THE SEASON

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22895, 16 December 1939, Page 11

THE SEASON

A PATCHY RAIN VARIOUS CROP PROSPECTS The x’ain of the early part of the week did not amount to much in some parts of the province. There was a useful fall in North Canterbury, but from the Waimakariri 1 south it amounted to less than a quarter of an inch in some districts. The fall for December in the city, as an instance, up to the 15th, was only 16 points, as against 50 last December, and 1.76 inches in December of 1937, a fall which, however, was much in excess of needs. There was a useful rain over most of North Canterbury. On the dry plains belt in the Amuri County, the fall was 66 points, but on the hills surrounding it was much heavier. It has done incalculable, good in those districts, as wheat was commencing to show the effects of the several days of hot nor’-westers, and recently-sown turnips and rape crops were wilting under the hot conditions. The rain has effected an improvement in the appearance of pastures in most parts of North Canterbury, but there is a general wish for another inch or more over most of the province. Pasture growth is slow, and inclined to run to seed heads. Rainfall figures show that the precipitation in the city this year is well below that of last year—23.l2 inches to date, as against 30.80 inches last year. Last year's fall, however, approached a record. This year’s is an average, but it has not been very well distributed. Notwithstanding the lack of rain this month, the wheat crops are looking well in most of the country from Christchurch south. They are well in car, and if moderate rains come in the next two or three weeks, the yield should be much better than was predicted a month ago, and better than that of last year, when the average was 29i bushels. Though crops are nowhere exceptionally heavy, they appear to be well headed. Poor Hay Prospects There will be little hay saved this season in comparison with the quantity provided in average years. The season has been an excellent one for saving hay, but the rain to produce the grass has been absent. The only fodder which has stood up to the needs of the position has been lucerne. The November rain gave growth a great fillip, and second crops are promising to weigh well. Possibly no crop on the farm has come into more favour in the last few years than lucerne. There are few farmers now who are not anxious to establish a stand. In localities where it was once contended that soil conditions were unfavourable the fallacy has been completely exploded, and small areas are being sown in districts which much opinion a few years ago declared to* be quite unfit for the plant. Experience has shown that where every other source of hay is entirely dependent on a good season, lucerne invariably produces a valuable stand. It is less susceptible to drought and more responsive to moisture. A Light Clip The wool appraisal has been received with satisfaction by woolgrowers. The price of fine wool will certainly give high country men some escape in the meantime from the difficulties that have been accumulating, particularly as there is a likelihood of a further payment from the half profits of surplus wool sold abroad. The “outside” market is very strong at present, and when more wool from Australia and New Zealand is safely landed in England, this outside demand will probably be met much more freely. The wool prices in practice may not be just as good as they appear on paper when compared with recent years, because of the lightness of the clip. Some high country flocks, notably hoggets, are yielding a very light fleece, and in cases considerably more fleeces are required to fill the bale. It was feared that the good range for fleece wool would be offset by a corresponding reduction for pieces, which have nearly always appeared to sell at auction at high prices, compared with fleece. However, the appraisal of pieces has shown that the fear was groundless. Several good individual returns are reported. 'One North Canterbury grower, as- an instance, secured £l9 a bale for 19 • bales of Corriedale.

Lamb raisers who would like to hold their lambs for two or three weeks to put on an extra few pounds of weight have not much opportunity of doing so, as feed conditions at the moment will necessitate the ordinary killing policy being followed. Unless there is a good rain shortly, the benefit of which on lamb weights would naturally not be immediate, the 1 chances are that in many districts lambs held over .might go back in condition rather than improve. In Canterbury there is not much opportunity of adopting ihc advice of the British Minister for Agriculture to farmers “te make their lambs mutton weights.”

The Potato Crop

A crop that Is making an excellent appearance so far are potatoes. Fields of early planted have had sufficient moisture to bring the potatoes along without ' any set-back. Incidentally, there appears to be a great increase in the suburban plots of potatoes this year. There .are several reasons for this. The first was that the high price of potatoes throughout the . whole of last season prompted many suburban householders to prevent a repetition of the inroads on the domestic exchequer by planting a few extra for this year. Another reason was that on sections where large numbers of Government and privately-built houses have teen erected, the potato has been utilised to bring the sections In. With a few a little more work in the garden was something in the nature of a contribution to the war effort, and still another reason was that with the petrol curtailment, and the high cost of petrol—which is as effective as - curtailment—many householders ate spending more week-ends in their gardens and less in their cars. These good resolutions do not last long, but they were formed and acted upon just when the potato was being planted. The aggregate effect of the position on the Ideal outlet for farmers’ potatoes will not be Inconsiderable.

The top price for wool in Australia so far this year, under the appraisal, is 33 Jd per lb, which was realised In Sydney for the top. line of the Merryvllle merino clip, from Yass. At Geelong the top lots of two merino clips were appraised at 30Jd. Top comeback price at Geelong was 21d. A record wheat drop In New South Wales is causing congestion at the railway sidings. All available rolling stock Is working overtime, silos are temporarily closed, and there is a shortage of cornsacks because of the feeassc harvest* •> w_.