GENERAL FARMING NEWS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 85, 3 January 1918, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS

The.preliminary official estimates .of the 1917 crops in England and Wales show that the yield of wheat was better than was generally expected, amounting- to 7,164,649 quarters, against 6,835,408 quarters last' year, and 8,400,692 quarters in 1915, when the acreage sown was larger than this year. The yield per acre is given at 29.88 bushels, or 1.20 bushel mora than in 1916, but 1.52 bushel below the average! • Allowing for increased acreage in Scotland and Ireland, and assuming a yield of 35 bushels per acre, the outturn in those two countries this year would amount to 800,000 quarters, making the total crop for the whole of the United Kingdom nearly 8,000,000 quarters, which compares with 7,569,039 quarters last year,. 9,265,297 quarters in 1915, and 7,815,087 quarters in 1914.

Wild pigs bo near as Redari are still '* 'in evidence, and they make incursions '""'from their, mountain lairs amongst /.farmers' flocks of sheep (reports the "Wyndham Herald")- In the past one farmer lost 20 lambs through iho depredations of wild pigs.

Grain is. now to .be seen in stook in

.. . various parts of South Canterbury, ; though harvesting is by no means general yet.. Shearing is being 'greatly "delayed by the continued wet weather, and farmers are now getting anxious ' Jest, there shouldbo a shortago of labour for the harvest field caused by the absence of shearers who will bs detained in tho shearing sheds much longer than usual this year.

1 ' It has been no uncommon, sight into see a large flock of sheep '.' driven along the road, the drover boing comfortably seated' in' a motor-car (states the "Winton Record"). ■ Tlio utility of the motor-car was, however, still further exploited the other day, when a district farmer, not tp bo out- ' done by. the fact that all the passenger accommodation of: the "car was fully occupied, took tBo •opportunity of conr veying to market : a largo number of sheepskins, which'' were piled up on the ''bonnet of the car. On tho following ; day the farmer's example was emulated ' by a district dairy-farmer, who utilised ..Ins car to convey o tho morning's milk —to the factory. ~;The old'year passed out disastrously for the South Canterbury farmers, heavy rain adding to the mischiof done by frequent, rains during som« -weeks past. A large proportion of the ■bast wheat crops are badly laid, and oannot yield good wheat. It will be very difficult to harvest. To-day is very fine for tho holiday engagements, but showers again threaten. . . A crop of oats on a farm - adjoining; 'the Invercargill-Dacro Road is already cut and in stook'. Several_ parts of Southland arc at present simply swarming with rabbits. On several portions of, tho road from ■Invercargill to Daere rabbits were to be seen, recently in hundreds, aud the same state of affairs is reported from other parts of tho pr».vince. Southland's harvest promises k to bp early. Many crops are already well in ear. Dairy factory intakes are in a number of instances falling off, says .the "Southland Times." The extraordinary growth of the spring is showing itself. In thoso many instances where the grass got ahead of the herds it has i run to seed and lost much of its milk-'