CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 265, 6 October 1933, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS.

SMALL SEEDS ACTIVE. POTATOES UNCHANGED. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 4. The small seeds market has been active during the week. A fair amount of export business has been transacted in both perennial' and Italian ryegrass. Quotations to farmers are 2s 3d to 2s 6d for the best heavy seed. Although export inquiries are to hand for quotations for cowgrass, .there is no actual business recorded so far. The seed is firmly held, the impression among merchants being that prices will remain stable. Farmers are being offered 8d to 9d per lb on trucks. Dogstail has firmed in price because of export inquiry, quotations to farmers being 7d per lb. Southern quotations up till recently ranged about 4jd, The potato market remains unchanged. Little inquiry is coming from the _ North Island, and as far as the trade is concerned locally interest for the season is about over.

The following are quotations for produce to be paid to farmers, on trucks, freo of commission, sacks extra, except, where otherwise stated: Wheat (interim payment for September) : Tuscan, 3s 9d; Hunters, 3s lid; Pearl, 4s Id, all f.0.b.; fowl feed, to 3s 6d; better than grade to 3s 6£d a bushel, f.0.b.. s.e., for prompt. Oats: A Gartons, Is lOd; B Cartons, Is sd. Potatoes (nominal) : £2 a ton for whites, £2 15s for Dakotas: Italian ryegrass: 2s 3d to 2s 6d a bushel for heavy seed: perennial ryegrass, 2s 3d to 2s 6d a bushel; cocksfoot, 5d per lb for Akaroa, 4d for plains; white clover, Is per lb; cowgrass, 8d to 9d per lb. Chaff: 37s 6Jd to £2. Flour: £l3 12s a ton, local; £l2 17s shipping. Bran: Local, £4 a ton, large; £4 10s, small; shipping, £4. Pollard: Local, £5 10s, large; £j small; shipping, £4 19s. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. SYDNEY, Oct. 5. The wheat market is easier owing to the weaker tone overseas. Bagged is quoted nominally at 2s lOd and bulk at 2s 9d -a bushel, ex trucks, Sydney, but there is no demand. Potatoes; Tasmanian, £5 10s; Victorian, £4 10s a ton. Onions, Brown Spanish, £4 10s a ton. Maize, yellow and white, 4s a bushel. Flour, £9 5s a ton. Bran and pollard, £5 10s a ton. ADELAIDE, Oct, 5. Wheat. —Growers’ lots, 2s 6j.d to 2s 7-£d a bushel. Flour, bakers’ lots, £7 14s a ton. Bran and pollard, £5 2s 6d a lion. Oats, Algerian, 2s Id a bushel. YOUNG JERSEY COW. AUSTRALIAN BUTTERFAT FIGURES. SIRE SHOWN AT PALMERSTON NORTH SHOW. A junior two-year-old Jersey cow, Richmond Honour, attached to the Hawkcsbury Agricultural College herd, N.S.W., has completed a 365 days’ lactation period, with a total of 15,4471 b milk, equal to 888 lb butter-fat or 10701 b of commercial butter Stating that this performance was 1021 b of butter-fat bettor than the previous Australian record, the principal of tho college (Mr E. A. Southco) claimed it to bo only 141 b behind the world’s record for tho age. It was the only occasion on which a two-ycar-old had produced more than the equivalent of 10001 b of commcrcial butter. Describing the breeding o,f Richmond Honour, Mr Southco said it was apparent that the remarkably high producing qualities of her ancestors on both sire’s and dam’s side had been handed down. Richmond Honour was by the New Zea-land-bred bull Finvoy Golden Noble, Mr Southee said. Finvoy prior to being purchased by the New South Wales Government, was grand champion at Manawatu Show, New Zealand. At Sydney Royal he was placed second in the two and under throe class in 1928, and was also placed second in the three and under four class in .1929. In addition, Finvoy. carried some of the best known blood in Now Zealand. On both his sire’s and dam’s side his breeding went back to Lady Viola, the granddam of Goddington Noble X_V., which bull had left such high producing, animals in the college herd as Wagga Gladys, Wagga Ariadne, Wagga Laurel and Wagga Ailsa. Tho dam of Richmond Honour Richmond Naiad V., by producing 7141 bof butter-fat in 365 days, as a junior threo-ycar-old, held the New South Wales record for this ago. She was first .in her class and also grand champion in the Peters’ Production Test Prize class at the R.'A.S. Show in 1930. The granddam of Richmond Honour was also a noted producer. In a 365 days’ lactation period, commencing in October, 1923, she produced 14,3321 bof milk, equal to 7571 b of fat, or 9121 b commercial butter. FARMING NOTES. RURAL RAKINGS.

Commenting on the fall in butter prices an Auckland firm drew attention to the fact that the Danish market, which was quoted at 110 s, was also falling, which was a bad sign. On the other hand, the butter market was well known for its fluctuations, and the drop of approximately 8s in the course of 10 days was not to be taken as indicating a general collapse of prices. Mr R. McGillivray, fields instructor, who has returned to Christchurch from a visit to Marlborough, stated to a reporter that there .would be a substantially increased acreage in peas in that province this season. A good deal of the sowing had been done, and the peas were showing well through the ground. An excellent fall of approximately lj inches of rain last week gave growth a good send along. The wheat and oat crops were also looking well, and lucerne stands were a picture. Potato growers in the province had gone in for a good deal of potato certification, and it was estimated that 75 per cent, of tho acreage was sown in certified seed or seed twice removed.

Major Walter Elliott, the British Minister of Agriculture, made an interesting Empire broadcast recently, on the subject of insect pests. He estimated that these pests reduced the yield of crops in the Empire by 10 per cent. This obviously emphasises the importance of increased crop production for despite tho common argument that the more production tho greater pressure on the market, and the more restriction on selling' values, this great annual loss by pests must be kept in view. In other words, the less production the less can the pest loss be spared. One of the most interesting points in Mr Elliott’s address was his tribute to the services being rendered by science in combating posts. Few people probably realise that one of the great services rendered by the scientists is the breeding of parasite insects which destroy the insects which destroy, the crops. Last year such pest-destroying insects were exported all ■ over tho world.