WHEAT, OATS, BARLEY AND POTATOES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 3, 5 January 1910, Page 5

WHEAT, OATS, BARLEY AND POTATOES.

[from our correspondent.]

.. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 5. During the last two weeks, owing to the Christmas and New Year holidays, practically no business passed in grain. Nearly all the establish-^ ments were closed during, the greater part of .the time, and business; was rer sumed only, yesterday; and so far little has been done in sales. Offerings from farmers continue to be very restricted, and, generally speaking, the prices offered by merchants are too low to tempt holders. For wheat merchants are willing to give from 4s to 4s Id on trucks at country stations, but these prices are not sufficiently tempting to induce holders to. sell. It is now recognised that the quantity of wheat still in the hands of growers is very small' although a few fairly large lines have been placed on offer during the week by farmers. The coming season's crop is reported to be very promising, and j^iven favorable weather from now onwards the return should be much more favorable than last year, while there is t every reason to anticipate that prices will be satisfactory. As with wheat, oats are in limited supply, the general range of prices being from Is 7d to Is 8d; but in most cases holders are unwilling to take these prices. Already a few samples of new season's crop have been placed on the market, and dur-' ing the current week a number of machines will be at work in various parts of Canterbury. Oats already threshed are reported to be lighter than anticipated, this being due mainly to several excessively hot days feeing experienced during tKe last few weeks. It is expected that during • the coming tveek considerable quan- , titles of new season's oats will be on offer, but so far offerings have been curtailed on account of the shortage ot -. sacks, many farmers having neglected to give their orders early, anticipating that the harvest would' be considerably later. A great part of the barley crop has now been cut, and is at present standing m stook. The quality is reported to be satisfactory. i The potato market is very quiet, the new season's crop, except'in retail quantities, not having yet come <n the market. So far there have been few complaints of Wight, and the crops in most localities are looking very promising. ; -. ■ , &