NOTES BY THE WAY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21970, 19 December 1936, Page 11

NOTES BY THE WAY

THE WHEAT CROPS Reports come from several districts that the wheat crops have "stooled out" very disappointingly, and that yields are likely to be substantially depreciated as a result. The heads are well filled but there are not enough of them. Several farmers the other day mentioned ihis, development in their crops to the writer. In these cases, although the wheat was well in ear, the drills could be plainly distinguished from outside the field, whereas, if the stooling had been normal, these would nave been obscured, it is apparent that the trouble is the effect of the exceptionally wet weather on a particular class of soil, or some such singularity of the season. In the cases instanced to the writer the land is of medium to good quality, not heavy, but good wheat land. This class of soil is representative of the major part of the wheat growing country, and if the trouble is general it will assuredly mean a reduction in the gross yield. There are no reports of this thinness from other districts, where the crops generally look up to the standard of those of last year. It would seem in the cases mentioned that the continuous rains hurried the straw growth at the sacrifice of the development of the wheat. The wet season has been responsible for a good deal of smut, particularly in the southern part of the province. The gale during the mid-week laid a considerable area of crop on the heavy land, but the drying wind helped to bring it up again.

LINCOLN COLLEGE

Welcome instances of a desire on the part of stud stock breeders and others to assist Lincoln College have occurred recently. Those who have followed the fortunes of the institution in the last few years are well aware of the necessity of improving its finances. The years of depression, with their effect on revenue, necessitated the growing of wheat to an extent that has seriously impoverished the fertility of the land, whilst the maintenance of fences and buildings, which had already served a long period of use, had practically to be ignored. The position in these respects was plainly set out by the chairman of the board at the diploma presentation ceremony on Tuesday. Much replacement work is needed and a substantial amount of money will be required to do it. Amongst the evidences of a desire to help are three new scholarships for this year presented from new sources. A number of trophies have also been offered for competition amongst the students, and several prominent breeders have given stock to assist in, F building up the college stud flocks. But these donations, welcome and all as they are, should not cover all the sources of possible help. It has to be confessed that the college, in its 50 odd years of existence, has been singularly unfortunate in the matter of private donations for endowing some particular phase of its activities. A very mild part of the lesson taught by Otago in the endowment of its educational institutions could be adopted in Canterbury. In the southern city, as is well known, quite an important part of the revenue of prominent institutions, academic and otherwise, comes from private endowments. Professor Hudson, in his address at the diploma ceremony on Tuesday, mentioned n direction in which families that had been associated with the progress of the province for many years could render great service to the cause of agriculture. We all know that when any spcial effort is made for charitable or other purposes Canterbury generally sets a lead. The generositv could Ibe usefully extended to such a vital cause as the advancement of agricultural knowledge.

CARRIAGE OF LIME

It has been reported that the Government proposes to impose a charge on the railway carriage of lime. Th? charge has actually been mentioned—--4s 4d a ton. Enquiries show that as far as local authorities are aware thereis no proposal to adopt such a retrograde step. What possibly has given rise to the rumour is that some farmers isolated from railway connexion have suggested to Ministers that those farmers enjoying the advantage of contiguity to the railways, and who are getting their lime at a very moderate transport cost, should pay something in the way of railway freight to assist transport to remote districts. The frst objec.ion to such a proposal would b? that the clos3-by districts represr nt dearer land, subject to higher taxation and rates, and more in need of lime to keep it up to the highest productive level. With so many lime-kilns in the province at present there are very few districts tapped by the railway which are outside the 100 miles free railway limit, so that as far as th? free use of the railway is concerned all users are on the same level. In any case the Railway Department is not rendering a free service. The

cost of the transport is met out of the Agricultural Department's annual appropriation. It is safe to say that the department has never spent any of its annropriation to better advantage than it has in the paying of lime railage, and it would cause an outcry amongst farmers if the benefit were withdrawn and the money diverted to some other branch of which the farmer receives in cases very negligible benefit. It is now well on to 40 years since the Seddon Government brought in the scheme, and it can be claimed that it has been the main factor in making one province—Southland—and is pro r mising to bring about incalculable benefits in most of the others. It would indeed be bad luck if farmers in these provinces had to pay a railway charge on lime almost as soon as they commenced to realise the benefit of it.