CROP EXPECTATIONS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 85, 20 January 1928, Page 7

CROP EXPECTATIONS

NORTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT. WHEAT PROMISES FAIR YIELD. (Per .Press Association.) OHRISTCHTJRCH, This Day Binders are busy with many of the oat crops, the warm weather . having hastened ripening. The harvest, however, will be nearly a month later than usual, and will continue into Marcn>. Stocks of oats which are dotting -the countryside of North Canterbury, are fairlv close together, suggestive ot gcod iviiekk The oat crops -will turn cut relatively better than the wheat, the average yield of which is not expected to be much above thirty busnels to the acre. This is much below last year's, which was a record. Wet weather in the spring, followed hy warm days in December, ensured a plentiful supply of green feed and hay. The latter has been stacked m good condition, with plenty of substance in it. Except on the very light land, few oat crops were cut in the first half of January. There is plenty, though not too much, straw, and the heads are well filled. Farmers with ripe oat crops standing have been fortunate in the absence of strong north-west winds, which in other years sometimes literally threshed the grain before the crop was reaped. There will be much bright chaff this season, unless rain interferes with stock-threshing and stacking. Though some wheat crops are expected to average up to 45 bushels an acre, the general yield will be about thirty. The heads- are only fair, and not remarkably well filled. The disease of "take-all" has again made its < appearance, especially in land which is carrying its second successive crop of wheat. Whitish patches of fair extent show where this disease has acted up to its name. Crops are free from rust, which is noticeable only in very isolated mst&nccs > Rame crops are coming on well, while turnips are showing above the ground, for winter feed. A small percentage oif fat lambs have been sold off their mothers, and the rest need a week or two more to top them off for freezing purposes.