NEWS IN BRIEF

Shannon News, 17 January 1928, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF

From About the District Hay Tests, The annual hay tests conducted by the Agricultural Department are again nearing completion. As usual various manures are being tried out and there will be a comparison of weights and Quality. Some crops have already bceu cut while others will be mown within a few days. The tests are being carried out at Carterton (one plot) Rangiwahia (1), Rongotea (2), and Rangiotu (1). Mr J. G. Gibbs, Of the Palmerston North branch of the Department, is in charge of the experiments. iMangels Late.

The mangel crops are late this year throughout the Manawatu. This is the result of farmers being prevented from getting at their land -in November when paddocks were on the wet side. Awaiting the Rails.

A powerful stimulus to the fat lamb trade and frozen meat enterprise generally in the Bay of Plenty will result from the early complettion of the last link (from Tahawai to Te Puna) in the railway from Auckland to Ta-

neiitua. Aftermath.

Last year 29 bankruptcies were recorded in the Hamilton Court district, which covers a very wide area including Mercer, Rotorua, and marunui. The principal failures ■were those of farmers. Of assets estimated to produce £24,797, only £655S was realised. The official as signee, Mr Robertson, considered the farmers’ failures were the result of the aftermath of the slump, while many small traders' troubles were due to their failure to keep proper books.

Fiji Farming, An American farmer who knows Fiji well (states the Poverty Bay Herald) has said: “The dairying in--dusti’y in Fiji has a good future in it. The New Zealand stock suffered from the heat, but the first cross with the southern cattle already in the group are excellent in every way, surprisingly so, in fact. It is to be expected that the next generation would be equally good, and from the stamp of the calves he had seen last month he believed the hope’ would be realised. There was a good market for butter in the group and for ship use. A start was also being made with shipments to Canada. Good dairying land could be bought at £1 to £5 per acre from the Government, or leased from the natives. The chief difficulty was road access, which was very poor in a number of districts. Although land was” cheap, the cost of clearing must be reckoned with, and only men with capital should , take up the industry. Ayrshires Advance, The Ayrshire breed is advancing in Canada. Vol. 37 of the “Canadian Ayrshire Herd Book” contains pedigrees from 99,001 up to 106,000 which is a fair indication of the steady development of this groat milking breed in the American Dominion. Gisborne Wool. The wool production of the Gisborne district this year is estimated at close on 50,000 foal'es. More than 20,000 bales of Gisborne wool are sent each season to the Napier sales. Motor transport costs £IO,OOO, which would be saved if the sales were held at Gisborne. Further strong Representations are about to be made to the New Zealand Wool Buyers’ Association. Horses. There was a fair attendance of farmers and buyers at the first horse sale of the season held at Rangiora yards, when an entry of about 50 horses was offered for sale. Most of the animals were of a good stamp and the passings were few. Good broken-in draughts realised fairly good prices, the range being from £35 to £46; medium draughts. £2S to £32; lighter to £23; hacks £3 10s .to £5.

Hills of Fire. Travellers by the Limited last Friday were treated to an unusual spectacle as the train passed through the country around Huntly. The neighbouring hills were on fire, and great horseshoes of fftune threw the adjacent country into bold relief. Perhaps the finest of all was the sight presented by the Waikato River, whose murky waters reflected a deep, red glow, while the willows on tho bank were dimly outlined against tho red hills.

Well Watered. An Aucklander, who has returned from a holiday in the King Country, I was impressed with the bountiful supj ply of water that farmers have up that way. Much of the King Country is of hilly, volcanic origin. Beau- , tiful springs well up at the head of i the numerous valleys, and clear streams of a kind that would make a city councillor’s heart rejoice, flow , on their way to join a parent river. I The ram is in general use, and with its perpetual "click, clik,” in meas-

ured slow time, : pumps water to tanks on a higher grade. Some Of tlfb King Country farmers have reticulated all their paddocks, and thus cloudless skies and perpetual sunshine cause them little concern. Cocksfoot Grass, A resident of Oamaru who recent! > made a tour of the back roads of the district states that thero is a considerable quantity of cocksfoot grass on the side of the road reserves. He suggested that unemployed men might find profitable employment in cutting this grass and harvesting the seed.

The Votnto Crops; Tire potato crops in the Oamaru dis trict are looking strong and healthy, and a good yield per acre is anticipated. The area under tubers is, however,, comparatively small. The only districts in which potatoes are now being grown on anything like a commercial scale are Kakanui and Totara. Many years ago the Oamaru district was largely drawn upon lor the supplies of the Dominion, but in recent years potato growing has occupied a very small space in the scheme-of North Otago husbandry. The Grass Grub.

A good deal of pasture land in North Otago was destroyed last year by the operations of the grass grub. Judging by the myriads of moths that infest clover paddocks at the present time it is still feared that the giub will prove still more destructive this year. Feeling the Dry.

Fern and scrub fires are numerous in tire Te Awamutu —Cambridge district; particularly at Te Miro. The district is beginning to show signs of the long spell of dry weather. Rain is now badly needed. Harvest Prospects.

“During the whole time I have lived in the district,” remarked an old North Otago settler to the Otago Daily Times representative the other day, “I have never seen things on the farm looking better than now. Generally at this time of the year the country has a parched appearance, but to-day it is beautifully green. The crops are a picture to look upon and the yield per acre should be well up to that of last year. In some cases fhe crops have been llattened by the heavy rains of last week, but they are beginning to come up again, and a nor’-wester would put them right. “Take-all” has made its ap.pearan'ce, but it is in patches and is not likely to do - serious amount of damage. I expect the coming harvest to be one of the best we have seen in North Otago.” The New Year Market. As far as entries were concerned Wednesday's market at Addington experienced the reaction that could only b e expected after the soaring figures that were recorded two weeks ago, when the holiday demand had to be met. In practically all departments the yardings were below the average normally reached at this time of the year, the only exception being the penning of beef. More than usual interest was attached to this market, however, as it was the first sale after the holidays, and, in effect, the first sale of the meat export season. In the fat stock sections, partly because of the carry-over from the heavy entries of the pre-Christmas sale, there was a general easing of prices, though not to any great qxtent, except in the case of lamb, which naturally declined from the very high figure set at the, Christmas market. The bulk of the fat lambs, which were a very mixed lot, sold at about the schedule rate for export. Exporters operated freely, and secured a big share of.the offering. •; Bulls Sale.

Dalgcty and Co., Ltd., report having a moderate entry of pigs at their Bull| sale on Monday. 9th. inst.. all of which met, with very fair competition. Quotations: —Wcancrs, 9s GcJ, 10s, 11s, to 125.; slips, 25s to 27s Gd.:; stores, 295.; porkers, 31s Gd, 345. 36s Gd, to 37s 6d. Tractor Demonstration. At the Massey Agricultural College this morning, there will be tractor demonstrations and all farmers are invited to be present. A number of makes of machines will be in competition.