THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13621, 3 January 1910, Page 3

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

The weather of the past week, with heat preponderating and some showers or rain, lias hastened the ripening and filling out of the wheat crops (writes our North Canterbury correspondent). •Some of the oats crop has been stooked; nnd farmers are watching the turning of the colour in the wheat with the harvesters ready for operations. In the district about Balcnirn, North Loburn, and Hawarden, where the caterpillars appeared last season they are again attacking barley crops, and will go into others as there seems no means of checking them when once they start operations It is pretty certain that they come from the tussock ground in the first instance, and that where the growth on this kind of land has been burned the pest is not so noticeable. Persons wb> 'save caterpillars, in gs iss paddocks may beep them down by rolling, or driving sheep about, but this is out of the question upon growing crops. Smoke from fires has been tried without effect, but it has been suggested that a spray of some kind might be found to be effective. The estimated yields from the early crops not affected by grub are daily improving, and tfie ripening prccess Is going on evenly The late crops are coming on very well, but numbers of farmers are dreading lest these later crops may fall a prey to the caterpillars. Potatoes and turnips look, for the most part, healthy and forward. I The r-iin has improved glaziers 1 and dairymen's prospects.