WHEAT GROWING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 14, 27 October 1932, Page 7

WHEAT GROWING

THE VARIETIES. DISTRIBUTION IN DOMINION. (By Wheat Research Institute.) The threshing mill owners’ returns allow us to form some opinion of the distribution of the main varieties of wheat grown in New Zealand. These returns were originated as a result of the war, when it was necessary to know as early ip the year as possible the amount of wheat in the country, and the proportion of the various milling grades. Thus the returns are made up in three millers’ classes, Tuscan, Hunters and Pearl, and Jo not pretend to give the actual varieties. In practice, Victor, Red Marvel, Goldbury, Dreadnought and Sensation are usually classed at Tuscan; Major is classed as Hunters; Yeoman as Hunters or Pearl; and Garnet and Marquis as Pearl; hut of course practice varies.

If it became possible for the returns to give the actual varieties threshed the knowledge of the varieties grown is special districts would he useful to the agricultural adviser. Garnet, for instance, has been tried,/ but has not yielded well in certain districts. There mav ho some districts where it is succeeding, and if it were known where these places are, the variety might be spread to other places with similar conditions of soil and climate.

Threshing Returns. The following table shows the amounts of the three grades of wheats threshed during recent years—firsts only being recorded: —

August 31 ... 4,625,697 1,087,990 169,906 Expressed as percentages these figures give the following results: — Percentages of Tuscan, etc., for the last six years.

It thus appears that Tuscan varieties constantly supply 80 per cent, of the wheat of New Zealand, Hunters varieties about 15 per cent., and Pearl or Velvet varieties about 5 per cent. The proportion of the three groups in different countries varies considerably, and for the last six years is shown in the following table: —

Different Soils, Different Wheats. The table indicates the relative importance of the varieties in the different counties, and shows clearly that different wheat are favoured xn different soils. Wai and Ellesmere each grow 10,000 acres of wheat, but Waipara grows 95 per cent of Tuscan, wliilP Ellesmere grows only 50 per cent. The heavier soil axid the relative absence of wind in Ellesmere are probably the deciding factoi's. /The high proportions of Velvet in Waimate afro. Waltaki are noteworthy. The Velvet in Otago, however, especially the great proportion or 54 per cent, in Tuapeka, is illusory, because the Velvet of South Otago is Velvet Ear or Solid Straw Velvet, not the highquality hollow-straw Velvet of Canterbury and Waitaki. Counties are areas bounded by rivers or roads, and the boundaries take no notice of soil quality. In Paparua, for instance, much of the land east of the railway is reclaimed swamp, and 90 per cent, of the wheat is Hunters; west of the railway the land is not so heavy, and 90 per cent, of the wheat is Tuscan. Yet these two opposite classes of soil are necessarily combined in one wheat return for the whole county and give 74 per cent, of Tuscan and 24 per cent. Hunters. When threshing I'eturns can conveniently he given in lxiore detail as to varieties and as to locality of farms, it will be possible to use them both for advice as to where varieties are likely to succeed, and also ■ foxmaking a useful soil survey of Canterbury and of parts of Otago.

Tuscan Hunters Velvet or Pearl 1927 . 5,788,000 1,074,000 328,000 1928 . 6,966,000 1,203,000 395,000 1929 . 6,018,000 1,124,000 498,000 1930 . 4,869.000 1,129,000 459,000 1931 . 5,090,000 1,307,000 287,000 1932, to

Tuscan Hunters Pearl 192* 80 15' t) 1928 82 14 4 10129 VO 16 0 1930 70 18 0 1931 76 20 4 1932 (to Aug. 31) 80 17 3

Percentages of Varieties. (Firsts only 1927-32.) District Tuscan Hunters Velvet per cent or per cent Pearl llangitikei ... 80 14 6 Marlborough ... 72 19 9 Oxford ... 99 ■ 0 1 Ashley ... 9S 2 0 Waipara 95 5 0 Ashburton ... 93 5 Malvern ... 93 4 3 ivowai ... 91 7 2 Sehvyn ,... 89 10 1 Arauri ... 83 15 2 Eyre ... 82 14 4 Itaugiora ... 80 1 _ 18 2 Levels : ... 76 20 4 Geraldine ,... 76 19 5 Paparua ... 74 24 2 Waimate .... 66 23 11 McKenzie ... 64 31 5 Springs ... 59 37 4 Waitaki ... 54 32 14 Ellesmere ... 50 45 5 Bruce ... 85 7 8 Vincent ... 71 18 11 Taieri ... 39 43 18 Tuapeka ... 36 10 54 Maniototo ... 32 20 48 Southland ... 89 4 7