NEWS AND NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14903, 17 February 1914, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

WEATHER AND CROPS

OXFORD. . The warm moist weather at the beginning of the month induced a good deal of eprouting in the wheat crops. In somo cases standing grain was as much affected as that in the stook. The past week has been ideal for harvesting operations, and in another week thero will be little corn standing. Efficient labour has been unusually scarce. The crops, particularly wheat, are not coming up to expectations, the maturing having in some way been retarded. Tho most disastrous drawback is whoro "take all" has taken possession. Crops that might reasonably have been expected to produce 40 bushels an aero are valueless. Mr Walter Wright has a crop of 40 acres of wheat that a month ago gave promise of being one of tho best in the district. After cutting about ten acres he found it not -worth the labour. Tho straw is black, and the ears are practically grainless, not more than two or three grains in an ear, and those scarcely more than shell. Other crops, though perhaps not quite as bad, are almost worthless. The cause can scarcely be either time of sowing or condition of soil, for this was sown in favourable conditions in August, while neighbouring crops sown under similar conditions, both earlier and later, are almost equally affected. The loss to tho farmer is great, and tho experience disheartening. Tho disease appears to bo mainly in solid straw, and as this is peculiarly adapted to tho climatic conditions of tho district, notwithstanding the strong winds, well, unless a remedy is effected, farmers will be chary about sowing wheat. The matter is one for the Agricultural Department of the Government to tako seriously in hand. Turnip crops, particularly those later sown, aro very promising, tho earlier sown having a more or less stunted appearance.