FARM AND STATION

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23741, 12 September 1942, Page 3

FARM AND STATION

THE WEEK CANTERBURY WHEAT A comparison of the production of Canterbury in the last 20 years, appearing on this page last week, shows the production of wheat in recent years in a rather depressing light. From 260,000 acres in 1922 to 191,000 in 1941, is a steep decline. If the needs of the future are to be adequately provided there will have to be a movement back toward the areas of 20 or more years ago. It should be explained that the 1922 area was exceptionally large—considerably more than normal—3s2.ooo acres being grown. It is understood, however, that 350,000 acres are the minimum that the Government has in mind for the 1944 harvest, and it is obviously no more than the country can safely do with if there should be any special war demand. Such a demand may be looking somewhat distantly into the future, but wheat production cannot be arranged in a few months. The maximum effort in the past has not been realised very often by the delay in official pronouncements as to the Government’s intentions and if anything in the nature of a drastic change in policy is contemplated to ensure the 1944 needs, a statement should be

no longer delayed. If farmers are to come under some more rigid policy than prevails at present, which was a possibility mentioned some time ago, it will be necessary for substantial areas of grass land to be skim ploughed within the next three months, and as milk lamb fattening would be affected thereby, farmers should know in plenty of time how to budget their land to meet the position. In the meantime the improved standing of the Primary Production Committees should result in a substantial voluntary increase, and these efforts in themselves may produce the necessary acreage. The 1944 needs have been equalled in the past, without any Government urge or war necessity, and they ciuld be met again. SOUTHLAND PRODUCTION A reader has written asking that a table of Southland’s increased production in the last 20 years, similar to that relating to Canterbury last Saturday, would be very interesting, as showing the strides made in the southern province in the corresponding periods between 1922 and 1941, inclusive. It was suggested by “Straggler!’ in some criticism of the proposal to curtail the use of lime that lime was the main cause responsible for the doubling of Southland’s production in the 20-year period—i.e., many years of its use provided the basis for maximum top-dressing results when this practice came into vogue. The appended table shows in several lines the changes in production indicative of the trend in the two decades. Oats, as an instance, are outstanding in their decline, as are also horses. Sheep have replaced cattle to a substantial extent, but the ledger is very heavy on the increase- side in other products. Small seeds, with the exception of ryegrass, increased from neglibility in some cases to big acreages, white clover, for seed, is. an instance, from 168 acres to 5246. Cocksfoot has quadrupled, Chewing’s fescue more than doubled, whilst iurnips and rape total the area that was sown in turnips 20 years ago, indicating the lamb fattening trend as against the purely wintering necessities. If the comparisons were made on yields instead of areas they would be much more impressive, indicating the much greater fertility of the soil, which takes us back again to the starting point—lime. In 1922 the wheat yield was 34.72 bushels an acre, and in 1941 41.28; and oats were 45.86 and 60.24 bushels respectively. The 1942 figures for these two crops are 45.27 and 70.66 bushels respectively, but last season was a record one. But it is the progress in sheep strength that is the arresting feature. These, as the figures show, have considerably more than doubled —the lambs tailed not much short of trebled. Separate figures of breeding ewes are not available for 1922, but in 1941 they compare with Otago’s 2,316,052 and Canterbury’s 3,369,370. The comparison is as follows; 1922. 1941. acres acres Wheat .. .. 11.022 8,103 Oats, threshed .. 47,076 15,454 Oats, chaff .. .. - 46,320 25,903 Barley .. .. 1,026 517 Peas .. .. Potatoes .. .. 1,076 867 White clover, seed .. 168 5,246 Red clover .. 102 1,107 Ryegrass, seed .. 16,728 8,009 Cocksfoot, seed .. 254 1.053 Chewings fescue .. 6,087 14,309 Crested dogstall .. 5,114 2,701 Brown Top .. Turnips and rape .. Turnips .. «• 109,267 85,647 Mangels .. .. 55 147 Chou Moellier .. Live Stock— Horses .. .. 27,448 23,168 “All” cattle .. 170,889 154,796 Dairy cattle .. 72,629 60,067 Sheep, shorn .. 1,223,902 2,618,087 Lambs tailed .. 749,028 2,052,835 All sheep .. .f 1,384,125 3,006,213 Pigs .. .. Breeding ewes .. MARQUIS WHEAT This time next year Marquis wheat will be worth 6s 8d a bushel, f.o.b. Why more of the famous “90-day” wheat of Canada is not grown is just hard to fathom Perhaps many farmers are disposed to rely on the factor they know rather than the one they don’t, in the shape of Tuscan and its relations. But Marquis is quite an average yielder in average Canterbury soils, if not up to the capacity of the popular varieties, but the price makes up for this—6d a bushel more than for Tuscan and Cross 7. Marquis is highly esteemed by millers for mixing with the common varieties for the production of special breads, and under ordinary circumstances there would be a greatly increased demand for it for this purpose. Perhaps one reason of the comparative neglect of the variety is that the country’s main concern in recent years has been for quantity of wheat with secondary regard to quality. Another reason may be that the variety has not. under Canterbury conditions, repeated the Canadian experience of being sown and gathered within the 90 days, but there is no reason to think that it should do so. In the prairies wheat is grown under entirely different conditions. After sowing it winters under a protective bank of snow, and when the thaw comes, as it does rapidly, the wheat gets a send off that ensures it living up to its 90-day reputation, or very close to it. But if another 30 days were allowed in New Zealand —or four months, which would enable a Septem-ber-sown crop to be reaped in January—it would still be amongst the earlier harvested of our wheats.. As an instance, in the Hawarden district last year, "Straggler” saw a crop of Marquis growing on ynedium-good land.

By“STRAGGLER”

LABOUR FOR FARM WORK ARRANGEMENTS WITH ARMY HEADQUARTERS RELEASE OF SHEARERS Advice has been, received from the National Service Department (Manpower Division) that arrangements have been made with Army Headquarters to effect an urgent survey over all units, other than the 3rd Division, Army Tank Brigade, and the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Reinf. Draft, of personnel willing to undertake work for the shearing season. Units are being asked to classify men who express a willingness to be released for this purpose under men of Grade I, Grade 11, and Grade 111 medical classification, and fo supply to the nearest District Manpower Officer a schedule giving the numbers of men available under the various headings. The Army will omit from the return any men above the rank of corporal or men who, by virtue of their holding any key position or having specialised individual skill, it would be impracticable readily to effect release. No as-

surance will be given to any particular individual that he will be released. Except in exceptional circumstances no Grade I man between the ages of 21 and 40 (inclusive) is to be selected if men of lower medical grades or outside that age group are available, and single men are not to be released if married men are available. The Shearing Season The release of shearers, musterers, experienced shed hands, and shearers’ cooks is being arranged on the application of Primary Production Councils through the District Manpower Officer to Appeal Boards in respect of nominated workers. A sub-committee of the North Canterbury Primary Production Council has been set up to deal with the applications for release of shearers, musterers, experienced shed hands, and shearers’ cooks, and District Primary Production Committees should forward all applications to the secretary of the Council, Christchurch, with full particulars of the men required. In the case of release from the Army, the unit. rank. Army number, and normal reside , ual address should be given, and in the case of others at present in civilian occupation, their full name, private address, present occupation and name of present employer. In connexion with those workers at present engaged in essential industry, it will be understood that it is necessary for them to obtain the permission in writing of the District Manpower Officer before they can leave their present employment. In both cases full particulars should be given of the work for which the men are required. It will be noted that the sub-commit-tee of the Primary Production Council will deal only with applications for shearers, musterers, experienced shed hands, and shearers’ cooks. LIME RATIONING Lime rationing is to be temporarily imposed in South Otago (south of Dunedin) and Southland. At a meeting at Gore this week, under the direction of the Minister of Primary Production, a meeting consisting of representatives of the Department of Agriculture, lime companies, stock and station agents, and Primary Production Councils, the following rationing scheme was agreed upon and later ratified by the Minister: Cancel all orders now held by lime companies as from September 12, 1942. No lime will be supplied for top-dress-ing grass lands until after January 12, 1943. To enable all farmers to receive supplies as near as possible with the limited labour available, it was considered necessary to ration supplies as follows:—For cultivated ground: i ton an acre; for sowing new grass: 1 ton an acre. (12cwt burnt lime equals 1 ton carbonate lime.) All farmers must fill in an order form with their lime company or merchant not later than September 19 to enable equitable distribution to be made. All orders will be checked by the Primary Production Council to see no duplication takes place. FARM PROPERTIES DEMAND FOR “ ONE-MAN ” HOLDINGS The last 12 months have seen a marked improvement in inquiries for practically all classes of farming properties, according to Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd.’s annual review. This is no doubt due to the unsettled conditions ruling in practically all other classes of investments, and with prices of produce fixed the farmer can make a fair estimate of his gross returns Against this, however, is a definite shortage of skilled farm labour owing to war conditions: but this has been overcome to a certain extent by mechanised farming. Back country sales have been almost at a standstill, but other classes of sheep property with good facilities as regards approach, handiness to rail, etc., have been readily sold at satisfactory prices. Good mixed farms, well improved, are keenly sought after, and a number of sales have been effected with substantial deposits. One-man small agricultural and dairying holdings always find a quick sale, provided a reasonable price is asked by the vendor.

which had been sown at the end of September. It was an outstandingly even and well headed crop, and was harvested at the end of January—in 120 days—and when threshed about six weeks later averaged 54 bushels an acre. There are still a fair number of farmers who are disinclined to risk the sowing of ordinary spring varieties, and to these Marquis should make an appeal. A clause in the director’s report at this week’s meeting of the Board of Governors of Canterbury Agricultural College stated that in view of the manpower position it was_ felt that consideration should be given to the possibility of arranging for one college to undertake all the degree teaching while the war continued. The matter was one which might be taken up with the School of Agriculture Council. Before the end of this year it would also be advisable to consider the continuation of the diploma course at Lincoln; Under existing conditions student numbers seemed to be scarcely sufficient to warrant the continuation 1 of the coutm.