COCKSFOOT HARVEST

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24152, 11 January 1944, Page 7

COCKSFOOT HARVEST

MANY AREAS DRIED UP ON PENINSULA

While the wet sprin'* weather on Banks Peninsula gave promise of a better cocksfoot harvest, as it was followed by a prolific growth, the recent dry weather and absence of a good rain early in December make the present conditions of crops anything but promising. The seed has dried up badly on the drier points and faces, but in more sheltered areas it has matured well. The area in cocksfoot in the Akaroa district has been reduced because of the labour shortage. In some districts the labour position is serious, and in one case a farmer w;*h 100 acres of seed to reap has a verv small gang to carry out the work. At a meeting of the committee of the Akaroa Crocksfoot Seed Growers’ Association held at Duvauchelle on Friday the crop prospects were discussed. It was reported that last month there had been fairly heavy rain in Le Bbn’s Bay and some of the Eastern Bays’ area, and the cocksfoot crops had benefited. In the Akaroa harbour basin the suriny had' dried up badly. Members of the committee consider the quality of the seed this season is better than it has been for several years. The seed had favourable weather through the flowering period, and has filled out well. It is likely to be heavy and to yield well, except where it has dried up badly during the dry weather. It is not likely that the total amount of seed harvested _ this season will exceed 3000 sacks, which was last season’s crop.