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Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3768, 1 March 1913, Page 3

ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET. (PEESS ASSOCIATION TELEGEAMj CHRISTCHURCH, Eeb. 26. At the Addington live stock markel there was again a large entry of store sheep, and increased entries of faf sheep a?id lambs. The entries ir other departments were up to' the average. In store sheep there was an lmprovmenfc in young ewes and rape lambs. Fat lambs sold at slightly improved rates in consequence of the demand on tlm part of graziers, who took the bulk of the offering. The prices of fat sheep were easier and fat pigs sold at last week’s rates. Store cattle were dull of sale. Store Sheep.—Quotations for the various grades were: Ewes, two-ooth (small), los-Gd to 16s 6d; two- tooth (medium) ISs; 6-tooth, 17s t-o 18s 6d; six and eight-tooth, 16s to 17s; two, four, six and eight-tooth, 13s lid to 15s Id; sound mouth (good class), 14s to 15s 6d ; extra to 17s; fair soundmouth, 12s to 13s; full and failing mouth, 7s; for inferior to 12s; for medium merinos, 2s lOd; lambs, good rape sorts, 13s to 13s 6d; extra to 15s 8d; fair sorts, 12s to 12s Sd; average stores, 10s 6d to 11s 6d; medium sorts, Ss 6d to 10s 3d; small 8s to 9s; culls, 5s to 5s 9d; ewes to 14s; lialf-bred wethers, 9s 3d to 15s for average sorts, and to 12s. For very forward wethers there were none of special class, two and four-tooth 14s to 16s; small twotooths to 12s lOd; and a better class of the same age 13s 6d to 14s 3d. Fat Lambs. —Best, lambs made 16s to 17s 9d ;a 1 few extra to 18s 4d; and tighter 12s Id to 15s 6d: the major portion of the yarding selling at 15s to 17s. Fat Sheep.—The range of prices was: Prime wethers, 18s to 21s 6d; lighter, 16s to 17s 6d; merino wethers, 16s; prime ewes, 16s to-20s 3d; medium 13s 6d to 15s 6d; aged and light 10s 6d to 13s. Fat Cattle. —The range of prices was: 22s 6d to 30s per 100 lb. Steers brought £7 17s 6d to £l2 10s; heifers, £6 os to £lO 7s 9d; and cows, £5 17s 6d to £8; extra to £l2 2s 6d. Store Cattle.- —Yearlings realised £1 9s to £1 15s; fifteen to eighteen months sorts, £3 os to £3 16s; two-year steers, £5 Ss; two-year heifers, £•! 10s ; three-year steers, £6 5s to £6 12s 6d (passed); three-year heifers, £5 15s; and cows, £2 10s to £4 10s. Dairy Cows sold well, prices ranging from £4 10s to £l2 2s 6d. Pigs.—Choppers realised 70s to 120 s; heavy baconers, 60s to 70s; extra to 745; and lighter sorts, 50s to 57s 6d. 57s 6d (these prices being equivalent to 5d to ofd per lb). Heavy porkers brought 42’i to 465, and lighter sorts 35s to 40s (equal to 53d per lb.) A large number of store pigs came forward and as a result of oversupply prices ail round were easier, although large sorts sold well. Large stores realised 40s to 50s; medium sorts, 32s ( tq 395; and small pigs 22s to 295. \ Small weaners brought from 13s, anti ) large sorts up to zus.

RURAL DAILY MAIL DELIVERY. The forward movement by the Post and Telegraph Department to provide the New Zealand farmer .with a daily mail delivery is being fully appreciated. The first supply of 500 of the special Canadian boxes, secured for the purpose at a cost of los each, was rapidly exhausted, and another 500 boxes, to arrive at the end of this month, are practically all disposed of. Cheaper locally made boxes are being furnished, and the demand for theso is greater than the contractor can keep pace with. These simple gal-vanised-iron boxes are provided with no means, as are the Canadian boxes, to indicate whether there is mailmatter to collect or whether anything has been left by the mailman. A substitute iias been devised by some farmers in the shape of a small flag, hoisted when the box has to be cleared. While the cost of the Canadian box is 15s, three smaller ones are sold at ss, 7s and 9s respectively. An extra large one, sold at £1 Is, is a community box, for erection at the junction of the mail route and a side rad on which several farmers live, or it is useful in the case of a large holding where the mail-matter is of a "bulky nature. Padlocks, with three keys, are provided for 3s 9d for all classes of ooxes

FORAGE FOR DAIRY COWS. A question which often proves perplexing to the dairy-farmer, and one which requires serious consideration, is how to provide a supply of early spring forage for in-calving cows, writes T. W. Lonsdale in the “Journal of Agriculture.” The subject is of vital importance, as each spring numbers of cows drop their calves before the ordinary pastures are produce g more than sufficient to maintain life. At such times the value of artifi ?ial feeding is inestimable. Numerous crops are well adapted for supplying the dairyman’s requirements, and the virtues of several have—"a irea-rly been expounded by the ’■writer. A plant which has not received the attention it merits for this purpose is chou moellier, though it has formed the subject of numerous favorable reports. As forage for dairy cows it probably excels. An important experiment in this connection has been conducted at the Moumahaki Experimental Farm, the primary object of which was to test the value of various forage crops for fattening lambs for the early market. On the 29th March, 1912, several acres were sown with rape, Bucla kale, thousand-headed kale, silver-beet and chou moellier. The seed was sown on ridges. 26in apart, and the plants were afterwords singled to, roughly, about loin apart. The crop was horse-hoed late in the autumn and during the early spring; but very little cultivation could be given owing to -continuous, rains. With the exception of silver-beet (which was sown at the rate of 61b of seed per"acre) the other varieties of forage received 31b seed per acre. The manure, 3|cwt pier acre, was similar throughout, being basic superphosphate, 3cwt; sulphate of potash, 4cwt; and nitrate of soda, ;*cwt. Chou moellier produced the heaviest crop, and on the 16th September, when stocking commenced, the 'approximate yield was 20 tons per acre. It was not so readily eaten as rape, though as cow-fed it certainly appeared pre-eminent. Considering that chou moellier thrives during the winter, is easily cultivated, transplants readily, and

gives a wealth of feed during the early spring, it will amply repay the farmer to give it a trial next autumn.