OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 20

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET

(From Otra Own Cobots?ondiht.> CHRISTCHURCH, March 1. Hot and dry has been the report from all parts of Canterbury during Weather. the past month, oniy one or two favoured districts getting a shower or two. Over the greater part of the district the only semblance of rajn has been one pr two light mists lasting for an hour or two. As a result, all leed, including rape and turnips, etc., are withering up, and though it is artonishing how. some, felds hanjj, pu.t 4 ft green,

healthy-looking field is a novelty, and tEt outlook for winter feed is serious.

The yardinga at Addington during thd - month have been full in all Stack departments, the capacity ot Sales. the yarding accommodation for,, sheep being overtaxed. In the fats pens as lota were soldi they were taken out and others put in their place. The railway arrangements have left much to be desired. Stock loaded over-. night at stations not far out have in many cases not been shunted alongside the un« loading staging at the yards till 2 o'clock next day, and~~the lots had to be put up just as received, there being no time toi draft

Fat Sheep.— The entries have been moderate to large, and the quality, jonsidering the dry season, has been very good, a number of very pi-ime sheep, both wethers and ewes, coming to hand. The demand; has, generally, been purely local, though at times exporters were operating when they could secure lots within their limits. Prime 1 aethers are now making 17s to 20s 6d4, lighter, 14s to 16s; prime crossbred ewesv 14s 6d to 17s 6d ; others, fs to 13s 6d, thia class being slightly lower than in the cany part of tha month.

Fat Lambs.— Weekly increasing sup'njie* have been the rule, but the quality as % whole leaves much to be desired, the "reject ".being very prevalent in nearly every line brought forward, which tells considerably against good competition, some buyers refraining to put in a .bid for some lines when many unsuitable are noticeable. Farmers would do well to note this. Whed any good, prime, well-drafted lines ara offered bidding is strong and prices (rood. No doubt farmers are anxious this dry sea* son to push off all they posaibiy can. Thd present prices are : — Tegs (over 421b), 16s to 18s ; best freezers, 13s 6d to 15s 6d ; light and unfinished, 10s 6d to 13s. Store Sheep.— Very large entries havei been made, a big proportion being lambs, ■?wes being next in evidence, entries or wethers generally being of moderate' dimensions. With the assistance of outside> buyers, principally from the south, prices have kept very good, and^very satisfactory clearances have been effected. The run. ol) prices for best lines are: — Four-tootht wethers. 12s 6d to 14s ; two-tooth crossbred! ewes, 14s lOd to 15s Id; four and six-tooth. 15s to 16a 2d; six and eiglht-tooth, 14s 2dl to 15s; rape iambs, 10s 3d to 12s 3d; stores, 6s to 9s. Pigs.— Moderate to full yardings were received during the month. The demand was good. Heavy baconers sell at from 55s to 625; light, 42s 6d to 50s, or equal td 5d per lb; porkers, 35s to 455, or 5d tq s£d per lb; stores, from 17s 6d to 32s 6d. Fat Cattle.— Good yardings, running frorrf 250 to 290 head per week. Though) some good lines were sent forward, tho dry season is beginning to tell on »the quality, and owinff to the scarcity of feed? the. trade only take hand-to-mouth supplies ; consequently prices keep low. Besft steer beef is now making 20s to 22s 6d ;j medium, 17s to 19s; cow beef, 14s to 17* per 1001b Store Cattle.— Small to medium yardings have been the rule, and little busineor >« doing at auction, the bulk of this trada being done privately. Country Sales.— The yardings at all country markets now show a large increase i« numbers, but excepting for good freezing lambs and good forward rape sorts, business is of a. limited nature, graziers being very cautious. Clearing Sales.— There have been one of two good clearing sales. The most notioaable one was that held at Wychinghan* Estate Mount Greydown, originally part of the late Mr Charles Ensor's Mount Gres Estate. Considering the dry season, the pric&s were very satisfactory. Two-tooth to full-mouth stud Corriedale ewes realised 255 ; picked two-tooth ewes, 18s 2d ; sound mouth, 19s Id ; stud ewe lambs, 18s ; merino ewes, 9s Id to 14s, according to age. Draught horses sold up to £51 10b.

At the sale held on February 4 (the fourth! sale of the season) 7703 W«ol bales were catalogued, bud Salos. a bi» proportion of this total was made up front* clips rassed at previous sales. Notwithstanding the easier tone m the London, money market and the better feeling mi American financial circles prices were lower than at the January sales by id tQS lid per lb on best sorts; consequently the bulk of the offerings were withdrawn. Ott the 25th February the last sale of the series was held, when 2020 bales were offered, princirallv pawed- in lots from the previous sales. Merino and halfbreds were easier by id per lb, bu* crossbreds met a better demand, and sold up to id higher than those of the sale of the 4th.

At Ashburton on the 15th/ February a largfli and successful saie of prpPrepertlei. perty was held, when tt>l» acres of the. I*Brl»m°J £9 5s per acre, which is ™P£**L *° £% which h Wycningham Estate have disposed of 3000 acres at ; a satisfactory price.

The harvest being ■^fcSJ^B^S firaln taken place, it is found rotSs/etc. that the averages are fully roTa ' up to expectations, and in many casee the results have been a great than was expected, some duw Sets giving a better average than .last Son The samples of wheat submitted