FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1919, Page 7

FARM AND DAIRY.

•THE STOCK MARKET. UNEXPECTED SLUMP. The unexpected and lieavy slump that, has occurred in the stock market during the past few weeks (writes the Ashburton correspondent of the Lyttelton Times) has naturally proved most disconcerting to farmers, graziers, and dealers, many of whom are already heavy losers. It is well known, of course, that the slump is general throughout the ■whole Dominion, and the influx of large mobs o fsheep from various parts, north and south, testifies to the fact that the Ashburton county, until quite recently, has been, -is it were, a somewhat iavored locality. Anyone who has studied the whole question knows that the primary cause of the big drop in the prices of stock (particularly in store sheep and lambs) is the shortage of feed and the partial failure of fodder crops brought about by dry and unseasonable weather; but, still, there are a variety of other underlying factors that have in a measur* contributed to the rapid depreciation in the prices of stock. An analysis of the whole position shows that the turnover from sheep farming during the past thrte years—which, from a climatic point of view, have been altogether favorable to stock raising—has been unexampled in the history of the Dominion, and this fact induced farmers to almost neglect grain growing and to heavily overstock their holdings with sheep, trusting in a haphazard sort way to another good season to tide them successfully over what must be classed as a rash and chance speculation. As a result of keen competition and assured prices for wool and frozen meat, consequent upon the war, those deuring sheep outbid each other, the resnlc being that rices readied an unprecedented level. However, wtih the advent of a late spring, an unseasonable summer and autumn, together with the reappearance of the pestilential grass grub, practically every farmer in this country (and it would appear right throughout the Doir.n.'.n) found himself much overstocks!'., so that a large proportion of the stock intended for export could not be finished, and the market was glutted, the inevitable result being a sharp depreciation in values.

It has always been considered by prudent farmers and commercial men that the first, loss; is teh best Way out of an embarrasjing position, and as it would be suicidal to face the winter largely overstocked and little or no prospects for an improved feed supply the maority of farmers and graziers are wisely sacrificing their surplus stock on a falling market. During the past few weeks prices for store sheep, including breeding ewes of good types and constitutionally sound, have fallen from 7s to 10s per head, and by the tone at Tuesday's market at the Ashburton yards' showed no improvement on that of' the previous six -weeks; indeed, if anything, it was worse. At this sale a large fine of mixed sheep was offered that originally came from the south. The line, a dealer's one, had been brought northwards by special train at a cost to the owner of some £2OO odd. The sheep were then slowly driven from one market to another for a period of five weeks, at an additional expense within the region of £2OO. Forty died on the "trek," and notwithstanding the fact that the owner was offered a fair value several weeks, l ago, he was compelled on Tuesday to accept prices which will represent a loss to liira, including expenses, of between 10s and 14s per head. In conclusion, it may be mentioned that at the present time feed has become so scarce that the best of pastori! 1 coutnry is only able to carry a liiuito number of stock; and what makes the position much more disconcerting is the ravages) of the grass grub in both young ar.d old pastures. Unfortunately for farmers, this pest has made its appearj ance in practically every part of the I county after an absence' of several j years. The present big slump in theep, of course, will not prove a great embarrassment to well-to-do farmers, but to men of small holdings and to those who recently took up land and were obliged to stock their holdings from a high market, the situation is one that is full of apprehension.

DAIRYING INDUSTRY TN AUCKLAND INCREASED PRODUCTION.

The dairy products of the Auckland district for the current season show a considerable increase, as compared with the output for the corresponding period of jeason, notwithstanding the exceptionally dry autumn experienced this year. The Farmers' Freezing Company lias received into its stores this season slightly more butter than was received laf.t season, while cheese shows an increase of 25 per cent. There is now in store over 70,000 boxes of butter, and about 72,000 crates of clieese. A shipment of 23,000 boxes of butter, which completes the quantity against wliieh the Government has made advances, will be taken by the Arawa due in Auckland next week. About 2000 crates; of cheese will also be shipped by the same steamer. Mr. D. Long, secretary of the Farmers' Freezing Company, stated that these shipments would somewhat relieve the congestion at the freezing worK}:, and there was every likelihood of sufficient shipping space being available to prevent congestion in tho future. FLAVOR IN CHEESE. Examination of cheese curd at low temperatures; shows that they contain practically the same kinds of compound as those ripening at higher temperatures but the ripening process has gone on much more slowly, and smaller quantities of the flavor-producing agent are present. In very old chees/e, with a strong flavor and pungent odour, there is always a certain amount of ammonia, which in combination with other substances gives rise to tho pungency and biting taste. The fat was once thought to be tha source of flavor. Fat, when decomposed, gives rise to butyric acid, which does produce a flavor, but it is the flavor of rancidity and not the normal cheese flavor, which is desiied. There are a variety of abnormal flavors which may make their appearance in cheese. Many of them are directly traceable to bacterial agency—the types of bacteria whieh usually have their habitat in dirt and accumulations of refuse. A large number of theue germs bring about fermentative changes and give off some by-product which produces the abnormal flavor, such as, for instance, a bitter taste, which is due to a compound formed by a certain fermentative process on the milk-sugar brought about by bacterial action. Then there is the gas'-producing organism, which, besides producing a very objectionable flavor, gives off a gas which makes the cheese full of holes, like a sponge.