HARVEST PROSPECTS IN NORTH OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18468, 1 February 1922, Page 6

HARVEST PROSPECTS IN NORTH OTAGO.

GOOD, BUT NOT THE BEST,

(Feom Oub Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, January 31.

The harvest of 1922 has commenced in a desultory fashion. Oats have 'been cut in various directions, and a few fields of wheat, the latter chiefly in the Otiake district, with a lovely early field in the Waiareka Valley. Interest is therefore aroused as to the character of the harvest generally, and more particularly in respect to wheat, which concerns the supply of bread for the people of the dominion. First, then, let me say that there lias been an increase in the extent of land under wheat by fully a third, tho total area to be reaped being about 30,000 acres. On the other hand, there has been a decrease in the area under oats, a good many farmers being content to grow sufficient to meet their own requirements, and not oaring to face a probable unprofitable market. Barley has also been cut down very severely in area, the Chevalier variety having almost gone out of cultivation this season. It has not been muoh grown in North Otago for many years, and at Otiake, which has been the chief centre of production, the quantity sown was only about a quarter of the usual area, but the quality there promises to be good if rain does not cause discolouration. As to wheat, the prospects of bumper harvest which existed a couple of months ago after the stimulating rains of October have vanished, and now the best that can bo said is that the average yield for the whole county will be good, but nothing wonderful. The decline in promise has been brought about by various causes. In the first place the dreaded “Take AH’’ has levied some toll, though its effects have not been so great as was feared. Some small areas have been swept away entirely, the most noteworthy case being one of a paddock of about 60 acres' at Island Cliff. In many other instances patches of the trouble have lowered prospective yields to varying extent. This “ Take All ” ia no new acqaintance in North Otago. It Iras been known here for 40 years, but has been only an occasional visitor. It is worthy of note that it has almost entirely occurred on land where a second crop of wheat has been sown. It is a fungus begotten of impoverishment, of the soil, noor husbandry, and an .accession of moisture at a time favourable for its development. It has been confined to a few localities, no symptom of it being found in long stretches of country, as, for example, right up the Waltaki watershed from below PapaEaio _ to above Kurow, except a little in the neighbourhood of Duntroon. Another thing that has caused deterioration in the prospective quality of the wheat harvest is rust, which has appeared in many of the crops as a. consequence of the sunless, damp weather lately experienced. So far it is not bad, and if there is a continuance of such weather as we had yesterday the progress of the trouble will be arrested. It has mainly be found near the coast, though it has appeared at Kokoamo. A third trouble in respect to wheat is that the crops are badly mixed in places with other things. Oats, barley, and other seeds that fell on the ground last season failed to germinate early owing to the dry autumn and winter, came away with the wheat, and. while robbing the rightful possessor of the soil, are goiqg to affect the quality of the wheat as well as reduce yields. _ This is particularly the case on the rich Totara land, where, despite the fact that a, field of Dreadnought variety will top the yields of tho county, and a tew other paddocks give good, returns, the average for the whole area will be somewhere between 32 and 35 bushels an acre, which is not up to Totara form.

Oats, 'which did not early in the season promise very well, have prospered tetter than wheat since the October supply of moisture. They have escaped the troubles that have afflicted wheat, except that in the Awamoko district Cartons have been attacked by rust to a material extent. Speaking’ in general terms, the oat crops are good in all directions. There will be some heavy, though not sensational, yields, and in the aggregate the average per acre yield will be better than last year. The best crops in the county are found very widely apart—namely, at All-Day Bar in the south, in the Papakaio-Awamoko district, and in tho Ngapara-Tables district in the 'west. In other places, while nothing of special note can be recorded, there are found a good level of quality in all fields. If one carries the review beyond the confines of .Waitaki County and includes the Hakataramea Valley, ‘‘over the river,” something of superior character has to be recorded. There the crops, with an extended area under wheat, are looking remarkably well as a whole, while some fields of wheat are really beautiful in appearance. Tho average yield per acre will be really good both in wheat and oats.

Now, es to the general result in respect to wheat in North Otago. The average yield per acre will not bo up to last year’s level, and may be set down as between 32 and 35 bushels, or a total output of about 1,000,000 bushels. Such a total will exceed by a good deal anything recorded here since before tho expansion of the frozen meat export and dairying industries. It must be remembered, however, that some weeks must elapse before the harvest becomes general, unless _ the advent of hot weather hastens ripening, which does not appear probable. Though a few paddocks of wheat have been cut, a great many of the crops are still green, and susceptible to change in prospects, either for the better or the worse. Everything depends upon the weather in the next two or three weeks. The estimate given is based- upon present appearances and reasonable climatic conditions.