THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24421, 5 October 1940, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD

Ul, ■ By RUSTICUS.=

WOOL PROSPECTS REDUCED AUSTRALIAN CLIP LESS DEMAND FOR MERINOS A poor season and various other causes have led Australian producers to expect a considerably reduced production of wool in the Commonwealth this season. The latest estimate is that the Commonwealth cheque, which will accrue from wool bought on the same basis as last season, will aggregate only £57,000,000, against £05,000.000 last season. This reduction, while it will be something of a blow to the Australian producer, will probably be welcomed by the United Kingdom Government, which is now in the position of being the sole purchaser of almost all the merino wool exports of the world. It is sole purchaser, too, at a time when there is a smaller demand for merinos than for crossbreds, and at a time when in the free markets there has been a very much weaker tendency for this type of wool. There has been some criticism of the British wool control, and in support of this the prices for release of wool in. Great Britain have been led as evidence, but it should be remembered that although the producer under the British purchase scheme has received fairly remunerative prices, the rise in the cost of the raw material at the country of origin is by no means the whole story. The increase has resulted more from higher freights, higher insurance charges, and greater expenses of handling. Manufacturers have also been faced with higher costs. In a rather encouraging survey of the present wool position, Winchcombe, Carson, Ltd.. of Sydney, say:—"Developments ahead will snow more definitely the trend of the world s open wool markets, but present indications do not point to high prices for merinos, which depend on world competition for their value. United States Prices "At late July. Ohio greasy fleece in the United States was quoted as figures only 13 per cent, higher than in that month a year before. In September, 1939, the peak point of the war-time advance, the quotation was 4o per cent, above the pre-war level. Similar fluctuations have occurred in the New York futures top market. The downward movement has been caused by the elimination of Continental demand for merinos. Crossbreds, by contrast, will continue to be eagerly sought. Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, with fighting forces demanding equipment, will readily absorb all the crossbreds grown. The necessity for them is shown by the decision to give some preference in the earlier offering of crossbreds at this season's Australian appraisements. "It must not be assumed from that statement that the use of merinos will be negligible. Civilians must still be clothed. The fighting men must be provided with underwear. Merinos will be blended with crossbreds to offset the lack of the latter In the United States 5,000,000 yards of serge made from 64's merino wool were purchased for the army in July. "When the war ends reverse proceedings will be experienced. Millions will be changing from uniform to civilian apparel, and the demand for merinos will be stronger than the need for crossbreds. In 1921 the world was supposed to be 'snowed under with wool. Its stock accumulation was stated to be sojjarge that values were likely to be on poor levels for an indefinite period. Rates ascended, and in 1924 values boomed. No person can see the end of this war nor its aftermath, but the civilian world will certainly want clothing when it finishes. The question is what money will they have to pay for it? Growers' Returns "Meantime, the Australian merino grower is assured of returns for his clip by the British contract. He can regard this season and the next season assured as far as humanly possible. The need is good seasons, so that the sheep will produce a well-grown fleece and give adequate monetary results during the currency of the scheme. "The war has varying effects oti those concerned in wool. The imports of woollen fabrics frcm Italy into the United Kingdom were more than 6,000,000 square yards annually. That large quantity arrived despite a duty of 20 per cent. Italian exports were assisted by the Government, and the goods mentioned undersold similar English mill products by figures ranging to well over Is a yard. The British manufacturer is freed of that competition under existing conditions." VEGETATION ON HILL . COUNTRY NEW AMERICAN GRASS Many gallons of ink have been devoted to explaining the causes of the deterioration of vegetation on South Island hill country and to the urgent need of something being done to arrest the movement, but little has been accomplished of a practical nature in this direction except by individual runholders. Most grasses known in our practice have been tried out with only partial success. American stock papers recently have been devoting a good deal of space to a new grass introduced a number of years ago from the steppes of Russia, whence some of the hardiest types of lucerne were imported to America towards the end of last century (says a writer in the Press). Though making little progress for a number of years, the plant (one of the blue-grass variety) is now rapidly spreading to great "areas of range country, comparable according to the description of its habits, to our front hill or low range country, or, in. America, from 2000 to 6000 feet. The August issue of the National Woolgrower devotes a lengthy space to the new plant—bulbous bluegrass (poa bulbosa). Stockmen who are becoming actively interested in range improvement are considering the possibilities of this new grass. The most extensive areas of the plant are found on the deserts and foothills of Turkestan and other parts of Asia, where the annual rainfall is approximately 5 to 10 inches, and the temperature ranges from 49deg F. below zero to 106 deg F. above. On extensive areas in that region it often comprises as much as 50 per cent, of the total vegetation and furnishes excellent grazing for livestock. Bulbous bluegrass was introduced into the eastern United States in 1906, but the commercial and economic possibilities were realised shortly after 1915 when accidental introductions in alfalfa seed and by other agencies brought it to areas where soil and climatic conditions were similar to those of its native land. Since then, it has spread rapidly and is now widely distributed throughout the United States. In the intermountain region bulbous bluegrass grows aggressively and reproduces on roadsides, pastures, and waste places along the foothills and valley edges. In general, these areas have a good distribution of precipitation during the spring and autumn growing seasons, and range to over 6000 feet elevation in other parts of the region. Bulbous bluegrass does well on dry, gravelly benches and slopes where the soil is low in organic matter and Door in moisture-holding capacity. It even grows where many of "the better native forage species no longer thrive and where reseeding with ordinary species has been difficult. The aggressiveness of bulbous bluegrass is shown by the foothold it has gained from recent introductions. Local residents point to many places that were once covered with cheatgrass (bromius tectorum) and other

annuals of low value, but which now support a good sod of perennial bulbous bluegrass. In experiments with three other drought-enduring species the bluegrass had the highest survival of any species. Future Possibilities In any attempts made in the South Island to revegetate the high country we have been content largely to rely on those better known species of plants which succeed well in more congenial conditions. There has been little new. Other countries have the same^ problems—America much " more so " —and it. might be well worth while for our Agricultural Department to acquire a few pounds of the new seed and try it out here. The following epitomises American graziers' ideas on the possibilities of the plant: Stockmen report that bulbous blue§rass is eagerly taken by livestock and lat all classes of stock do well on it. Bulbous bluegrass usually produces a heavy, viable seed crop and is capable of reseeding itself under moderate grazing. Very little forage is produced during the summer, but the early spring growth combined with autumn re-growth provides feed at the very time when it is most needed on the in-ter-mountain ranges. To increase the carrying capacity of this type of range will not only improve the range but will relieve the grazing pressure on winter and summer ranges. The sites to which this grass is adapted are not now growing the quantity of feed that they are capable of producing. Generally also, the species now present have low value as livestock forage. Because bulbous bluegrass is not highly inflammable the damage to the soil and the vege f ation likely to result from recurrent fires will be much reduced. It is on the large areas of poorer foothill ranges where the soil is thin and possesses little ability to hold moisture that bulbous bluegrass can be recommended and where it should increase the amount of palatable forage. Cheapness of seed (51b to 101 b. an acre) ease of sowing, and relative certainty of establishment easily justify stockmen who possess this type of land to increase their forage supply and economic returns by planting a few acres of bulbous bluegrass. „_.■, CROP STATISTICS LAST SEASON'S PRODUCTION The agricultural and pastoral statistics for the season 1939-40 show that the yield of oats this season was 2.081,000 bushels, compared with 2.604,817 bushels in the preceding year, a of more than 500,000 bushels. The barley crop was also smaller, comprising 915,805 bushels against 1,076,774 last year. Peas for threshing showed a decided increase. The area was 21,323 acres as against 13,436 in the preceding year and the respective yields were 563,159 and 386,974 bushels. Linseed showed a reduction of about 40 per cent, in quantity—B7Bßcwt compared with 13,322 in 1939. The onion crop increased from 6929 tons last year to 8025 this year. The small seeds crop showed a slight increase of perennial and Italian ryegrass. Cocksfoot, on the other hand, recorded a sharp reduction from 2,644,8351 b to 1.063,3941 b. The severe winter on the Peninsula last year and the scarcity of feed caused much less acreage to be closed up for cocksfoot seed. Areas Top-dressed The areas of grassland top-dressed for the periods ending January, were as follows:

1939 1940 Acres Acres With artificial fertilisers only .. 2,584,618 2,764,295 Lime only .. .. 218,445 204,478 Fertilisers and lime 1.213,881 1,218.511 4,016,944 4,187.284