ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, 10 November 1921, Page 43

ON THE LAND

MARKET REPORTS. At Burnside last week 276 head of fat cattle were yarded, the quality being good. Prices were on a par with the previous week, the sale being steady throughout. Best bullocks made from £ls to £l7 2s 6d, medium £ll 10s to £l3 15s, light from £8 15s, prime cows and heifers £9 7s 6d to £ll 10s, others from £6. Fat Sheep.—29lß sheep were yarded, the quality being very good. Primo heavy wethers and ewes were Is to Is 6d easier at the commencement of the sale, but recovered as the sale progressed, while medium and light-weight sheep, owing to the operations of northern buyers, were firm at the preceding week's rates. Prime heavy woolly wethers made 26s 9d to 30s, extra to 325, prime 23s to 25s 6d, medium and light from 19s. Shorn wethers were represented in greater numbers, and sold particularly well, prices ranging from 21s 9d to 24s for heavy sheep, light from 16s, prime heavy ewes, in the wool 19s 6d to 21s 9d, prime 17s to 18s 9d, others from 13s 6d. Lambs. were yarded, being rather many for the present trade requirements, and caused a decline of several shillings per head. Best lambs made 27s '9d to 30s, good 23s 6d to 25s 3d, others from 16s. Pigs.—A medium yarding, all classes being represented. The demand was good for small pigs, but for heavy-weights prices receded fully 15s per head. Best baconers realised from 6|d to 7|d per lb, and best porkers from 7£d to 83d per lb.

Owing to no market being held on the following week there was a double market at Addington last week, the sale lasting till after 9 p.m. There was a large attendance of buyers. Prices generally were well maintained, fat lambs being the exception. Fat Lambs. —The largest entry of the season, 1351 being forward, including a good proportion of inferior stuff. The market opened with a weak tone, which became more pronounced as the sale progressed. At the finish values were from 3s to 4s a head less than the previous week. Extra prime lambs 26s to 455, prime 24s to 25s 9d, medium 20s to 23s 6d, small 14s Gd to 18s 9d, inferior and unfinished 9s lOd to 13s lOd. Fat Sheep.— Bidding commenced at the preceding week's rates, and was spirited throughout the sale, late values being maintained. Extra prime wethers 29s to 355, prime 25s to 28s 7d, medium 21s 3d to 24s 9d, light and unfinished 17s to 20s 9d, extra prime ewes to 275, prime 20s 9d to 245, medium 17s to 20s 6d, light and unfinished 13s 6d to 16s 6d, prime hoggets 20s to 225, ordinary hoggets 13s to 19s 6d. Fat Cattle. —The market opened on a par with the previous week, but quickly improved, and at the finish values were from 20s to 30s a head in advance of late rates. Extra prime bullocks to £2O, prime £l4 5s to £lB, medium £lO 7s 6d to £l3 7s 6d, light and unfinished £8 to £lO, extra prime heifers to £ls 12s 6d, prime £9 12s to £l3 10s, ordinary £8 10s to £9 ss, extra prime cows to £l3 10s, prime £8 to £ll 17s 6d, ordinary £5 10s to £7 15s. Vealers.Runners to £5 15s, good vealers £3 5s to £4, medium £2 5s to £3, small calves 7s 6d to £1 17s 6d. Fat Choppers £2 to £4, light baconers £3 15s to £4 10s, heavy £4 15s to £5 10s (average price per lb 7£d to 8d), light porkers 45s to 555, heavy 60s to 70s (average price per lb 8d to 9£d). THE EFFECTS OF BASIC SLAG. Many farmers of to-day owe their prosperity to the liberal use of basic slag (says a writer in the Agricultural Gazette). We still see large tracts of grass land throughout the country, which if dressed with six to eight cwt. per acre of basic slag would produce a wealth of nutritious grasses and clovers, and it is noticed that while some of the pastures near to the homestead receive attention with regard to manuring, many of the outlying fields are totally neglected, and have become so poor that it is thought they are naturally so.

A permanent improvement is effected by slag, as after its appplication the soil will maintain its fertility for quite a long period. Basie slag owes its value to the phosphates of lime it contains in a fairly simple condition, although at the present time one must guard against the lower grades of slag now on the market. Slag contains a small precentage of lime, which, however, is capable of neutralising acids in the soil, and therefore in purchasing it should be ascertained what percentage of phosphate of lime is present. The finer the slag is ground the better, as very often too little attention is paid to this important point.

Where slag is stored in a damp place it very soon becomes caked into hard lumps like cement, when its value is completely destroyed. It is therefore advisable to sow it as soon after delivery as possible, unless it can be very carefully stored. Some of the best grades of slag contain anything up to 40 or even 50 per cent, of “total phosphate of lime,” the solubility of which varies in different samples.

There is no definite relation between the richness of slag in phosphate and its solubility. Never hesitate to buy the higher grades on a basis of analysis, as in view of the high cost of transit these work out considerably cheaper than the low grades, and especially where the intention is to apply the slag direct to a quick-maturing crop in advance of sowing. On pastures, however, quick action is not so important, as the return may spread over several years.

The methqd of application deserves careful attention, especially where the quickest results are desired. When applied to pasture or meadow land the slag acts somewhat indirectly by encouraging the growth of white clover and other legumes, which have the effect of enriching the soil in various ways. It is noticed that where pasture land is poor the clovers come away much quicker than where there is a thick sward of strong, rough herbage.

While many of the lower grade slags may be beneficially applied to pastures during November and December, there is no particular need to apply the higher grades to arable land before the early months of the year, or at the time of working down the ground previous to drilling.

In applying slag late in the season to swedes, I have noticed that in the South of England, during dry seasons, the swede crop derives little benefit from its application, but the phosphates certainly make themselves apparent in the corn crop which follows, and which under such circumstances should require no further mammal dressing.

Superphosphate is often preferred as a source of phosphatic manuring instead of basic slag, and for immediate results I would certainly give it preference on those soils which are not lacking in lime and also in the cultivation of potatoes. To add an acid manure like superphosphate to a soil which is already acid and sour must necessarily further increase the acidity, a condition which should be avoided on all arable land, especially in low-lying humid districts.

Those farmers who own their farms could not invest capital to a better advantage than that of systematically slagging both arable and pasture land, and to do this effectively it is necessary to manure a definite acreage of certain specified crops each season.

Keep nothing for yourselves, that He may receive you without reserve, who has given Himself to you without reserve. —St. Francis of Assisi.