FARMING OUTLOOK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9126, 23 October 1917, Page 5

FARMING OUTLOOK.

IN THE METHVEN DISTRICT.

Ai the present timo the grain and fodder crops in Methven district are allowing remarkable growth, but owing to the continuous nor'-west winds they • have reached the stage where rain ,/ would bo most beneficial. The district ,w,;<s favoured with some eight inches of jam last month, and a distribution of about half an inch at the present time would be most acceptable. Recently. Xonc or five sharp frosts were experienced in tliis district, but no damage ?vas reported. . The lambing season is now coming to ua end, and the percentage reported :is well up to the 100 mark. Nearly every fanner in the district lost a few iJambs during the storm in September. . .With regard to the interchange of Jaad in the district, it is; stated.-that during the last month, several farms liave been under offer fOr'.. sale, but «t< is difficult at^ the present time to get rid of land. : 'Potatoes are practically unsaleable !at present in the district, ; and the .nominal price is 4s" per sack, with sacks :m, tn several instances. Good seed is fopsing exchanged at a slight advance J fivev this rate. '^ '„ f

• It ia saifp-to 'state that the average area will''be sown in rape, and turnips. iLast year", it will be remembered, several iainiers lost their crop of Swede ,*i«nips ovping to the ravages of blight, and a. good many of them intend to foa J6n the safe side this year by sowIng mangolds. ..-'. Although trials of motors tractors'; were : given during the winter' months, farmers in the distript have so far

(decided not to do away with the sturdy ~>-draught horses, and the petroldrivers' implement, which is so populat in ..-Britain, has not yet found a jplaceon Methven farms. The farm-labour problem has reached .» stage when it is, practically impossible to rely on even a steady supply of raen for necessary work. It is said that farmers have been able to procure sufficient teamsters at £2 5s per week, fcut that, casual labour was almost unobtainable. One farmer, when asked what be expected to do during the haryest, stated that .before last harvest it >-as predicted that there. would be a shortage of labour in the district, and the veiy reverse had taken place. The Iba-ivest commenced earlier down the line, aod tho men gradually drifted to Methven, where tho crop ripened later towing to the nor'-west rains. It was ,»ttiiicipated that the same state of affairs would prevail this harvest.