NORTH OTAGO CROPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19858, 31 January 1928, Page 7

NORTH OTAGO CROPS.

THE HARVEST OF CEREALS. AVERAGE YIELDS EXPECTED. SEASON LATER THAN USUAL. [BY TELEGn.\rH.—OWN' cohre: pondent. ] OAMARU. Monday. A good deal of speculation has Ix-nn indulged in over the prospective yield of wheat, oats and other crops in North this season. This speculation can serve no useful purpose and may ha'ff the effect of qieating an erroneous impression concerning the resources of the district. The harvest is at least a month later than has been the case for sojtio years, erratic climatic conditions being ro sponsible. " Recurring rains caused interruption in haymaking, but there should be an abundance of fodder for winter use judging by the number of haystacks which now dot the farms, ?,nd are still in the making. In most cases hay has been saved in good condition, but in certain portions of the district the hay has been stained by untimely rains. Earlier sown turnips; have done well, but mangels are not as forward as could be desired. Eape crops would have dono much better had warmer weather been experienced at the time of planting. Lato sown root crops conld do with a warm rain at present, particularly in the Oiekaike district. The sowing of soft turnips is still in' progress, but on a reduced scale. Prospects lor Wheat Growers. Indications point to an average return from wheat, although it is rather early to form a definite opinion. The season is much later than usual, and much depends upon the weather during the next few weeks.- If hot weather prevails, thus hastening the grain, the yields will'be light, for the berry, arrested in its development, would necessarily bo small and imperfect. Should conditions be favourable yields are likely to bo well above the average, although not so high as those recorded in the last two seasons, when the average was in the vicinity of 42 bushels an acre. This season farmers consider an average of 40 bushels an acre may be expected, provided, of course, the weather is favourable. A feature cf wheatgrcwing in North Otago is that farmers are becoming more particular as to the varieties grown. ,Thve« years ago Dreadnought was widely sown, but during the past two seasons farmors have devoted greater attention to better varieties, such as Hunters and Tuscan. Velvet wheat, js also a gr'iat favourite, particularly in the Hakataramea Valley. Last, season yields of from 52 to 60 bushels an acre in Velvet were reported from the Windsor and Hakataramea districts. Forward selling of new season's wheat has tak<r. place at prices from 5» 8d to 5s 9d, or; tracks, for Tuscan. Good Yields of Oats. Reapers and binders have been busy during the past few weeks and Algerian oat fields arc becoming a mass of orderly stoolis, A few stands \iave been affected by "take-all," but the great majority have come through unscathed, and are expected to thresh out well. The threshing ot Algerians is expected to commence in a week or two, although a good deal of this variety is beiiijT converted into chaff. Garton oat 3 cover practically the same area as lav.t season, and from present appearances should thresh above the average. The potato crops in the Oamaru district have yielded well so far as the early varieties have been concerned, but tfn» area devoted to the main crop lias been comparatively small. Oamaru's mnsn source of supply is from the "Waimate anrt Willowbridge districts. The only centres in which potatoes are being grown on anything like a large commercial seal" Kakanui and Totara. Many years ago th-» Oamaru district was largely drawn npon for the supplies of the Dominion, but m recent years potato-growing has ml i away flight has not | smell an extent as last year, but'atefios took toll. Forward sales to No thern mo chants, for April-May-June dehveiy, havo occurred at £4 ?s 6d, f.0.b.,