FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1920, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY

AN T UNWISE PROCEDURE. Remarking that the .natural tendency of those interested in the production of wool is to hold the staple and that the general advice appears to be to store the wool, the Mercantile Gazette expresses the opinion that the wisdom of such policy is open to doubt. It sounds very nice to say that the wool stiould be held and the market fed, and it would be an excellent thing if the market could be treated tuna, but it cannot. Crossbred wool is not wanted except at a low price, because the fabrics wade from crossbred wool are not in favor and the only way to tempt people to buy them is by offering tliem at low prices. Holding the 'wool on" tlie market in the hope of values improving is an unwise procedure, because cheapness must be the basis for stimulating consumption. What all interested in the wool trade desire to see is a speedy clearance of the wool, they want to see the bulk of it go into consumption and holding for improved prices will not help at all. Germany, Austria, Poland, Belgium, France and Italy are not in a position to pay high prices for wool or to pay prompt rash for same, and yet wool is badly needed in those countries. It would be- better for the wool industry if some scheme could be devised for selling the cheap crossbred wool to the impoverished European nations and giving them extended credit for their purchases. Argentine ttafi adopted this course, and will derive the benefit. Mr. Ernest Short, in a speech at Feilding, said that at one farm in America they had seen a Holstein cow which was after the world's record for milk production. Tlie cow was 'under wire gauze, so that not even a fly could get at her. In six months she had produced 22,0001bs of milk, and, barring accidents, slip should beat the world's record by 300i)ibs at her present rate. He had seen the bull-calf produced by this cow. It was a magnificent animal — the best he had ever seen in his life.. He had ascertained that the price put upon this calf was .CiiOOO, and when the cow's year's record was published the price would jump to £20,0f!0. He had suggested to the Holstein Breeders' Association that they should between them purchase this calf. Surely tlie Holstein breeders could find £.IOOO between them. The introduction of such an animal would be a tremendous lift for Xew Zealand.—Star.

Potato blight has made its appearance in some of Jhe crops in Feilding district. '•'There is a tremendous market for wool if the people—particularly the people of Europe- had the money to liny," stated Mr. -I. ('. Cooper, of '.\las-

terton, who has just 'returned, from England, "1 don't think there is enough wool in the world to supply the requirements, if only the world could buy it. But the money is not available." A shareholder in the TSunnythorpe

Dairy Company informed a Herald reporter that his company had decided to relinquish cheese making for the present and return to the production of butter. At the present time the estimated cost i»f lancing cheese on the Home market was 3d per lb, or about £1 per cheese. Advices from Home also indicate that trie supply of cheese was exceeding the demand. Wholesale destruction oi calves has been going on in the dairying districts for some considerable time. Some. far-

mers find it does not pay to roar them, others state tliat they have not the room for them (reports the. New Zealand Times Palmerston North correspondent). The number of calfskins from the Dannevirko district alone awaiting the next sales is 10,000 skins, and about 1000 have gone to outside markets. Tlie large number that is being slaughtered is hound to have a big effeet upon the priees in a year or two, and fanners who are enterprising enough to hang on to their yoiiug stocknow will have a material advantage over others.