RURAL RIDES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20104, 6 December 1930, Page 22

RURAL RIDES.

GRAIN CROP PROSPECTS. WHEAT VERY BACKWARD. No. Xl. (l-?y The season is now gelling far enough advanced to allow .some idea of how the crops are promising. 'flic useful rains of a fortnight ago, and the warm stretch of sunshine since, have improved the appearance of all grain crops, and generally the wheat is looking much healthier than a few weeks ago; but only in a few of the well-established wheat-growing districts can it be said that they are as far forward as is usually the case when December is entered on. It will ncc.l inoro than ordinarily favourablo circumstances to bring these crops on to normal. In Mid-Canterbury. This condition is fairly general over the province, particularly on the lighter land. A run during the week through some of the lighter land of tho province emphasised this belief. Any crops within view of the main road to Rakaia and through the district to Mcthven are light, the stretch of dry weather having affected them at a critical time. However, there seems to be a reduced area under wheat in the districts mentioned. At the back of the Mcthven township towards the hills the small area crops aro healthy, but also late. This is not an early district, and a, good deal of spring sowing takes pi are in the Mcthven district as a rule, but the August rains curtailed tho programme to some extent. By the time conditions allowed tho soil to be worked it was getting too late for wheat, and a fair area of tho land was sown with oats. This has been a fairly general experience, and the fact is suggested by the increased estimate of tin; oats area published by the statistician. A Good District. Amongst. the exceptions to the moderate and disappointing districts is the 1 lighbank-liarr Hill area, a fairly extensive stretch of country of medium to heavy land stretching in from the Rakaia river. This district is well farmed, and rarely fails to provide some crop that appeals, no matter what season of the year. Tho wheat fields at present aro outstanding, and even making allowanco for the advance of the last ten days, are better than thoso the writer has seen elsewhere in his

ns the sowing of the Southland and O'tago crop has been very much reduced by the unseasonable spring. Jn effect the increased acreage may no more than offset tho reduced yield per acre. Skirting along the foot of tho hills past AU'ord Forest) a few miles of rather uiiprcpo.sses.sing country is met with, but n. rich pocket comes into view at Staveley, where tho oldestablished factory of that name ojktates. A I'cw farmers havo realised tho benefit of the lime., which is so handy a few miles away at Mount Somcrs, and there arc some heavily grassed paddocks with good types of dairying cattle to ho seen. The area of heavy land in this locality is limited, but the appearance of the vegetation shows that a good deal of the moro medium land would profitably repay tho application of a dressing of this valuable stimulant. Round about Mount Somcrs there are evidences in the same direction. The writer was pointed out by a district farmer some down land that ho had limed 16 years earlier, and to which, within his knowledge, nothing in the way of a further application had been given since. It was within Iho lime-stone belt. but even with this advantage the sole ot grass was most striking. The Ryegrass Crop. Moving about the province one is rather struck by tho sparsitv of paddocks of ryegrass closed up for seed. Very few indeed meet the eye —they havo to bo looked for —and it would this year. Canterbury hist season threshed 7513 acres of perennial in a total of 2-1,:53<3 acres in the I>oniinion, and 'ICvIO acres of Western Wolths in a total of 5719 acres, or over 12,000 acres in a total of 30,000 acres. Judging by llio scarcity of closed up paddocks it will bo surprising if a similar area will bo saved this .season. A Heavy Potato Crop. It would seem that a heavy potato crop is assured for next season. The planting was completed just before the rains fell so lil>erally and tho earlier planted crops, which had been "hanging lire," and those recently planted, received a great stimulus. The statistics show a slightly increased area, but ihe view of many people in tho potato areas is that the statistics are substant iatlv on tho light side. A number of fanners, compelled by weather conditions to curtail their grain croping, have planted potatoes, a few lining this for the first time for some years. A six or seven ton crop per acre, even at 00s or 70s a ton, represents more per acre than any other return except from market gardening, and in these hard tunes it would mean very acceptable ready cash. The only negative factor to a big crop is that a hard frost in South Canterbury recently nipped back growth rather severoly. However there are many extensvo fields of potatoes to be seen in North Canterbury, which so far are promising well. Another surplus would seem fairly certain.