JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14307, 19 March 1912, Page 4

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

An undesirable change look placein the weather in North Canterbury yesterday. Although the early morning gave- indications for a fine dny, heavy rain set in at 11.30, and continued throughout the day, much to tho disappointment of those who still havo grain crops in stook. It had a good effect on tho turnip and rape crops, however, which arc now promising well. It is not generally known that Itio do Jn neiro draws sorno rortion of its supplies of iwtatoos from New Zealand, but it is nevertheless a fact (says tho "North Otago Times"). Last week a shipment of 20 tons waa sent from Oamaru for transhipment to the lonic at Wellington, their destination being Rio do Jamv'ro. The market is. how.e\'er, a small one. and a good deal of formality has to bo gouo through before shipments can bo ventured niton with certainty that tho tubers will be allowed to bo lauded on arrival. In regard to railway concessions for the day of the Oxford A. and P. Show. an effort is to bo made to secure the early arrival of the morning train from llangiora, and a request is to be made that this train leave Rangiora on the arrival of the up and down trains at that station without waiting for tho express. By this means tho train would arrive in Oxford nearly an hour earlier than usual. Work on the showgrounds is making advance, and the new building is almost completed. "With the two exhibition buildings there should bo sufficient accommodation for some years to come.

As the tlireshing progresses it becomes perfectly apparent that the yields of grain will prove a good deal above anticipations (says yesterday's '• Xorth Otago Times") The evidence in support of that conclusion is found in the fact that farmers very generally have discovered before they have got through threshing that their supplies of sacks, which were deemed more than ample before commencing, wore inadequate. Fresli orders have been given in nearly all cases, and tlieso have frequently amounted to advances of 10, 15 and 20 per cent. Ono case is mentioned in which the grower estimated a yield of between 3o and 40 bushels per aero from a field of wheat that ultimately gavo an avt-rago of 50 bushels to the arrc. Agreeable- surprises of tho kind huvo not been confined to wheat, iov oats aro doing wonderfully well. One well-known farmer who rarely eeriously under-estimates tho production of his crops found it necessary last week to write to a merchant somewhat in these terms: "Send mo nioro baga at once; my crops arc turning out too well." "On Saturday a number of farmers wero in town on a bag-hunting mission, for tho stocks of several merchants have been exhausted, and tho indications aro that a good deal of threshing will of necessity Have I

to ha postponed until additional supplies eta be obtained from some other market.