FARMERS’ COLUMN.
Lambing is becoming general on some stations, and it was noticed the other day that there were about a hundred in a paddock at Mr Oswald Nelson’s, near Hastings
Notwithstanding the fact that seventeen million . sheep were slaughtered in Australasia during the past year, there has been a net increase in _ the flocks of five millions.
Dalgety and Co., in their annual review of the wool trade, say the classing of crossbreds shows an advance towards greater perfection, though many clips, both large and small, continue to be rather carelessly graded and skirted, this being especially the case in many parts of New Zealand.
It is generally conceded that lime is “ good ” for the soil. As a matter of fact, it is absolutely impossible to reap the full benefit of artificial fertilisers or of plant food already in the soil if the soil be deficient in lime.
The Timaru correspondent of the Christchurch “ Press ” states that the recent fall of snow is likely to be more serious than at first anticipated, In County run-holders are employing men at great expense to save as many sheep as possible, but it is stated that where hundreds were lost after the last snowstorm some few years back, the loss this time will run into thousands.
Some apple, trees in New Plymouth have borne fruit in the past few weeks. If the mild season lasts much longer, (says the “ Taranaki Herald ”) we shall not be surprised to hear that a fine crop of strawberries is growing on the summit of Mount Egmont.
“We deal mostly in coarse wools,” said an Auckland wool merchant in conversation with a “ Herald ” representative, “ but still our wools are getting finer, and it is only a matter of time When we shall have some very good fine wools here—fine crossbred, half bred, and merino crosses. - Auckland sent out about a thousand bales more wool last season than the season before, and the increase is due to the steady opening up of the new country. Auckland province will stand a great many more sheep, and sheepfarmers are coming up from the South looking for land almost every week. We want the native areas opened up, and the sheepfarmers badly require a stock track between Gisborne country and the Waikato. The opening of that crack would mean a great —.-deal for sheepfarmers.”
One reason given for the comparatively small number of cattle from the Taieri at the Burnside sales last Wednesday (says the Dunedin “ Star ”) was that there are not nearly so many cattle on the plain as there usually are. The late drought so completely ruined the turnip crops that cattle are actually being sent away from the Taieri, the Promised Land of the agriculturist and pastoralist. It was stated that there were probably from 1200 to 1500 cattle below the normal number. A good deal of stock is being sent to Southland.
Although it is only a few months since the Otekaike settlers took possession of their sections, a wonderful change has been made in the appearance of the estate, says the Oamaru “ Mail.” Ploughing operations have been actively carried on, and if the grain yield is commensurate with the amount of ground which has been prepared for the reception of the seed, settlers will do well for their first year. Already the Carpenters have been busy with the erection of homes, the quantity of building that has been done being a fitting testimonial to the enterprise and grit of those who were fortunate enough to draw the lucky marbles at the ballot. Although a little windy at times, the settlers speak in satisfactory terms of the climate.
A sale was effected in Waipukurau this week of a good-sized line of four-tooth ewes.in lamb at 14s 6d.
Don’t be in too great haste to get seed in the ground, but wait until the soil is in every way ready for it and you will be well repaid for your waiting.
The greatest gain is in young stock, because of rapid growth, and the nearer the animal approaches maturity the slower the increase in weight. During the cold season more food is required than during summer.
In the manuring for mutton experiments, carried out by the Highland Agricultural Society, it is stated that improvement is effected by all manures, but of those used basic slag has been most effective, cake gives the poorest ffflturn for expenditure.
A Makuri farmer states that altough that district has not suffered to any great extent by the drought, stock have not fattened as was expected. He attributes the trouble to the presence of too much potash in the pastures through the prevalence of bush fires in the summer time.
To produce a good crop of rape requires good, fertile land. The soil should be carefully prepared and put into a mellow, but finelypulverised, well-settled condition before seeding the rape. It requires only a few pounds of rape to seed an acre; if the rape is sown in drills two or three pounds is sufficient; if sown broadcast, five or six pounds or even eight pounds per acre may be required.
The export of lamb last month is said to have been the greatest in the history of the frozen meet trade. The whole meat export of the month was on a gratifying scale. The figures are : Lamb, upwards of 400,000 carcases; mutton, 180,000 carcases; beef, 24,000 quarters. Against this the figures for June of 1907 were : Lamb, 354,960 ; mutton, 161,907 ; beef, 13,494. In comparing'these figures it has to be remembered that last season was a good one. The shortage of lambs general in the early part of the present season has more than recovered, but the total export of mutton to date is still considerably lower than that of last year.
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Waipukurau Press, Issue 285, 21 July 1908, Page 6
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969FARMERS’ COLUMN. Waipukurau Press, Issue 285, 21 July 1908, Page 6
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