TILLAGE ACTIVITY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18516, 19 October 1925, Page 3

TILLAGE ACTIVITY.

* FEED BACKWARD. Tillage .work is being vigorously prosecuted throughout the province at present. The soil has been dried up rapidly by the extended spell of nor'westers, and it is only where the overflow of rivers and creeks had lodged that- team work cannot be proceeded with. A run which a "Press" representative .took the other day through the cropping country north of the Waimakariri revealed that farmers are making every effort to reclaim some of the leeway Tost through the wet spring, and teams and'quite a few tractors are busily engaged ploughing and drilling. It is understood that an appreciable, area has been sown to cereals this last few weeks, but still tho total of both wheat and oats will fall substantially short of the area of last season. The amount of cultivation now proceeding, however, suggests that some of last year's deficiency in roots and linseed will be recovered. Generally the autumn and winter sown crops are looking healthy, though not so far forward as could be wished, and the attack of nor-west winds is baking the surface of much of the heavier land. Feed is also backward for mid-October, though it has made appreciable progress this last fortnight, and its drier condition is helping stock alon"-. However, it is inevitable that the "first drafts of early lambs will be smaller in number and not up to last season's weight. Dairy stock are looking better than might be expected, hut there has been much more carting out of hav and .straw this winter, dairymen having been more fortunate than usual in their supplies of these commodities. A stretch of real summer weather is very much wanted at present to "hasten growth.