ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, 29 September 1921, Page 43

ON THE LAND

MARKET REPORTS.

At Burnside last week 192 head of fat cattle were yarded. The market opened at about the previous week's rates, but there was an advance after the first two or three sales of 30s to £2 per head. Extra prime heavy bullocks made up to £22 10s, prime heavy £l7 10s to £l9, mediun £l4 to £l6, lighter £9 to £l2, prime heavy cows and heifers to £ls, medium £9 to £l2, lighter from £7. Fat Sheep. — 2156 head were penned. Compared with recent sales the number was small, but butchers held supplies from the week before, and there were sufficient for requirements. The sale opened with a rather small attendance, and prices were about on a par with the preceding week's, but a steady rise was apparent until well-finished wethers were selling at an advance of 3s on the opening rates, and prime hoggets, of which the supply was limited, advanced fully 'ss after the beginning of the sale. Extra prime wethers made from 27s 6d to 29s 9d, prime 22s to 265, medium 18s to 21s, light and unfinished 13s to 16s, prime ewes 16s to 19s, medium 13s to 15s, lighter from 10s 6d. Spring Lambs. The first lambs of the season, eight in number, arrived a week early this year. Butchers were dubious as to how prices would compare with last season's, and consequently the first few lambs did not make as much as the others. Prices ranged from 24s to 375. —The demand for young pigs was scarcely as keen as on the previous week, but good prices were obtained nevertheless. Fat pigs made full market rates, baconers selling at about 9d per lb. Quotations: Suckers 33s to 425, slips 36s to 445, stores to £2 10s, porkers £3 2s 6d to £4, baconers £5 10s to £6 ss, choppers, none forward.

At the Addington market last week there was an improved tone which was due principally to improved feed, prospects, as a result of the rain. Spring Lambs.Eightyfour were yarded, and sold at good prices, the bulk averaging 27s 6d to 34s 6d. Fat Sheep.—The smallest yarding for some time, and an improvement in values of from 2s to 2s 6d per head over the preceding week. Extra prime wethers 24s to 275, prime 19s 9d to 23s 6d, medium 17s 3d to 19s 3d, inferior 14s 10s to 17s, extra prime ewes to 22s 3d, prime 15s 9d to 17s 7d, ordinary 14s to 15s 6d, extra prime hoggets to 22s Id, prime 16s 6d to 19s 6d, inferior 8s 4d to 13s 9d. Fat Cattle. —For good beef recent values were maintained, but inferior were more difficult to sell. Extra prime bullocks to £2O, prime £ls to £lB 7s 6d, medium £9 7s 6d to £l4 Is, light and unfinished £6 to £9 2s 6d, ordinary heifers £6 15s to £8 17s 6d, light and unfinished £5 5s to £6 10s, prime cows £8 10s to £ll 2s 6d, ordinary £5 to £B. Fat Pigs. Prices generally were firm, especially for pork. Choppers £4 to £6 Is, light baconers

£5 to £5 10s, heavy £5 15s to £6 15s, extra heavy to £7 10s (average price per lb 9d), light porkers £3 to £3 10s, heavy £3 15s to £4 7s (average price per lb 10£d).

Messrs. Donald Reid and Co. report as follows on the usual fortnightly sale of rabbitskins, etc., held on the 19th

inst: —Large catalogues were submitted by the various selling brokers. There was a full attendance of buyers, andprices ruling were on a par with those obtained at last sale. Quotations: Prime winter does 80d to 88d, first winter does up _to 78d, winter does 63d to 70d, prime winter bucks 73d . to 76d, first winter bucks 67d to 71d, winter bucks up to 58d, spotted winters 40d to 50d, incoming winters up to 59d, autumns up to 47d, early autumns up, to 28d, outgoing winters up to 48d, prime racks 15d to 16|d, light racks lOd to 12$d, summers 8d to 13d, springs tip to 21d, runners up to 3£d, prime winter black 105 d to 112 d; winter black up to 55£d, autumn and incoming black 23d to 40d, winter fawn 49d to 53d, broken 20d to 30d, hares up to 20d, horsehair 16d to 20d.

THE GROWING OF LUCERNE. A correspondent (says the Christchurch Press) suggests that what he terms the "present 'go-slow' policy of the farmers" as regards the. growing of lucerne is due to the

methods of seeding and cultivation that farmers are advised to adopt. He declares that scores of farmers can testify to the great percentage .of failures even when the most approved methods of cultivation have been strictly carried out, and asserts that it is "not practicable" to grow lucerne in 21 inch rows, with inter-cultivaton, except on very light land for grazing purposes. The experts behind the Canterbury lucerne-growing campaign are quite competent to deal with our correspondent's statements. But as we have supported the committee's experts, and, by implication, the methods of cultivation advised by their experts, we may point out that the latter are in accordance with the best expert opinion in other countries. The growing of lucerne in rows sufficiently wide apart to permit of weeds, which would otherwise overrun the crop, being kept under is advocated by leading scientific agricultural authorities in Australia and the United States. The space between the rows varies from 18 inches to as much as 30 inches, the c opinion of the Director of the Oregon Agricultural College being that when the rainfall is 18 inches, or over, the rows may be 21 to 28 inches apart. What the experience of Canterbury farmers may be, we don't know, except that in certain cases excellent crops of lucerne have been grown according to local advice, which is supported, as we have shown, by that of other experts elsewhere.

PREVENTION OF PESTS.

It cannot be too strongly urged upon readers that the best way to keep the crops free from pests of all kinds is to use preventive measurues. Once plants are attacked by a pest it is often imposible to cure it. We may take the case of the club root. Once a plant of the cabbage tribe is attacked there is no cure, but the* disease can be tackled in such a way that it does not appear to any extent next year. The chief preventive against club-root, and indeed many other diseases and pests, is lime. The other great means of prevention is to burn all diseased matter or any which is suspected of disease. Thus every portion of a diseased plant should be burnt, but especially the root; and this applies likewise to such pests as the cabbageroot fly, the celery fly, onion fly, etc.

It is quite an unusual thing to see this good advice carried out. The probability is that there is no fire burn-

ing, and it seems too small a matter to make a fire for especially. The rubbish, etc., is then left on the ground, which is bad, or is put on the rubbish heap, which is worse. If the rubbish heap be used for this purpose the pests and diseases will very quickly spre'ad all over the

garden.

Then there is another matter which has -much to do

with the pest prevention, and that is what we call soil sanitation. By this we mean that the drainage must be good and the soil sweet, so that there is no stagnation and the roots have a healthy medium in which to live. This is brought about partly by the use of lime, as already described, and to a large extent by good drainage, deep cultivation, exposure of a large surface to air 1 and frost and the judicious use of manure. If we keep the soil sweet growth will be easy, and if tillage and manuring are also

good nothing but a bad season can prevent a good crop.

Holiness consists simply of two things, two endeavors the endeavor to -know God's will, and the endeavor to do it when we know it. —Father Faber.

A POPULAR EMPLOYER. On the eve of his departure for Australia, Mr. S. Kirkpatrick, Managing Director of S. Kirkpatrick and Co., Ltd., was presented by the employees with a handsome gold albert chain and inscribed gold pendant. The pendant is inscribed "Employee to Employer. Kia Ora —from the 'K ' Factory Staff." The gift was accompanied by a letter signed by all "K" employees— staff, office, and salesmenexpressing their thanks for the many kindnesses received from Mr. Kirkpatrick and appreciating his interest in his employees' welfare at all times. The gift is the outcome of the unanimous wish of the employees, and speaks well of the harmonious relations between all parties at the big "K" Factory. ■ .• - ""-V