CROPS AND STOCK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1105, 19 April 1911, Page 8

CROPS AND STOCK.

j A GLANCE AT THE SEASON. Most of the'harvest in the late districts i las-been secured in good order (says the I "Journal of the Department of Asricul- ; ture"). The yields of wheat and barley arc fully up to anticipations, but of oats are very'irregular; aud the same remarks may bo applied to the- quality, , of tho . respective cereals. A larger proportion than usual of oats is being reserved for . chaff. The recent heavy rains have vastly improved pastures, ■ rape, and turnips, growth being rapid and blight having, been greatly diminished. There are fears, however, in somo districts that tho season is too far advanced for the production of a sufficiency of feed to carry stock over the winter, stocks of hay au<l ensilage being very small, and already, in mauy cases, encroached upon. Maize has been of great service as ! green fodder on dairy farms in the North : Island, sustaining tho milk-yield during the dry period. . The dairy-produce outI put, howover, is materially reduced. : Lambs have not fattened well, and a large proportion of those slaughtered for export.'are very light. iioth sheep and ' lambs have been slaughtered in large i numbers; but now that Iced prospects j liave improved there may be seine slack- • I'liii , .;! of the rush to the treeziu.'-ivorks, and the quality may impicivp. Fa't catcle arc. scarce, but fat pigs arc plentiful.