-49Jan.-Jwly 76 5 0 Unchanged 34 „S.i. 1016Jan.-July 8,5 6 0 5s higher 3 „S,A. 1916 Jan.-July 70 5 0 5s higher „QTdl915-24 Jan.-July 98 10,0 10s higher 34 „QTdl922-47Jan.-July 03 0 0 20s higher 3 „Q , rdlD2iJ7Jan..July 74 fi 8 12/6 higher i „N.Z. 1929 May-Kov. 96 2 6 fis lowor 34 ,.N.Z. 1912~10Jan.-JuIy 84 10 0 10s higher 3 „N.Z. 1920 April-Oct. 76 o 0 2/6i lower 34 ..W.A.1015-35 May-Nof 87 12 6 2/6 lower 8 „W.A,1915-35 M ay-No v 82 5 0 5s higher 34 ..Taa. J020,fan.-July 85 .5 0 5s higher 3 „ Tag, 1920-40 Jan.-July 76 10 0 Unchangid