THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24403, 14 September 1940, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD

I! ■ By '

FARMING IN NORTH OTAGO GOOD SEASON IN PROSPECT LAMBS MAKE APPEARANCE (Contributed) 'Twas a consummation devoutly to be wished. I refer, of course, to the glorious rain which we have had. • At the beginning of August there was just a whisper going round that a nice warm rain would not be unwelcome. But we had experienced such a splendid, open winter, and the weather then was so genial, that it seemed almost profane to make any complaint. As the days of bright sunshine, punctuated by an odd frost and some wind, slipped by, the whisper grew into a murmur, and as the month came quickly to an end, with still no rain, the murmur became a clamour, and then from North Otago and South Canterbury there came an outcry for rain. It was stated that a day's gentle warm rain would do an immense amount of good in that it would freshen up the pastures and hearten up the farmers. Now we have had the rain, and both farmers and pastures are the better for it. Once more we have evidence that "there is gold in the shower." It ,was a warm, gentle rain, which soaked into the earth rather than ran off it. and it will do no end of good. It now appears as though we are in for a really good season. Let us hope so, anyhow. We intend to do our best in any case, and though we are not deluded enough to suppose that our work is anything like as important as that of*our soldiers, we will carry on and do our very best to supply them with the food which they must have if they are to fight successfully for us. And we know that they will do that. A Backward Glance We have only to cast our minds back a few short months to remember that at that time some farmers were sacrificing good sound-mouth ewes and well-bred ewe hoggets because the turnip crop was a iailure. And now here we are in September with our sheep in the very best of condition after having been fed on green feed, hay and feed barley. It seems as though what we have been repeatedly told—namely, that we give our sheep too many turnips—is really true. At the same time, we must not forget that we have been lucky, and must not run away with the idea that our luck will hold. We must make provision for root crops next winter. September and October are the months in which to sow mangels. There is sure to be a much larger area sown in this valuable root crop than was put in last year. It has stood supreme ever since we have known anything of it, and has resisted all the aerial attacks of the white ouuerfiy, the diamond-back moth and the aphis. It has also withstood the subterranean torpedoes of brown heart, dry rot and canker which proved so disastrous to the turnip family. The parasite for the white butterfly did valiant service, but the odds against it have been too strong so tar, and we hope that it will come in increasing numbers and protect our valuable crops of rape, which do such good service in fattening our lambs. Mangels require the very best treatment if heavy crops are to be obtained. It pays handsomely to use both stable manure and artificial fertiliser liberally. There should also be good cultivation. By that, I mean plenty of work in the mangel patch for many months. Before the seed is sown the ground should be worked to a very fine tilth; and for a small area the drill plough, followed by the turnip barrow, cannot be excelled. But quite good results can be obtained through the use of the double ridger. The acid treatment of seed is becoming more popular. A few years ago Lincoln College experimented with this method, and obtained good results. The idea is to burn off, with sulphuric acid, most of the outer covering of the seed. This results m-a much quicker and higher germination, especially in dry seasons. I understand that some of the firms are making arrangements to acid-treat seed. Already some lots have been done. The cost is about Is per pound. The bigger the mangels the better. One big root is better than three or four small ones, so when thinning they should be left 14 .to 18 inches apart. Some growers thin out to two feet apart! Tractors and Teams

Markets The comparatively dry period (prior to the rain) steadied the markets. At a recent clearing sale, good two and four-tooth ewes realised 365, and six and eight-tooth, 345. These were good open wool Romney cross .ewes, and snowed well in lamb. There is a keen demand for ewe hoggets, with prices ever on the rise. Fat sheep and fat cattle are very dear. It is many years since we have seen fat sheep maintaining such high prices. Fat cattle are about depleted in the district, and butchers will need to go afield for their requirements.

WORLD WHEAT INTERNATIONAL REVIEW REDUCED YIELD In his report on the wheat situation in Australia, the Commonwealth statistician states that the official crop report of the United States Department of Agriculture estimates that the total production of wheat (winter and spring) will amount to 729,000,000 bushels in 1940. This figure may be compared with 754,000,000 bushels, the production of the previous year, and 753,000,000 bushels, the average for the 10 years 1928-37. To this production of 729,000,000 bushels must be added an estimated carry-over of 274,000,000 bushels, making a total available supply of about 1,000,000,000 bushels for the year ended June, 1941. Normally, the consumption of wheat in the United States approximates 700,000,000 bushels annually. If this average applies to 1940-41, supplies will be sufficient for home consumption, and a margin available for export and for carry-over to the following year. The condition of the wheat crop in Canada at June 30 was stated to be 92 per cent, for spring wheat and 99 per cent, for winter wheat. The total area under wheat in the Dominion is estimated at 28,245,900 acres, of which winter wheat amounts to 711,000 acres. Compared with 1939, this represents an increase of 6 per cent. Indications are that the crop now being harvested Will slightly exceed 400,000,000 bushels, as compared with 489,600,000 bushels harvested in 1939. The statistical position of wheat in Canada at May 1, 1940. indicates that the quantity of Canadian wheat available for export and carry-over amounted to 305,000,000 bushels. This may be compared with 146,000,000 bushels, the quantity available on the same date in 1939. Exports of wheat and flour in terms of wheat from the Dominion for the nine months ended April, 1939, and 1940, amounted to 116,000,000 and 146,000,000 bushels respectively. In the Argentine the condition of the crop is regarded as satisfactory. The statistical position of wheat in this country indicates > an amount of 37,677,000 bushels of wheat as being available for export and carry-over on May 1, 1940. Reports of the condition of the crops in European countries are scanty. Latest advices indicate that Rumanian production will be considerably less than in 1939. In Bulgaria crops improved somewhat under more favourable weather. In Scandinavia, prospects were regarded as unfavourable, while a crop failure was reported from Portugal. In Spain conditions were very poor. In the Soviet Union yields are reported to be very good, while in Italy prospects are regarded as not unsatisfactory.

Owing to the favourable weather farm work is well advanced. Most_of the ground has been ploughed for rape, turnips, etc. The fact that there were no turnips to grub out has lessened the work considerably. Top-dressing Spring top-dressing gives good result?; and at the present time there is an opportunity to get more of this work done rather than in the autumn, when everyone is busy. The Glowing Crops

The autumn-sown wheat continues to make good growth, and the winter and spring-sown is responding to the genial weather conditions. The area in cereal crops is much the largest that we have had for, many years, and given an average rainfall till tnc end of the year a very large harvest will result. A lot of extra labour will be required to cope with it The townspeople promised some time ago that if we grew the crops they would help us to harves.t them.. No doubt they will be as good as their word, and I hcpe they will get in fit condition for the work. The farmer has to be nt for his multifarious duties. His is no mere "soft" job. as a good many townspeople seem to think. Pastures and Green Feed Already the pastures are coming away s.rongly, especially those which had an autumn top-dressing. is easily three weeks earlier than usua* this year, and this early feed has been very' acceptable. Green feed is still outstandingly good. Oats barley and i-yecorn are all good, but certified Italian is making prodigious growth After many years of experience. I must admit that for early spring feed this is without a rival, especially for early sowing—January-February. To get the best results, the ground should be ploughed now, and on light land the seed should be drilled in, not broadcast, later than February 20. No other green feed will give such gooa results. Oats and barley come away more quickly and give a more bulk.v first feeding, but after that certified Italian will beat them out of sight On good land it is possible first to take an early crop of rape, feed down quickly in January, then disc or grub the land, and sow in February, the earlier the better. Given a good ram after sowing, this will provide fattening feed for lambs in late April. This is infinitely better than second growth of rape. The Ewe Flock There can be no doubt but that ewes have wintered well: in fact, I cannot remember a year in which the ewes have come through with such a bloom on their wool. Taking into consideration the fact that there was a complete absence of turnips this is remarkable. But perhaps it is not so remarkable. It may be that the old order under which our sheep got six weeks on turnips every winter is not a perfect one. Of course, we know that the fine, open winter contributed to the bloom which is on the wool. Lambs Appear Lambs have made their appearance, and for the next six or eight weeks farmers will be very busy attending to them. The old idea of going round the sheep twice daily is dying out, and most farmers now realise that it pays to be in attendance on the ewes practically all day. It is parsimony of the worst sort to neglect the flock at this period. Every lamb saved is a pound made.