WHEAT CROP.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18487, 15 September 1925, Page 10

WHEAT CROP.

RUINED BY WET SEASON.

SHORTAGE IN 1926 HARVEST INEVITABLE. Any hopes that may have lingered regarding a heavy spring sowing or wheat in order to overtake the small autumn-sown area have been utterly ehattered by the deluge of the past 48 hours. The prospects were gloomy enough when August arrived, as that month is late enough tor Canterbury if risk is to be.avoided —but the fact that farmers were holding teed on hand, and a certain amount of cultivation had taken place, in addition to which P ri«6 were certain to be on a remunerative basis, encouraged the belief that if a few weeks" fine weather set in the risk would be taken. However, the rain has been so con-sistent-the dry spells being or only a few davs' duration, and quite inadequate to allow the land to become workable—that hopes became ramter as the davs woro on,-and the present burst pute the finishing touch on those optimists who were prepared to take tho risk of sowing so late as midSeptember.

Country Waterlogged. From all quarters in which heavy wheat land is situated, come reports that the ground is sodden almost to an unbelievable degree. Pools ol water are lying everywhere, and even much of"the wheat that was put m during the autumn is turning an uiv health? colour, and some of it has been downed out. On the light land, which came to the rescue in the matter of yield last season, intermittent tillage operations were possible -between the weather breaks, but oven where tractors were at work practically night and dav, the favourable conditions were rarely long onough in duration to allow much wheat to be got in. This conditions has continued right through since the autumn. The Shortage. The experience of districts even wide apart is an unreliable guide to the general conditions, as the climate is variable, but as far as generalisation can be justified, it is fairly certain that one of the smallest wheat crops on record will be Canterbury's experience next year. It is' understood that expectations are held of a fair sowing in Otago, and even m Southland there may be growers who will risk September sowing, although August is the favourite month in that province. However, no. matter how these provinces come to the rescue, their operations can only affect the ocsition to a very small degree. Canterbury provided 4 \ million bushels of tho croD last season, and Otago and Sc/u-thland three-quarters of a million.

Dominion's Demand. The Dominion can absorb seven and a half to eight million bushels of wheat annually.. In the season just ended the gross yield was 5,447,168 bushels, and over two million buahels will be imported to meet the deficiency. The comparatively snjall crop in 1925 was due ,to the small area sown, as the yield was better than the average. In 1924 the gross yield touched a record low p0int—4,174,537 bushels—the small return being due to the dry spring and summer. There is a good deal of observant opinion that the 1926 crop will fall far short of the 1924 figure, so it is not improbable that the Dominion will be forced next season into the necessity of importing oyer four million . bushels of wheat. At present prices this represents a payment abroad of nearly one and a half million poundsl

The Alternative.

The position is regrettable from more viewpoints than that of a crop failure although that will be serious enough to farmers, who will now (be faced with the necessity of sowing some lessneeded and less-remunerative crop. There was every reason to believe that the tentative price arranged for next season's crop and the improved conditions entered into under the protection otthe Government would have ensured,, with ordinary weather conditions, a crop sufficient to provide for all requirements, and render unnecessary in future recourse to outside sources of supply. This would have served to silence those critics who condemn any protection or encouragement being given 'in, order to prevent the industry from being wiped out altogether. A year like the present will help to do that without any political aid.

BLENHEIM MARKETS. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") BLENHEIM, September 13. Practically nothing has been doing in the markete for two or three months, and-they remain quiet. , , ~ i.-_e«j Chaff orders have, been gradaa.ly satisfied, and the stocks of £ood quality should soon be cleared. Prices have been fairly satisfactory, the present quotation being U isba per ton to fanners for beat quality. _ inferior lines, the prevalence of which is a result of the wet harvesting season, are not being enquired for, and it is hard to say bow the accumulation will be disposed o». The seed market has not much life. Cowgrass seed is nominally at 9d to lOd pefv lb. Most -of it has- been disponed of, and on thd whole Marlborough had a euoceesfurseaeon with this, product, the growers of the higher lands being especially fortunate. Lucerne seed remains quiet at about Is per lb to farmers for undressed. Most 01 the farmem' holdings hare been absorbed.

Cattle Scarce. Marlborough, in common -with the rest of New Zealand, is experiencing a pronounced rise 'in the cattle market. A leading butcher ears that lattery he has been paying £l2 10s for beasts which he would have bought list year for £7, and nothing decent oould "be obtained this season under £lO per head, while the market was continuing to move up. He foresees a regular beef famine and a tall price increase. Buyers from Canterbury have been scourr ing this district in an endeavour to make t up the scarcity in their own province, while reports from Wellington and other dis--1 triots in the North Island shsw that a similar state of affairs prevails there, this Leing evidenced by the fact, that the pii" oi beef went up 3s per 1001b in Wellinstofc last week, this marking the third rise within two months. A stock auctioneer states that yeanlings are at present fetching 30a to £'2 as compared with £1 last year, and there is an all-round increase in the price of beif, this I being particularly noticeable during the present month. The price of store cattle Lad not improved to any great extent, but tLere was a keen enquiry, whereas at this time last year it gjas impossible to sell stores at any price. Referring to Canterbury cattle I lyers' operations in Marlborough, the stock dealer said it was probable that during the last six months over 1000 head of Marlborough cattle bad gone to Canterbury; nearly 400 head being held up at the Clarence in one mob a day or two ago.

GREYMOUTH STOCK SALE. (SPECIAL TO "THX PBBSS.") GREYMOUTH, September 14. The fertnightly stock sale was held at the Preston road yards to-day. Twenty head of fat cattle and 65 fat sheep were yarded, and everything was cleared at auction at satisfactory prices. Prime ox beef realised 50s per 1001b, medium quality 455, heifer beef 455, and cow beef 40s. The following are some of the principal sales:—l bullock at £l7, 1 at £lB £s, 2 cows at £l2, 4 at £ll 10s, 1 heifer at £9 sa, 1 runner at £3 10s, 65 fat ewes and wethers at 445.