THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23942, 8 May 1943, Page 3

THE WEEK

THE DRY SEASON

Records have to be examined a long way back to find an autumn as dry as the one now nearing its end. The total rain in the coastal districts in the two months between March 1 and May 1 of the province was only-42 points at some of the various coastal recording points. Had it not been for the ample fall in the early months of the year, which gave a great fillip to growth, farmers would have had one of the worst seasons for feed yet experienced. As it has fortunately turned out, the hard feed finished lambs off to good weights until the last few weeks, but now the position is moving fast the other way. Ewes have done well, and there was ample green feed for the joining, and the winter should be entered by them in fairly good shape. The winter, however, presents something of a problem, as turnip crops can scarcely be up to normal. Oatsheaf stacks, however, may provide a stand-by, as there is still a big quantity of the crop unmarketed. The position in this respect is perhaps better than it has been at this period for some years. The soil is in excellent order for a response to a good downfall, but as late as May a break might be stormy enough to bring heavy frosts in its wake. However, apart from these possibilities, a solid downpour is badly required to enable agricultural work to be carried along. In North Canterbury the dry break has extended to the back country. Runholders say that rarely, if ever, in their experience, have the creeks been so dry. Those which in the ordinary dry season still kept running, were recently described by one pastoralist as being a succession of water-holes, with a great destruction of the small fish. A rain “on its own’’ is possibly too much to expect as late as May. A May visitation in the high country generally takes the character of a storm, with a fall of snow that frequently remains on the high levels until the spring. Pastoralists have had some disastrous losses in this month. The higher country, however, has had a better share of moisture than the plains, and though feed looks bare, sheep are reported to be in good condition.

The only belt which has escaped the widespread dryness is along the foothills, where the dependable north-west showers generally save the position. In Mid-Canterbury farmers within their precincts report an exceptionally favourable autumn for growth, with good turnip crops, useful pasture, and green feed growth, and very satisfactory rape feeding.

The most serious immediate effect of the lack of rain is the unworkable condition of the soil in many districts. Much wheat country still remains unworked which, in an ordinary season, would have been ready for sowing. The majority of farmers like to have their wheat in the ground near the end of May.

WHITE CLOVER FEED The collapse of the English market for New Zealand white clover seed placed many seed producers in a quandary as to what to do with their crops. Most farmers allowed the crops to carry along, in the hope that the restriction against importation would be removed, or at all events very much relaxed. It was relaxed to an extent, but not sufficiently to absorb all of the increased production. In the meantime the clover crops flowered and stock were turned on to graze, but many farmers have found that the sheep, whilst eating the ryes or other grasses freely, will not touch the clover.

The explanation is that when clover gets into the full or ripening flower stage it becomes unpalatable for stock. It has then approached the stage of reproduction, and in the process there is a decline in sap and a tendency towards hardness in the stalks. This is characteristic of all legume crops, and particularly of lucerne. One of the causes of the slow adoption of lucerne in Canterbury .was the advocacy that it should not ha .cut for. hay until it was a certain degree in flower. This was inexperienced advice. By then the stalks had generally become hard and unnutritious, and there was greater difficulty in saving the all-important nutritious leaf in the harvesting of a delayed crop. All flowered plants of the nature of clover and lucerne should be grazed before bursting into flower, instead of after that stage, or when the flowers are nearing the seed stage.

PROGRESS THRESHINGS

WHEAT AVERAGE, 33.34 BUSHELS

! The table appearing below gives the ; results of threshing operations carried I out during the months of January- | February, 1943, according to returns i received by the Government StatisI tician from threshing-mill operators up to March 31. The figures show that 94,528 acres of wheat threshed returned a total yield of 3,151.396 bushels, the average yield an acre being 33.34 j bushels; 7070 acres of oats threshed | produced 306.758 bushels, the-average : yield an acre being 43.39 bushels. | ! | I |

The average wheat yield of 33.34 bushels shown above, taken in conjunction with the fact that the table covers threshings from one-third of the total wheat acreage, suggests that the pre-harvest estimate of 37 bushels to the acre will not be realised. The final average will probably not exceed 34 bushels, and the aggregate yield is now estimated at approximately 9,500,000 bushels.

HEAVY LAMBS

Generally, fat sheep are weighing out much heavier this season than last, and this has been the case especially with lambs. A pen of eight lambs ’sold at Addington recently for 40s Id averaged close on 801b. one weighing 841b. The second pen of the draft, sold for 38s 4d, averaged slightly more than 721b, The lambs were an outstanding line in the yards and naturally attracted much attention on the hooks. The vendor, Mr R. Grice, of Seafield, frequently sends in heavy lambs to Addington, but this draft created a record for poundage.

An Edendale (Southland) farmer threshed 133 bushels of oats to the acre of the Onward Carton variety recently. The paddock was measured and the return is authenticated. The United Stales Department of Agriculture reports a record wool production for 1942 of 459,000,0001b. Average local market price for shorn wool was 40.1 cents 'about 2s sd) per lb. The number of sheep shorn in 1942 is estimated at 49,784.000, and, the average weight of the fleece at 81b.

Total Area Average yield an threshed.threshed acre. Bushels. Acres, Bushels, Gisborne 1.652 62 26.65 Hawke's Bay 20,006 757' 26.43 Wellington 160.227 4,359 36.76 Marlborough .. 298,560 9,740 30.66 Nelson 23.162 808 28,69 Canterbury .. 2,526.745 75,697 33.41 Otago 119.204 3,103 38.39 Total 3,151,396 94,528 33.34 Oats Total Area Average yield an threshed.threshed acre. Bushels, Acres. Bushels, Hawke's Bay 156 7 22.29 Wellington 7,995 171 46.75 Marlborough .. 5,376 173 31.08 Nelson 3.405 99 34.39 Canterbury .. 253.116 5.974 42.70 Otago 34,160 636 53.71 Southland 530 10 55.00 Totals 306,758 7.070 43.39