THE CROPS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20415, 9 December 1931, Page 4

THE CROPS.

A SERIOUS OUTLOOK. POOR YIELDS FORECASTED. In 1924 the average yield of wheat in the Dominion was 24.01 bushels to | the acre; in 1917, 23.J.9 bushels; 191(5, i 21.59 bushels, and then away back in ! 1898 the return was 17.95 bushels, the smallest recorded in the 60 odd years in which figures have been taken. The average between 1898 and 1915 fell very little short of 30 bushels to the acre, and in the last ten years the average has been about 32 bushels to the acre. „ It is to be feared that these satisfying averages will fall far short of realisation this year. On the lighter land a number of crops will scarcely be worth reaping. Although a rain might ensure a full crop on the heavy land there is a considerable area that cannot be saved under any circumstances, or at all events, can be rescued only to a extent. The position is fraught with much concern to croppers. A Crop Forecast. A local organisation, which makes a practice of collecting forecasts from farmeru in their own particular districts, confirms the general impression of reduced yields. Each correspondent collects estimates from' ten different farmers, and the forecast Irom nearly I 100 farms, covering from North Canterbury to North Otago, indicates a serious reduction in yield. The following comparisons with last year are instructive: — No. I—Mid-Canterbury. "It is impossible to estimate with any degree of accuracy what tho yield in bushels will be. I know one farmer who has turned his sheep in on one paddock of wfieat. The season and climatic conditions are too erratic, I find, to make any estimate of much value, as a lot of crops are showing signs of the dry weather and then we have had hail and frost. I have been making enquiry among my neighbours and they all say that if tre do not get a good rain soon there will be no wheat. If we get a good rain within a few days we might get 30 bushels." Wn o ■NVvrt.Vi «a.nt.erT»urv.

No. B—South Canterbury. "Probable yield unlikely to be any more than one half of the average yield for last year, and unless good rains come soon a considerable area "will not be harvested and the average will be much lower still. So far the season is the worst I have ever experienced."

1931. 1932. 1931. 1932. Farm. Actual. Est. Farm. Actual. Eat. 1 46 22 . 6 24 20 2 35 32 7 37 25 3 25 20 8 28 25 4 38 25 9 20J If) 5 32 26 10 30 24 No. 3—North. Canterbury. 1 48 • 31 6 3(h 20 2 51 33 7 60 •35 3 38 26 . 8 40 28 4 48 30 9 35 23 5 32 18 10 42 29 In this block 1225 acres were represented. No. 4—Mid-Canterbury. 1 50 30 6 32 25 2 48 33 7 . 25 15 3 39 25 8 35 24 4 30 30 9 40 28 ' 5 49 38 10 41 36 • Ho. 5—Mid-Canterbury. 1 45 35 6 35 20 2 30 25 7 20 10 3 40 35 8 35 25 4 35 30' 9 40 30 5 22 10 10 30 ?5

No. 6—South Canterbury. 1 40 20 5 40 12 2 45 19 6 45 10 3 40 25 7' -40."- '• 20 4 45 20 No. 7—North Otago. I 28 20 .4 40 30 2 40 30 5 30 20 3 35 30 ti 20 20

No. 9—North Otago. 1 62 ' 10 5 41 *15 2 28 15 6 38 15 3 45 20 7 30 20 4 42 16 No. 10—South Canterbury. 1 53 28 6 40 25 2* 57 30 7 48 40 3 42 25 8 40 28 4 ,77 40 9 46 25 5 35 15 10 57 30

No. 11 —South Canterbury. 36 15 6 30 17 2'~ 34 15 / 40 5 3 • -25 15 8 22 12 4 , •45 15 0 32 15 5 37 16 ! Fortunately, all the reports are not so gloomy as the foregoing. A few indicato varying forecasts in certain districts, but in the aggregate tho reduction would bo covered by a 'few bushels to the acre:— No. 12—North Canterbury. I 20 25 6 33 30 ' o ' 48.? 30 7 37 25 3 20 30 8 21) 25 4 36 36 !) 27 30" 5 30 20 10 35 35 No. 13—North Canterbury. 1. 38 40 . 6 33 * • 30 2 CO 40 7 32 32 3 36 30 8 47 40 4 27 20 9 31 25 ' 5 37 35 .10 25 26