THE CROPS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17936, 3 December 1923, Page 8

THE CROPS.

SERIOUS WEATHER EFFECTS.

As one day succeeds another with

"nor'-westerv'' or cloudless skies, and the much-desired rain apparently as far off as c-sver, the concern of farmers regarding their crops is fast changing into a feeling of apprehension. The dry hot. winds of the past ten days, on top of tlio meagre rainfall, have had an effect on light land crops that will render many cf them unfit i'or reai)ing. l'ortunately tho position is not so bad on the heavier lands and along the foothills, but the whole province is crying out i'er rain, and unless it comes soon even on tho more favourably situated areas yields will bo low. For the month of November only 54 points of rain fell in Christ-church, while last year, for the corresponding period of the fall was 319 points. In a month so vital to growth as November the shortage must seriously affect ciops throughout the greater part of the province.

Oat crops naturally are showing the hannlul elfec-ts of tho dry weather much more than wheat, and it is obvious that many fields of the former on light soils will scarcely pay to harvest. a "Press" representative who travelled by the South express 011 Tuesday, the day of tho "old man" nor'wester, had an opportunity of judging the effects of the weather during tho week. On Tuesday, although oats were looking very short, there were not a great many fields beyond an early "shooting" stage. Four days later, on Saturday, it was the other way about. Right through from the Hinds district, in South Canterbury, except in districts such as Willowbridge, where tho soils are heavier, oat crops were well in ear. The bulk of them looked to bo little more than, nine inches or a foot high, and it wag apparent that the best use they could be put to was to stock them. As a matter of fact, sheep were already turned on in on© or two instances.

The area of crop within sight of the railway is not extensive, ana the land is lighter generally than elsewhere in the province, but if th© conditions visible may be taken as to an extent indicative of oat crops generally, Canterbury farmers and merchants will not 1» unduly worried this year over the matter of disposing of the surplus. Although there are many wheat fields very backward on the lighter land, and considerably knocked about by the week's weather, they would still respond to a good downpour sufficiently to onsure a fair return. Unfortunately, so much of the wheat was late sown—a great deal of it in September —that they are so short that unless rain falls within a few days a heavy proportion of such crops will yield very poorly. In the Waimate district and other localities with a similar character of soil, wheat-growth is forward on autumn-sown fields, but spring-sown crops look at present as if they will bo light. However, th© soil is so warm and crops on heavy land respond so well to December rains that, there is still time for their rehabilitation, but farmers are keenly anxious for the process to commence. The shrinkage in th© wheat yield caused by the past fortnight's weather will probably amount to several bushels per aero, and it is certain that the run of high yielding seasons will be interrupted on this occasion. The conditions, on top of the reduced area sown this year, would appear to render importation of wheat for next season's needs, practically inevitable.