THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24983, 18 September 1946, Page 9

THE WEEK

THE RECENT RAIN The southerly on Sunday seems to have done a great deal of good throughout Canterbury;. Up to that time, practically the whole province was having an excellent season, with growth of crops and pastures well forward, and with lambing either over or well under way in excellent circumstances. However, the period of nor’-west weather was beginning to make itself ielt, and in every district rain was needed. In North Canterbury and in the Ashburton area, toward the sea particularly, the continued drying winds were beginning to bake a hard crust on to the soil, and growth was beginning to tail off. There was some slight compensation in this, as the dry weather hardened the feed well and stock were doing splendidly on it. In most districts it has been a mixed season. The winter was mild and open, and pastures began to make growth much earlier than usual, too early, in the opinion of many farmers. This false growth was checked by the cold spell at the end of August, and with the dry spell growth did not come away as well again as it might have done. In some districts where there was little growth early, the nor’west weather brought growth oh at--a great pace. The rain seems to Jiave produced about an inch in most places, and though temperatures were low, the change did not last long enough to have any great effect on lambs. As a whole, Canterbury is well placed now to stand a period without rain. Pastures are coming away well, and wheat and other'crops are making excellent headway, though there is very little wheat. The ground is in ideal condition for cultivation, though on the heavier land operations may be held up for a few days. LIME SUPPLIES There seems to be little possibility of any great increase in the quantity of lime available in the near future. About the most frequently heard complaint among farmers in the last few months is the difficulty of getting lime. Initially of course, the present situation is the result of an under-esti-mation before the war of the probable requirements of lime. One large southern works, for instance, installedmachinery just before the war capable of turning out 40,000 tons a year, and believed that it was equipped to deal with the full possible demand for many years. It has had recently to expand its capacity to something like 500 tons a day, and is still behind with orders.

Many companies have been trying desperately to get more machinery, but that is a slow process. A company which a year ago ordered from Australia machinery which would have doubled its capacity, was told at the time that there would be six to nine months’ delay. A year has gone by, and the latest advice the company has received is that the manufacturers cannot say when the machinery will be delivered. Nobody can be blamed for this; but as lime has become almost as essential to farming as rain, some steps should be taken to see that adequate supplies are available.

CORRIEDALES FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA An enthusiastic reception has been given by Western Australian breeders to a shipment of Corriedales which recently arrived there. The shipment consisted of a ram hogget from the Otahuna flock of the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, and 25 ewes from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company’s stud at Moeraki. The purchaser of the ram hogget, Mr J. P. Stratton, has written in glowing terms of the sheep. “The sending across to Western Australia of rams of this quality and type would do much to deepen the interest of Western Australian breeders in this breed.” he says. The purchases were made through the National Mortgage and Agency Company,