GROWING WHEAT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21084, 8 February 1934, Page 10

GROWING WHEAT

CANADIAN METHODS IN T!• RICSTING CO.UI'AR [SONS "In general funning New Zealand is well ahead. especially in pasture cultivation. ' the opinion expressed by Mr S. S. McKay, of Melbourne, when he was asked to comment 011 the progress made in farming in the countries of the Empire he has visited as representative of Die 11. V. McKay Sunshine Harvester Works, Melbourne. Farmers in Eastern Canada were good all-round men, Mr McKay said, but those in the Middle West were wheat growers and nothing more. Great quantities of wheat had been grown there with the result that land which had produced 25 bushels to the acre 20 years ago was practically barren. During the last three or four years manures had been used, but very little was known about manuring, because there was no interest in such matters.

The reduced quality of the land had led to the spread of the Russian thistle, which was originally introduced to Canada as a foddc-r plant. It was excellent fodder, Mr McKay said, though it would' not stand wet conditions, but it had grown as strong as gorse and was hard to eradicate. Growers Moving' North. Instead of trying to bring back the land they had worked out the wheat farmers were moving on to new land. The movement was into the north where 60-day wheat was grown. In the south the wheat crop was grown in about 90 days and "header" harvesting was popular, but the 60-day wheat was mainly harvested with the reaper and binder. In the extreme north, or the Peace river country, 60-day wheat was grown and harvested with the "header," the length of the days ripening the crops. Returns to wheat growers in the. Middle West had been low during recent years, Mr McKay said. The price had been fixed, but the long haulage by rail was costly. Wheat from Calgary had to be hauled 600 or 700 miles, and the distance from central Saskatchewan was about 1000 miles. The cost for hauling was about two cents a bushel for every 100 miles, so the growers received only about 9d or lOd a bushel.

New Zealand generally had betterpastures than Australia, Mr McKay said. Australians had found that their native grasses produced very fine wool, so they did not go in for the pastures grown in New Zealand. Wheat growing was on a similar basis to Canterbury, although in sonic districts manuring and fallowing of land were unnecessary. >