German buyers were seen listening to wool at a London sale in 1921. Photo / Alex Cairns
Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day. In this week’s Pastures Past, she’s found a newspaper article from The Waipawa Mail back in 1921.
The Waipawa Mail, established in 1878, was once a central pillar of the Central Hawke’s Bay community, serving as a trusted source of news, information, and connection for residents.
Among its regular features was “The Farm”, under which a recurring sub‑heading “Jottings” appeared.
These “jottings” would have proved especially valuable to farmers and livestock owners throughout the district.
This section provided timely updates on developments in the agricultural sector, covering both international trends and local farming matters.
At a time when access to specialised information was limited, such reporting played an important role in helping rural communities stay informed about seasonal issues and broader changes affecting the farming industry.
Below is a selection of “jottings” from The Farm, published in the Waipawa Mail on July 15, 1921.
Read the full article here.
Jottings
Waipawa Mail, July 15, 1921
It is reported that an important American wheat belt is threatened with a serious attack of the dreaded Hessian fly.
It is another example, says an English paper, of the evil effects of Prussian militarism, as years ago the fly was imported into America by a party of Hessian soldiers.
“For the current cereal year, the world’s supply of wheat is more than equal to the demand, and there will be a surplus of exportable wheat left in the exporting countries,” is the opinion of Sir James Wilson, who is a great authority in England.
German farmers are reported to be paying a rent of one mark a year for the dairy cows presented to them by Americans some little time ago. This is being done so that the stock shall formally remain American property and not be subject to seizure under any reparation proposals.
The National Association of Wool Manufacturers of the United States of America estimates the total number of sheep in the world as 566,235,117 at present. A year ago, the number was said to be 579,922,933 head. The world’s wool production is calculated at 2,965,410,0821 lb., compared with 2,893,843,048 lb. during the previous year. The association adds that the figures given are only approximate.
The Bradford Wool Record mentions that at recent London sales certain German buyers, in addition to handling, were observed to use the sense of hearing when examining wool. If one holds a handful of wool close to the ear and draws out a sample, the noise so caused in a dry fleece is really surprising. In very greasy wools, there is scarcely any sound at all. It only remains for some enterprising buyers to taste the wool!
It is the custom of many pig keepers, immediately their animals get out of sorts, to rush to the conclusion that they want medicine. This is a big mistake. It is spending unnecessary money on such odds and ends that run away with the profits. Before expending money on untried remedies, the pig keeper should ask himself what return he is likely to get for the outlay. If the pigs are out of sorts, they should have cooked vegetables with their food and access to plenty of grit. A shovelful of charcoal once or twice a week will prove a fair cheaper and quite an effective medicine than many of the high-priced drugs sold for the purpose.
Record dairy season
The dairy season has been a record one for the Auckland province. Butter received at the grading stores to the end of March totalled 704.020 boxes, compared with 425,970 boxes received to the end of March 1920, an increase of 278,050. The export value of the butter received to the end of March shows a very large increase compared with the figures of the corresponding period of the previous season, being £4,928,140, as against £1,927,514, an increase of £3,000,636. The value of butter per box this season under the agreement with the Imperial authorities is £7, as against £4 10/6 last season.
- Source: Papers Past