WHEAT YIELDS

Evening Post, Issue 29, 4 February 1935, Page 11

WHEAT YIELDS

HARVEST FORECAST

From returns supplied by twentysix farmers in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland! the Wheat Purchase Board has compiled a forecast of the 1935 wheat harvest, ■ estimating that the yield will be about four bushels,an acre less than last year's. , The area cropped this year is smaller, and the adverse spring and summer weather i has been the main cause of the decrease.

' The returns show, that last year the total acreage in wheat was 22,070 acres, producing 766,064 bushels, to give an average yield of 34.7 bushels to the acre. This year, the same properties had 18,504 acres in wheat, estimated to produce 571,875 bushels or 30.9 bushels to the acre. '

Comment fromI'the various- districts, accompanying the-returns,_showed that growing and weather conditions varied considerably over the area surveyed. Where dry wather had not caused premature ripening and made the grain smaller in size, rain and wind had laid crops, or flooding had interfered with sowings. The most encouraging reports came from .Seaview, Ashburton, where in two cases it was stated that the grain was in* first-class condition, and weighed up to or over the 611b bushel weight set last year. - There were few seconds in this grain.