AROUND HAWKE'S BAY

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 72, 28 April 1930, Page 5

AROUND HAWKE'S BAY

l'ARAGRAPHS OF INTEREST T0 THE FARJVIER The recent light -frosts in some areas have had the effect of darkening some of the maize crops, but no mat^rial harm has been done. * * * The recent rains have had the effect of bringing away niushrooms in all parts of Hawke's Bay. They are said to be particularly plentiful around the Scuthern Hawke's Bay district. * * * Hawke's Bay rabbit fanciers will be interested in tlie news that the recent-ly-formed New Zealand Fur Board is functioning and taking rapid steps to standardise the market for Angora wool • and Chinchilla pelts. The matter was mentioned at a council meeting of the Auckland Fur Club, wlien it was stated that the board has collected information as to the prices at which ivool and pelt saies had been effected in New Zealand with a view to securing uniformity. * * * Members declared that in New Zealand the Angora fleece was better and more abundant than in England (whicli was credited with producing the world's hest). Annual yields of 12oz.. were not difficult liere, and 8oz. represented a reasonable flock average. Where grass grew all througli the year the food bill was very small. * * * Disturbing news for the sheep-farm-ing community of Hawke's Bay eomes from the Woodville district, where a settler reports that several of his hreeding ewes died last season from mammitis, a disease previously regarded hy the farming community as confined entirely to daiiy cows. * * * A number of farmers in the Matahoiira district liave been experimenting with maize this season. _No large areas have been sown, but • it is apparent from the results that the countiy is quite suited to this class of crop. The pods are by no means equal to those that come off the Pakowhai flats, but when the class of soil in the two areas is taken into consideration, the Matahoura .growers may be said to have done very well. * * * If the recovery in the hutter market contiijues, and the values return to anything like normal, the season should not be nearly such a bad oue as recent values have made it appear. The fact that f.o.h. saies are heing negotiated for, and at a higher rate than was at first offered, appears to indiclate a confidence in the market that was ahsent before, says the Poverty Bay Herald. * * * Rain is urgently required practically throughout the Dominion at present, tlie season in some districts being the driest for 50 years. * * * In the Cumberland Dairy Shorthon herd of Mr John Clark, Down Hall, Wigton, four cows which.calved in succession produced between tliem seven calves — thi'ee sets of twins and a single. * * Some of the soldier settlers in the districts adjacent to the East Coast Railway were able to purchase timber from the Public Works Department through a special arrangement with the commissioner, but normally all the timber that comes from the department's mill at Moka Moka — this with an output of 4,600 feet a day — is absorbed on public works. • * • "Farmers as a whole are veiy loyal to the railway which serves them well, and in respect to loyalty I- cannot speak too highl.v of the farmers in the areas flanking the East Coast Railway." Thus Mr A. McNeil, business representative of the New Zealand Railway Depart- - ment in coiiversation with me tlie other day. It certainly pays the farmers _ in this area to "support the railway, which has been one of the main causes of bringing jjrosperity to the district. A very fine aerial photograph of the Stortford Lodge saleyards was recently taken from one of the Hawke's Bay Aero Club's machines. This gives a particularly comprehensive view of the new lay-out of the yards and the amount of space that they take up. * * * The new parking area for cars at Stortford Lodge saleyards is a much appreciated boon amongst the farming community, who used frequently in the past to be called upon to walk some distance from where they parked their cars on busy days. There is accommodation for some hundreds of cars in this extensive area which has newly been opened. * * * I do not tliink it is very likely on present indications that Hawke's Bay ouyers will be renresented in any large numbers at the Poverty Bay cattle fair this year. This year a week will separate the two sections of the sale. The male- cattle are to be sold on April 29 and 30, while the fertialf will not be offered until May 6 and 7. This is heing done on account of the size the fairs are developing into now that cattle 'are increasinn to something like pre-drought nroportions. There is expected fco be larger yardings tlian usual, particularly of weaners, for many farmers have been breeding: extensively during the last year or so, and the last calving was reported to be a good one. * * • % Farmers often reouire a funnel for various uses around tlieir properties, and a very efficient one can be made by taking an ordinai-y bottle, tying a piece of strihg soaked in kerosene around the bottom and lighting the. string, allowine it to burn until it falls off Then place the bottom of the b'ottle iri cold water, and it will fall off with a clean break, leaving the upper part in the form of a very efficient funnel.