FARMING NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 4, 1 December 1934, Page 5

FARMING NEWS.

RURAL RAKINGS. “A farmer’s paradise,” is the description given to the Whangaroi and surrounding districts by a settler in regard to the excellent condition of the pastures and crops. It is stated they have never looked better at any time of the year. The Hawko’s Bay wool clip this year promises to ho decidedly better than last year, and should, in consequence, prove more attractive to buyers. However, shearing has been delayed. in many parts of the province, and less wool has come forward to stores to date than was anticipated. While rain is greatly needed in the Franklin district the lack of it has not yet become serious, says an exchange. A fall of rain in tho near future would allay any anxiety regarding lightened dairy yields or of lighter crops. The majority of dairy farmers are at present busily engaged in harvesting work and crops cut to the present have mostly been good ones. To those who have hay out at present rain would be unwelcome. Tho new wheat —Cross 7—produced by research at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, and developed at tho plant research station there of tho New Zealand Wheat Research Institute, will be available to growers by March next. This should represent an important advance in wheat production in Canterbury (says an exchange). The new variety is the result of crossing Solid Straw Tuscan and Canadian White Fyfe. Tho Wheat Purchase Board has sent to growers a circular saying that tho price of wheat for December will bo on a basis of 5s Id a bushel f.0.b., but that after December 20, current prices should not be relied on. Last season tho board was dealing with old wheat late in January, when the new wheat had been coming in for some time. Tho regulations give the board power to adjust the price, and the circular givos notice that this may be done if wheat is not coming in as fast as it should. More than 64 million bushels of the 1934 crop have boon handled so far by the board, and on the estimate of 9,036,000 bushels for the season, this leavos rather loss than 2,000,000 bushels for feed and seed, and otherwise unaccounted for. Last year 3,000,0000 bushels were used for feed and seed.

Mr R. McGillivray, fields superintendent (Christchurch), who visited Marlborough last week, told a Christchurch reporter that the province is looking extremely well. There is an abundance of feed and not nearly sufficient stock to keep it down. Cereal crops aro looking well, but mildew is present in some wheat crops, and there had been reports of rust in places. There is an increased area under wheat, and on the lighter land this cereal is looking exceedingly well. It does not require any further moisture on the heavy soils. Oats are only a sideline these days, and there is a reduced area sown. Tho crop is looking well on all classes of soils. Farmers are expecting an abundance of good bright chaff and some farmers are considering forward selling at about £2 10s a ton. There is a greatly increased area sown in barley. Some crops are showing signs of fungoid diseases, but yields aro expected to be good. It is estimated that the pea crop will exceed 10,000 acres.