HARVEST PROSPECTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19235, 26 January 1926, Page 14

HARVEST PROSPECTS.

RECORD YIELDS EXPECTED. SOUTH CANTERBURY CROPS. [Bi' TELEGEAriI. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WAIMATE. Monday. The harvest which, is now approaching in tho Waimato County is expected to be one of tho best for many years. After an exceptionally wet winter and autumn, which delayed sowing until tho very last, a wonderful spring has allowed the crops to come away in such an extraordinary fashion that no trace remains of the bad times of a few months ago. Hardly a poor crop is to he seen in the whole county; wheat, oats and potatoes are all looking splendid. ? Experienced farmers are of the opinion that the average yield of wheat will be not far short of 45 bushels an acre and there are many crops about which will, on present indications, thresh 70 or 80 bushels and even more. " Take-all" has made its appearance in a few crops, but these as a rule are on impoverished land. The stronger crops are entirely free from pests of all sorts and with tho fine weather being experienced, it is not expected that tho caterpillar, which occasionally works havoc, will prove troublesome. A notable feature this season is the large amount of grass seed which will bo threshed. In many cases farmers were unable to sow their usual amount of grain and were left with more green feed than they had use for. The great growth of grass and clover in tho spring also was a contributing factor. The remarkable recovery in the district supports the contention often made that tho district between the Pareora and the Waitaki Rivers is the finest cropping land in the Dominion. The weather continues beautifully fine with welcome showers at intervals. The harvest will bo an exceptionally early one and will bo in full swing in a week It would be difficult to say which was the most promising crop of wheat in the district. Willowbridge maintains its (reputation for big yields and most of the farmers in this favoured locality expect to thresh well over 50 bushels. A tremendous crop of oats is to be seen on Messrs. Fletcher Brothers' property near Bradshaw's Crossing. If threshed this crop should yield anything up to 100 bushels an acre. Other promising crops well above tho average are to be seen on the farms of Messrs. C. Faulkner and H. Yoss.

about Studholme, the land suffered severely from tho wet, but has made a wonderful recovery and there are few, if any farmers who have reason for complaint at their prospective harvest. Tho potato crops in this district are also looking well and are quite free from blight. Hunter is noted more for the evenness rf its yields than for particularly big crops, and this year the average should be well ahead of that for many years past. Old residents say they have never seen the crops look better at this time of the year. The area sown is slightly smaller than that of last year.

Tho famous Waihao Downs arc noted for the particularly fine milling wheat which is grown on the limestone downs. There is said to be no better wheat grown in the world than the pearl grown there. This year tho crops have exceeded all expectations and bumper yields are expected. Tho wheat is beautifully free from disease and weeds and the heads are well filled.

The growth of grass in the pastures, is such that the stock are unable to keep ifc down and farmers are welcoming the warmer weather which is hardening the feed up. In some cases the sheep were beginning to scour, but this trouble hais now disappeared. After a very trying winter the dairying men are / getting some of their own back and the local factory is working at fyll pressure to cope with the steady flow of oream.