FARM CHAT.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 14024, 16 January 1918, Page 8

FARM CHAT.

• NOR'-WESTERS WANTED. Everything has its uses, and even the hot and dry nor'-wester?, which popn. larly are supposed to be a curse in Canterbury, would be particularly handy just now, and would hem-lit the district to the extent of thousands of pounds, says ''The Native" in the Christchureh Sun. Their blast, in fact, would be welcomed as far as the crops are concerned, for particularly in the case of wheat and oals in stook, a drying wind is needed whi.-h would penetrate into the sheaves and restore them to the required condition. In fact, hot and dry weather, as distinct from muggy conditions, is now urgently required for ripening the grain, ami also, of course, for the shearing. Until a few days ago, harvest operations had commenced in earnest, not only iu (he case of oats, but also for wheal, which is now look.

ing splendid in most districts,' A tour

of Ashhurton ;i few days back fully illustrated this, and here the effect of recent winds in tlio direction of levelling crops was not apparent. A fair amount of wheat, however, was down ill the Willowhy and Wnkanui districts, although, on the other hand, some line crops were undamaged. The same conditions existed in the Lachnan district, where the grassisced and oats threshing was in progress', The oats seem to be threshing particularly well so far, for in the area mentioned most of the early oats yielded about 50 bushels to the acre. Returns of the threshing are coming to hand fairly generally, and about

50 bushels is not exceptional in Aylesbury. In the lake Coleridge district a *small paddock of Algerians threshed out at close on 70 bushels to .the acre. It was a magnificent crop standing 5Mt in height. In cases also' the wheat is be- • ing threshed, although generally, of course, most of the grain is still uncut. Passing through Dunsaiidel during the week, wheat threshing was in progress, The instance seen was in the case of a field of the early Yamlulla King va. riely. This wheat is finding favour with a number, of farmers, and is apparently growing in popularity. It is one of the few Australian varieties suitable to the climate here, is extremely early, and stands up well. Labour Plentiful. Contrary to the usual idea, labour for harvest operations is fairly plentiful, and; in fad, much more so than was the case at the corresponding period last season. Of course, the season as yet is early, but the main reason for this large labour offering is the fact that large numbers of men .have been attracted from the North Island and from the West Coast 'by the prospect of high wages. An impression existed with tlicm that fancy •wage values would obtain here, and many were considerably surprised 'on learning that the rulingrate was .1/6 per hour instead of ~/o\ The lack of bushfelling up north also helped the exodus here. Needles to say a number of men are not. accepting the condition of things stated without £ v demur, and some are. holding out for ;, ; o;» higher rate. This fact prevents tiie -'' labour available from being fully ntil- , ised. Complaints,-of course, have come to hand as to the scarcity of labour, but it may be that the fanner concerned did not give sufficient notice to the. ' . labour agent. Providing the weather.' ;. clears,, ami r-ontinues'settled, it should'^;, "'; possible to get the lmr.vjjsk in- without' mii'ii trouble, bill even if':labourriH. : p/entifiiV opportunity to.utilise}it. .pro-;. , jieVly.will bo lacking if the,'eoMitibris"' ' lin.ly permit of'iiiteJiniUcnt work. Mean.. while the rain it; a dead Joss to fanners ..Xjih'.'ha'vi!, engaged.-'iiifiiv. as;' : .aithofjgh; , their.- pay only rules'on working; hours', ,' their -keep in each ea.se represents-abput «■':■ Jlawek. ■ _/_'•„• .. '*M