RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15921, 6 May 1912, Page 9

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. The rainfall at Cast for April amounted to 5.73 in. The heaviest fall took place, on April 23, when 3.45 in were recorded.

Farmers on the medium quality land in the Ash burton County are now busy sowing oats, arid present indications point to an unusually large area of land being brought under cultivation this year.

The rainfall at The Peaks for April totalled 3.41 in, 'compared with 5.40iq, for the corresponding month of 1911, and 3.07 in 1910. Rain fell on six days, the heaviest fall being 1.83 in on April 23.

Threshing operations in the Cast district are suspended owing to the sodden nature of the soil preventing tho threshing machines from moving about. Feed is plentiful and farmers do not view approaching winter with the uneasiness they did last year.

Some very good yields of wheat are reported from the Crist district. Mr H. Tallott secured 1000 bushels off eleven acres, a.n average of 60 bushels per acre. Another paddock yielded 51 bushels. Mr W. Lake had a twelveacre paddock of solid straw Tuscan and white straw which yielded slightly over 50 bushels per acie.

The shortage of trucks on the Methven line during the present season has been very acute. Trucks are only available for grain for shipment, and large parcels of wheat and oats, only partially covered with tarpaulins, have to be deposited in the vicinity of the station. The recent stormy weather damaged seme of the grain, the heavy rain with a driving wind wetting the bottom sacks. It is stated that at every station on the line between Rakaia and Methven more grain is lying than there is room to store, and some of the teams have ceased carting it.

The Dunedin correspondent of the "Lyttalton Times." writes:—The produce market is reported to be very brisk in all lines with a tendency towards increased prices. Good business is being done, in prime potatoes from Oamaru and the Taieri. The highest price obtained this week was £G 12s (3d a ton for a line of 50 tons for shipment. If - tho restrictions on imports to Sydney and Melbourne arc removed a very profitable season is assured. After a long period of anxiety the farmers have had a happy harvest. One fanner says ho was exactly four months at the gathering in his fields. He got everything in, however, and finds prices rather good. His oxperienco has been common inOtago and Southland. The yields have been exceptionally heavy and there has been little loss from the very bad weather. There is a strong demand from Australia and London for New Zealand oats but very little business is being done with London, owing to shortage of freight. The market prices for oats are 2s !~Ad for A Cartons and from '2s -lid to 2s od for B Gortons* f. 01).. sacks in. The wheat market is still firm.