FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 4 December 1926, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

NOTES BY “PLOUGHSHARE.” MAIZE.

The chief qualities desired in a green forage crop are succulence, palatability and comparatively large yield in a moderately *short growing period. Generally speaking, the condition of soil and tillage are essentially the same for whatever purpose the crop is grown; somo variations occur in respect to the variety and amount of seed and the treatment with fertilisers according as,the crop is grown for one purpose or another. Although cereal crops 'vary a great deal from one another in respect to their feeding values, the period of growth and character of root systems, all of them requiro good seed, most of them good soil, good culture and a good supply of available plant food to be satisfactory. Maize makes a most satisfactory green forage crop. Whether it is grown as a green forage crop for immediate use or as ensilage, the object is a rapid growth and a large yield of succulent stacks and leavos in comparison with cobs. For whatever purpose it is groyrn the best soils are rich, porous, well drained warm loams that do not bake during, droughts, though good crops are obtained on various soils. Abundance of organic matter is essential. The 6oil should bo well cultivated to a sufficient depth to ensure mellowness, warmfh and circulation of air, these conditions being essential to promote a quick and complete germination of seed and rapid early growth of plants. The crop makes most of its growth after hot weather begins, when the process of nitrification is most active, and the crop can utilise organic nitrogen supplied in the fo rm of farm manure, leguminous green crop manure,_ blood and bone, etc. It does not require the application of nitrate, except in small quantities, if well supplied with organic nitrogen. It is desirable (hat generous amounts of soluble phosphates be applied also. The amount of seed used varies, but it is undesirable to plant too thickly as in dry spells loss of soil moisture by evaporation through the plant leaves is likely to be so great as to injuro the crop. Tho depth of planting is usually about three inches. The soil should bo woll cultivated and scarified in order to keep the weeds down and to form an earth mulch to retain the moisture. It is advantageous to continue cultivation as long as it is possible to work between the rows. In somo cases maize is sown broadcast with the purpose of having only green forage. Hickory King, Boon County Special and Ninety Day are all well adapted ftfr green feeding. Maize makes splendid ensilage and is used considerably for this purpose by American dairy farmers.

PLANT FOOD. Iho feeding of plants is not a simple problem, and successful plant feeding depends a great deal upon a liberal use of farm manure, commercial fertilisers, etc. Unless one possesses ti knowledge of' deiinito facts and of the relation of theso facts to one another, an intelligent and successful use of plant foods in the growing of crops cannot be expected. llic beneficial action of fertilisers upon crops depends upon and is limited by many different conditions, and theso inusf be taken into careful consideration if the cost of crop production is to be satisfactorily regulated.

-*t plant food has been defined as “a substance which supplies any constituent necessary for the nourishment of plants and in a form suited to promote their development or capable of being changed by natural processes into such a form.” fLlio term plant food includes conpounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus. A substance must enter a plant before it can be used. Gases and liquids can enter readily. but solids must be brought into a solution in water before they can be used. Aiany substances are soluble in water, and again others must be changed into other forms before they are soluble. The subject °. ■au.a.jiluy 01 plant lood is in piuny cases complicated, but prominent among the factors affecting it are the following : The chemical character of the plant-food materials; their fineness of division, various soil conditions, especially those affecting its micro-organisms, and the character or the crop grown.

THE PIGGERY. The boar is one of tho most important members of the herd. A breeder should use his own judgment to a great- extent with regard to the keeping Ins boar in the best condtion, rt will depend to a great extent on the development of a young sow, as to the ago when she should be served. If good results are to bo expected, pigs should have plenty of exercise. ’ Pigs require minerals regularly. Artichokes makes valuable food for swine. It is a hardy plant and will grow unimpaired in a drought or a frost. Jerusalem White is the best kind to use for feeding -stock.

GENERAL NOTES. Oats may bo cut for hay as the stems show yellow above the ground. Oats are easily cured and handled. One of the main factors in calf-rearing is cleanliness with reference to buckets or other receptacles used for holding the milk. . Always have some rock-salt in a box in the calf paddock. Denmark is producing l|lbs of pork to every pound of butter. After use- all veterinary instruments should be thoroughly washed in disinfectant and put away dry. Mangolds will double the milk producing value that swedes will. The best time to start the mower is when the general run of grasses and clovers aro in bloom. The average area planted in potatoes in the Dominion for the past nine years was 22,093 'acres per year; and the average production amounted to 113,311 tons. The average exports totalled 1,613 tons.

At the Duwcra experimental farm, pigs are run on the open grazing system. The pigs’ houses provided are movable. ’ The pastures provided are rye-grass and clover, arid these are supplemented by special crops in season. Artichokes, mangolds turnips, etc., are provided for this purpose. • Lucerne cut for hay should be handled as little as posisble and should not be allowed to dry too rapidly. When clovers aro prominent constituents of meadows, loss nitrogen needs to be applied than where the vegetation consists wholly of grasses. About 40 per cent of the plant-food value in a lucerne crop is usually contained in the roots. When these decay they leave the sub-soil better fitted for drainage and circulation of air as well as provide abundance of organic matter. Red clover as a green crop manure is probably the most widely grown of any leguminous crop. « Many believe that crops, when heavily manured, do not require the same amount of tillago either in preparing the soil or in the subsequent care. This is a serious error. The larger the amount of manure, the larger amount of tillage required.

THE WO.OL MARKETS. 'LONDON SALE'S. NO CHANGE IN PRICES. LONDON, Dee. 2. At the wool salts there was an average selection and good general competition, but prices were unchanged. Sales of New Zealand lots: Surrey Hills 23d per lb; Tolmore, top price 19id, average 17d. The Bradford tops market is dull, but some spinners are covering current requirements. Quotations: 64’s 45d per lb, 60’s 42d, 56’s old, 50’s 25d, 46’s 20id, 40’s 19Jd. —A. and N.Z. cable.

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AND PRICES. At tho morning call yesterday on tho Wellington Stock Exchange a sale of Bank of Now Zealand rights at 6s 7d was reported. At the afternoon call a sale of Gear Meat shares at 37s was made on ’Change, and the sales reported wero Wellington Investment at 10s 9d and Electrolytic Zinc ordinary at 36s 3d. There was a poor, demand for Government stocks and bonds. There were bids of £99 for tho 5 per cents and £IOO 15s for tho 5J per cents. Buyers offered £B6 for Glaxo debentures and £99 15s for Makerua Drainage debentures. Bank shares were slow. There were bids of £7 Is for National Bank shares, 6s 6d for Bank of New Zealand rights and £ls 4s for Union Bank. Sellers quoted 32s 3d for Commercial Bank ordinary and 60s 9d for Bank of New Zealand. There was no demand for financial or gas shares. Sellers quoted £3 15s for National Insurance, 38s 9d for New Zealand jmd 57s for South British. Gear Meat shares were in demand at 36s 9d and New Zealand Shipping preference at £9. Wellington Woollen ordinary shares were on sale at £6 l’2s 6d, Kauri Timber at 30s 3d cum dividend, LeylandO’Bricn at 42s and Taringamatu Totara at 265. National Timber shares were in demand at 14s. Brewery shares were steady, with buyers of N.Z. Breweries at 525, Staples and Co. at 375, Tui Brewery at 32s and Ward and Co. at 42s 6d. There were bids of 39s for Burns, Philp and Co., 36s for Electrolytic Zinc Ordinary and 29s for Wellington Queen’s Theatre. 9 Yesterday’s buying and selling quotations were as under :

DAIRY PRODUCE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Coy., Ltd., lias received the following cablegram from its London house: Rutter: New Zealand choicest salted, stored loCs to 158 s; market firm; controlled (stock cleared), IGOs to lU2s. Cheese: Controlled, 89s to 110 s; market firm with upward tendency. Daigcty and Coy., Ltd., report having received the following cablegram | from their London house, under date of tlie 2nd inst. ; Butter market firm. New Zealand control prices for new season’s finest 16Gs, first grade lG4s. Last season’s stored 15Gs to IGOs. Danish lS2s Australian finest unsalted 1635, salted 160 sto lG2s. Cheese market firm. New season’s Ncv Zealand finest 945, first grade 935; Canadian 90s to 965. New Zealand last season’s 90s to 945.

BUTTER AND CHEESE. LONDON QUOTATIONS. LONDON, Dee. 2. The butter trade continues, active. Australian choicest 162 s to 164 s per cwt, unsaltcd 1665; New Zealand sllored 160 s to 1625. The Control Board lias raised the price of new supplies to 164 sto 1665. The market is practically bare of now supplies till the lonic arrives. Danish, 186 s. The cheese market is firm. Australian 90s per cwt; New Zealand control prices, 93s to 94s.—A. and N.Z. cable.

FROZEN MEAT. . Dalgety and Coy., Ltd., report having received the following .cablegram from their London house, .under date ;of the 2nd inst.; —New Zealand lamb: Market dull, demand lees. New Zealand mutton: Market weak; demand running principally on light weights. New Zealand beef: Market firm; demand 'moderate.- Australian lamb: Market tending- downwards; demand fair. Australian mutton: Market weak; demand limited ; quotations unchanged. New Zealand pork: Poor demand on spot. . Porkers *lofd to ll£d; baconers 7-Jd to Bd.

MANAWATU ORCHARDS. FRUIT PROSPECTS. The departmental orchard instructor'(Mr J. A. Whelan) reports as follows on the fruit prospects of the Manawatu : Cherries.—More or less a failure, owing chiefly to bad weather and frost. Strawberries.—Looking remarkably well at present, and promise lor a heavy .crop. A tew days’ sunshino would greatly benefit them. Raspberries. —At present in flower, and where properly pruned and cared for, show every indication for J heavy crop. Gooseberries.—Patchy in Manawatu. Where ground was insufficiently drained, a great many plants have died. Crop is only fair. Plums, apricots and peaches.—Very poor indeed owing to inclement weather conditions, and to a minor extent to disease.

Apples.—With the exception of one or two varieties, the crop promises to be heavy, especially with Stunners. Pears. —Heavy crop. Spraying and cultivation have been considerably interfered with by the wet weather, but diseases seem to be well under control, except perhaps powdery mildew which has been encouraged by the wet conditions.

FEILDING STOCK SALE. good prices” for sheep. [Special to “Standard.”] • FEILDING, Dec. 4. The sheep entries in both the fat and store pens at yesterday’s stock sale' at Fcilding were only medium, but good prices ruled generally and all lilies met with a fairly keen demand. Good forward stores sold at an advance on late rates and well done ewes and lambs were also sought. In the cattle pens the store section formed the largest portion pf the yarding and tho quality generally was poor. The demand was over-supplied and prices declined over these lines. Fat cattle were offered in medium numbers and good conditioned bullocks mudo up ‘to £l2. Fat heifers also sold well but the bulk of tho cows were on the light side. Dairy stock was entered in very small numbers and prices were steady. Values were as follow :

Fat Sheep.—Lamb, one shorn, 19s 9d; hoggets, woolly, 17s, 26s 3d (prime); hoggets, shorn, 20s 6d; shorn wethers, 17s, 20s lid, 21s Gd ; ewes and wethers, 18s; ewes (shorn), 13s, 14s, 15s, 16s, lGs 4d, 18vS to 26s prime. Store Sheep.—B.F. hoggets (shorn), 20s lOd; m.s. hoggets (shorn),* 13s, 18s 3d, 21s 8d; ewe hoggets (shorn), 15s 7d, 18s 10(1; wether hoggets (shorn), 15s 3d; ewes and lambs, 26s 4d, 325; m.a. shorn ewes, 12s BJd ; 2-tooth ewes, 17s Gd; b.f. 2-tooths, 16s, 18s 3d; 4-tooth wethers, 19s.

Fat Cattle. —Cows (light), £5 2s Gd, £5 7s Gd, £5 17s 6d;.med ium to good, £6 ss, £6 15s, £7 15s, £7 10s Gd; heifers, £8 3s Gd, £8 7s Gd; 5-year bullocks, £7, £7 2s Gd, £8 2s Gd! £9 -17 s Gd, £l2. Store Cattle.: —18-months heifers, r.w.b. (Jersey), £2 Bs, £3 lGs; di. (S.H.), £1 4s; yearling steers, £2 11s, £3 10s; store cows, £2 15s, £3 2s Gd, £3 5s to £3 15s; 4-year forward bullocks. £6 7s Gd, £6 9s.

Dairy Stock. —Springing Jersey heifers, £4 ing cows, £6 ss; cows in milk (poor selection), £3 2s Gd; P.A. bullocks, 9gns, lOgns., llgns. 1 AUCTIONEERS’ REPORTS. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report: A good yarding of both sheep and cattle came forward. There was a good demand for shorn two-tooths, but fat sheep were not keenly sought after. There was a good enquiry for beef, but store bullocks met a dull sale, although most of our yarding changed hands. We quote: Sheep: Fat ewes 13s, 14s 3d, 15s, 16s to 18s; fat b.f.’s to 20s 6d; fat wethers to 21s 6d. Store sheep: ewes and lambs to 325; b.f. hoggets 20s lOd; mixed hoggets 13s, 18s 3d; store ewes 10s. Cattle: Fat maiden heifers to £B- - 6d; fat cows £3, £.4 10s, £5 2s 6d, £5 7s 6d, £5 17s 6rl to Sfl 12s 6d; fat heifers to £5 10s; 4yr bullocks £6 7s 6d; svr bullocks £7, £7 2s 6d; 2yr steers £2 Is," £2 12s to £4 12s 6d; store cows 20s to 255; forward cows 33s 6d, £2 11s, £2 15s, £3 ss, £3 14s, £3 15s; yearling heifers £2 Bs, £3 16s, £3 18s; springing cows £5 to £6 ss; springing heifers £4 10s to £5; yearling bulls £2. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Palmerston North, I report having a moderate yarding of sheep and cattle. There was a good demand for ! sheep and all lines changed hands. Quotations: Small 2-th wethers 15s 6d, medium 4-th wethers 17s Id, good 4-th wethers 19s, fat ewes 16s 4(1 to 16s 6d; springing heifers £5 10s, crossbred yearling heifers 235; store cows £1 to 30s, forward cows £2 to £2 10s, cows with calves £2 17s 6d; light fat heifers £6 17s 6d, fat cows £4 10s to £6, fat bullocks £9 17s 6d; 2yr P.A. bulls 9 to llgns.

PALMERSTON NORTH WOOL, SKIN, HIDE AND TALLOW SALE

Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report: We held our usual monthly sale on Thursday, when we submitted a large catalogue to a full attendance of buyers. Competition for wool was very keen and prices realised were equal, and in some cases even better, than those in the large centres. : Sheepskins, if anything, were a little easier. Hides of all descriptions were in good demand at id to id better than last sale. Tallow sold at late rates. We quote: Wool; Southdown medium lod to 15)d, medium crosbrcd 12d to ]2‘d, coarse 10Jd to ll£d, lambs 11-Jd to "l2d, dead Sid to 9Jd, pieces 7-Jd to Hid, locks 4d to old, crutcbings fid to 7d. Sheepskins: Crosbrcd fine 12Jd, medium lOjpl to 11-Jd', coarse 9Jd to lO.jd, dead 7Jd to Bd, damaged and inferior Gd to Bd, iambs 9LI, salted pelts 2s Del to 3s Id each, lambs salted 2s to 2s Cd each. Hides: Ox heavy 9Jd, medium 83d, light Gild to 7£d; cow heavy GJd, medium light Gd to 63d, cut and inferior 5d to 6|d, yearlings and kip Gd to 73d. Calfskins: Best lines 12|d, good 12id to 12Jd, stained lid to llid, cut and inferior 63d to 93d. Tallow: In casks £32 15s per ton, in tins £27 to £2B 5s per ton. Horsehair: 24d per lb.

CANTERBURY MARKETS. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 3. Trade talk centres round the effects of the extraordinarily prolonged spell

of mid-winter weather. The country will be extreifiely fortunate if it escapes a serious setback to crops. Wheat is now appearing in ear in some of the earlier districts, and the inevitable aftermath of a snowfall on the ranges is a frost, which is likely to affect crops at the stage mentioned. On the other hand, a warm nor’-wester is as likely to develop rust, which has already made its appearance on the heavier lands. The rough burst lias “laid” heavy oat crops and retarded the sowing of roots, and there is a general expectation that potatoes will be affected by frosts. They are just at the stage when they can be effectively nipped back. At all events, this possibility is not being ignored by the more venturesome of the speculative element in the trade, and quotations for forward business were somewhat freer to-day. Buyers were lacking last week at £3 lO.s per ton trucks for April-June- delivery, but to-day there are plenty of buyers at that figure. The cold burst is likely to have an effect on ryegrass crops. Oats are still - not inquired for. Ideas for Cartons range about 3s 8d to 3s lOd f.o.b.j 5.1., or 3s to 3s 2d on trucks. The influx of Australian Algerians is probably the cause of the lack of northern inquiry for this class, which are not wanted at 2s Gd a bushel on trucks.

There is very little cocksfoot about, but very little is being asked for. Until North Island growers realise the inferiority of the imported cocksfoot, compared with local the Peninsula output seems destined to shrink still further. THE MEAT WAR. NOT TERMINATED YET. LONDON, Dec. 2. The .Daily Mail says that Lord Vestev denies that an agreement has been reached terminating the meat war, and announces that Vestey’s Union Cold Storage Company is not retiring, but is handling unprecedented South American meat tonnage. It has never been better equipped to meet competition and to defend British interests. Swifts and Armours corroborate Lord Vestcy’s denial.

The Daily Mail previously announced that Armours, Swifts and Vesteys had concluded a tentative agreement -whereby they would take 70 per cent of the British chilled beef trade, leaving the remaining 30 per cent foi - the five smaller companies.

Buyers. Sellers. N.Z. GOVT. LOANS— £ s. d. £ s. d. 4£ p.c. Ins. Stk., 1933 — 97 0 0 5$ p.c. Bonds 1933 .*•. 100 15 0 — 5 p.c. P.O. Bonds. 1927 99 0 0 — DEBENTURES— Glaxo 86 0 0 N.Z. Breweries (bonds) — 1 5 3 Petone/Lower Ilutt, 5j p.c., 1927/1952 96 0 0 Makerua Drainage ... 99 15 0 101 0 0 BANKS— Commercial of Aust. (ord.) — 1 12 3 National of N.Z 7 1 0 — New Zealand — 3 0 9 Ditto (rights) 0 6 6 • Union of Aust 15 4 0 — FINANCIAL — N.Z. Guarantee Corp. (ord., 8s) Well. Trust, Loan ... — 0 10 5 — 6 15 0 Wellington Deposit ... ' 0 10 4 Wright, Stephenson (ord.) — 1 4 6 Ditto (pref.) — 0 17 6 GAS— Auckland (paid) — 1 4 0 Wellington (ord.) — 1 7 0 INSURANCE— National — 3 15 0 “New Zealand — 1 18 9 • South British — 2 17 0 MEAT PRESERVING— N.Z. Refrigerating (10s) 0 7 0 Gear 1 16 9 — TRANSPORT— N.Z. Shipping (pref.) 9 0 0 — WOOLLEN— Wellington (3rd.) 6 10 0 6 12 6 Ditto (new issue) — 6 10 0 COAL — Waipa ...: — 0 15 6 TIMBER— Kauri (cum.) — 1 10 3 Leyland-O’Brien — 2 2 0 Taringamutu — 1 6 0 National 0 14 0 0 16 0 BREWERIES— Manning and Co. ... — 1 1 0 New Zealand 2 12 0 — Staples and Co 1 17 0 1 18 3 Tui 1 12 0 — Ward and Co ;.. 2 2 6 — MISCELLANEOUS — Burns. Philp and C'o. 1 19 0 — Electrolytic Zinc (ord.) 1 16 1 1 16 9 Ditto (pref.) — 1 17 9 Howard Smith — 1 12 6 Wellington Queen’s Theatre 1 0 0 MINING— Blackwater Mines ... 0 5 6 — Mount Lyell (cum.) ... — 1 9 4