CROPS MENACED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22851, 5 October 1937, Page 11

CROPS MENACED

NEAV SOUTH WALES

WHEAT AREAS NEED RAIN SERIOUS RESULT POSSIBLE [FROM OUR OWN C'OIIRKSPONT>KNT] SYDNEY, Sept, 30 With a splendid market for new season's wheat. New South Wales is facing the prospect of wholesale crop failures unless rain falls within a week. The Director of Agriculture, Mr. A. H. K. McDonald, said on Saturday that a critical position was fast approaching over the whole of the State's wheat areas. In some districts, serious deterioration had already set in, and it was only in very few districts that a reasonably successful harvest could be hoped for without further rain. The State meteorologist said that the immediate prospect of beneficial inland rains was very poor. It seemed more likely that the parched wheat lands would, during the next few days, experience a repetition of the hot, dustladen winds which, a fortnight ago, precipitated the present critical position. Reviewing the wheat crop position. Mr. McDonald said that the long dry spell which preceded this year's wheat planting had rendered the subsoil deficient in moisture, so that crops depended almost entirely on regular rains during their period of growth. Up to the present, rain had fallen at timely intervals and, until a few weeks ago, prospects appeared good. Recent hot, dry winds, however, had caused violent evaporation and had also adversely affected standing crops. Unless rain fell within a week generally over the wheat areas, a serious fallingoff in the State's wheat yield would have to be faced. Conditions were best in central western areas, including Parkes, Forbes, Dubbo, Wellington and other centres, but even here they were below normal.

The pastoral industry, Mr. McDonald said, was also seriously affected. Periodic rains had been sufficient only to start growth, and many parts of the State had not received a thorough soaking since early in the year.