FARMING CONDITIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20930, 21 January 1930, Page 4

FARMING CONDITIONS.

SOUTH CANTERBURY CROPS. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) TEMUKA, January 20. The season 1929-30 will be remembered by the extreme variations which have been experienced practically all over New Zealand. In the early spring months in South Canterbury, a dry season was predicted by many—and it looked as if this would eventuate—but after most of the early crops had suffered severely from these dry conditions, a change set in, and since then_ we have had a superabundance of rain, which culminated in one of the worst summer floods we have had for years. To come through these varying conditions, and expect the country to produce its maximum, would be to expect too much—even from a district noted for its high averages. Farmers of late ye are have been gradually turning thoir attention to sheep and cattle, and letting the less stable line of cropping take a secondary place in their farm arrangements. CEREAL CROPS. Wheat is much reduced in area, but, being a very hardy crop, has on the whole come through very well, and should, on present appearances, be very little short of an average crop. The late-sown wheat crops appear to be thick on the ground and well headed. It will be about the end of February before some of the latesown ones are cut. Oats in South Canterbury are generally sown for early and late use. Tbe early crops give a fair amount of green feed to sheep, etc., in the spring, and later are cut to produce chaff, or maybe, grain, This year this cereal is very light, but here again the late breaks will bulk up well. In quite a number of cases, the early oat crop is cut and in stock, and what is wanted now is warm, dry weather to ensure it being safely stacked. Barley is not now grown to any extent here, and the total area in South Canterbury must be very small indeed. Peas, too, have a much reduced area this year —the low prices offering for this commodity for the last two seasons, coupled with the fact that they are very risky to grow, and expensive to harvest and thresh, has made their cultivation very unpopular. However, as an occasionally keen demand comes from London, we might expect to see more grown when this does eventuate. POTATOES AND OTHER CROPS. Potato seed, especialy certified lines, were keenly sought after in the spring, and this has resulted in probably more of this crop being planted. The excellent returns obtained by some growers last year were the primary cause. This crop has suffered from the recent heavy rains, some patches being completely 'ruined. Hay has been a very light crop, some being spoilt with wet. Swedes, rape, Chou Moullier, and other green and root crops are looking extremely well, and there should be no scarcity of feed for the winter. Grass will carry the stock further into the autumn than usual, and should keep the production of butter-fat well up to the average. SHEEP AND LAMBS. Lambs are moving off in ever-increas-ing numbers to the_ works, and it is expected that there will be a record season in the export of lamb this year. In this line of farming activity, the average drop of 5b per head from last vear, coupled with the much reduced price for wool, will not leave much margin for the men who bought ewes last autumn for 35s and over; the only bright spot for those concerned being the fact of a high average lambing and few losses compared with previous years. The. autumn sales will, no doubt, see lower prices for breeding ewes, and also, some may turn their attention to wheat again if the demand warrants it. Dry, settled weather, with full days of sunshine, is what is wished for at the present time, to ripen and mature the crops.