RAIN WELCOMED BY FARMERS NOT HARVESTING CROPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23154, 17 January 1950, Page 4

RAIN WELCOMED BY FARMERS NOT HARVESTING CROPS

fjYTE overnight rain of the past three clays lias been regarded as most welcome by hill-country farmers throughout the district, and by those farming on the Gisborne Hats who are not at present engaged in harvesting. Harvesters have had an enforced rest this week to date. The pastures were very definitely in need of the rain and should respond quickly, if drying winds do not follow the weather from the present quarter. Maize, pumpkins, rape, chou moellier and other supplementary crops were in need of the refreshing rain and should now show little effects of the past dry months.

The ryegrass harvest has been almost completed, that stage having been reached before the rain White clover still has to come in in fairly large quantities. and the Fields Division instructor. Mr. H. deO. Chamberlain, suggested todav that where the crops were nearly ripe thev should be harvested as soon as the rain left off. _ Otherwise, he added, the growth following the rain would choke the seed crop. Lower Yields of Crops

Farmers engaged in harvesting operations this season have noticed generallv that their yields have been only medium. At the crucial stage in the growth of the crop the dry spell robbed it of the extra moisture to make the difference between an average and good return. It has been estimated by Mr. Chamberlain that about half of the field peas grown in the district have been harvested. Probably the greater proportion of that half of the crop had been cot under cover before the break in the weather, but much was still stand-

1 n the bags in the fields. Mr. Chamberlain did not anticipate that any damage would have been done by the rain to the peas in the bags, particularly where the bags were new and able to turn the rain. Some farmers had been caught with their neas cut in the field and awaiting the harvester. They would have had more reason to be uneasy, he said, but their yields would not be very greatly affected. if at all.