THE COMING HARVEST

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 8

THE COMING HARVEST

PROSPECTS IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND. AREAS AND ESTIMATES. The time has now arrived when it is possible to gain a pretty fair idea of what the present reason's grain harvestis likely to produce. At the beginning of the season there were indications of bountiful crops of all cereals throughout Otago and Southland, but the dry spell of weather experienced at a critical time has rather considerably upset calculattions, a nd while yields will not show anyvery serious diminution as a result, they will not come up to first anticipations. Still, prospects may fairly be considered as quite encouraging, and in some respects there will be a noticeable improvement on what prevailed during the season 1908-09. Weather, of course, is the controlling element in the success or non-success of a season. Conditions up to a certain stage were eminently suitable, but at a, time when the crops were beginning to linen and rain was needed to swell the car, it was, unfortunately, lacking. Southland, owing to the large amount of natural moisture contained in the ground, can very easily withstand a dry spell, but there another districts which are not so placed. Otago Central is one of the exceptions, and here the absence of rainfall ban had a very marked effect. While not actually acute', the state of affairs ruling there has been quite against full crops, and flic yields from this portion of Otago mind, consequently show a decided falling oil. The rain that did come at the beginning of this week was too late to do any good, the grain being then too far advanced to derive any benefit from it. From Dunedin southwards indications point, to pretty good returns being obtained. Canterbury has been affected in like manner by the weather, and the yields there will fall a good deal short of what was estimated. '.,< ~' ,'.. WHEAT. The actual area sown in wheat in Otago this season is 80,000 acres, as against 56,309 acres during the season 190 S-9. Last, season's yield was 1,783,097 bushels, and the average yield per acre 31 bushels. The yield this year is estimated to run into 2,960,000, bushels, but that estimate, it must be remembered, was based on conditions prevailing prior to December 10, since When the weather has not been favourable to a prolific yield. It is a noteworthy fact that in past years scarcely sufficient wheat has been grown in Otago and Southland, excepting in the Oamaru district, to meet local millers' requirements, and it has invariably been found necessary to draw a proportion of requirements from South Canterbury and Oamaru districts. This season, however, brings a change, and it will probably be only necessary to draw specially on the Oamaru district in eases where millers must have superior quality velvet for mixing purposes. Therefore, this will be the first season for many years in which there will be an exportable surplus in Otago and Southland. Prices prevailing for wheat, it is anticipated, will be ruled entirely by the London market. Usually much Of the wheat grown in Southland does not come up to millers' ideas of quality, the land being generally more adapted to growing other cereal crops. This year, however, the wheat crops in Southland are looking well, and if everything is favourable the yield should be quite a satisfactory one, and the quality up to millers' requirements. The market, it is expected, will open in the vicinity of 3s lid to 4s f.0.b., sacks extra for f.a.q. grade, equal to 3s 8d to 3s 9d oh trucks at raihvay sidings. The London market at the present time is fairly high, and New Zealand' prices being in sympathy therewith, .any fall in the Home market will be reflected here. OATS. The area laid down in oats in Otago and Southland this season is 170,000 acres, as compared with 134,832 acres during the season 1908-09. Last year's yield was-9,716.628 bushels, and the estimated yield this' year, as based on the condition : of crops on December 10, is 9,169,000 bushels, which, however, will certainly ' not : be realised. The average estimated yield this season of 53 bushels per acre is considerably in advance of what it is likely to be. In the Oamaru district, for instance, the yield is more likely to run into 35 bushels per acre, and in other parts of Otago and Southland, excepting Otago Central, from 40 to 45 bushels per acre. . The Government's estimate of the oat crop for. the , whole of New Zealand this season is set. down at 17,770,500 bushels, which will,-provide an exportable surplus of nearly six million bushels. Last season there was. a surplus of close on seven million bushels. With this year's available surplus, which, roughly, will be about three million .bushels above that of normal years, taking an average for the last seven years, our prices will, it is quite apparent, be on a par with London market quotations, arid any rice and fall that fakes place there will be reflected here. Higher prices than oafs arc worth in London are certainly not likely to be secured here. Accordingly, if 25s per ton freight is paid this year, as was done last year, New Zealand prices arclikely to rule somewhere in the vicinity of Is 8d f.0.b., s.i., for B grade Sparrowbills and Cartons, and Is 9d for A grade sparrowbills, and probably Is lOd for A grade Cartons, these prices being subject to a reducton of 3d per bushel on trucks at railway sidings. . An. idea prevailing to a large extent amongst farmers in the South Island is that the prices of -oats are likely to be high on account of the reduced sowings in Otago .and Southland as compared with last year, but it must be remembered that last year's sowing was an abnormally heavy one, —in fact, the heaviest experienced over the last seven years.

OTHER CROPS

There is a less acreage sown in turnips this season than was the case in the pic- | ceding one. The actual area laid down this year is 522,550 acres, as. against 530,636 acres last year. A week ago the j crops were somewhat backward, but the rain just experienced has given things ! a, decided fillip, and full crops are now i prefty well assured. I This year there are 30,500 acres laid , down in potatoes, as against 29,919 acres last year. It is a fact worthy of note that Tasmania, from which New Zeaalnd, especially Auckland, draws large supplies, has a considerably decreased area sown in potatoes this season, the reason being, presumably, fear on the part of former growers of attacks from blight. In ryegrass there are this year 56,050 acres laid down, as against 50,126 acres la&t year. Canterbury farmers are now offering 221 b to 231 b ryegrass at from is 10(1 to 2s per bushel, hut buyers are not operating, as owing 1o the heavy quantities that will be available in Lhe South Island ami the difficulty of finding out Ids merchants an' not inclined to buy, except in lli<' vicinity of Is 6d per bushel, on Iriw.kx. j.s now being threshed in Southland and Otago. The !i.rea sown in hurley i.ln: yea)' is 41,500 a-i cm, as ninuiiyi mi,'<iV> acres last y t .„v. Tin. reason of Uii: falling oil in |,|i(. .■inn,mil iiowii c; probably lo he found in the fa.r-1, Unit la«t yi-.u'v \>n> <■<.-. were exceptionally low, and farme.i:-, w<re m mi ,tiy e.-iMiri! compelled I- !'H. >»l ;i Vh'-.iy ~(,,„. |;,; ;,|, ;, |,| j, <• VI 111 'l> \lf >,U i, li I - 111 >l<> profit on their outlay

MANAWATIi A. 4M» I*. *SS«JCIATIO.V. PATjMKKHTON >,'., .January 1.8. Mr 13. Short. Mi-, well known K'nnn'-.y breeder, of Wait,una., ban offered the Manawatti A. and IV Association a. catsh prize of £IOO, to be competed for at lhe spring show for lhe best purebred Romney rani, shown on the ground, and bred in. New Zealand, to be shown in the wool, and to be judged accordingly, Mien to be blade shorn and judged after .'hearing for symmetry. The judging is to be on points, and the sheep thus shown for the special prize is not to. be debarred from competing in other classes. Two judges are to be selected by the Romney Breeders' Association—one from the South Inland, and another judge is to bs selected by Mr Short, who has appointed Mr Alex. M'Gregor, of Wairarapa. Mr Short will not himself enter for competition. The offer was accepted with thanks. The association has also decided to offer special prizes of £lO each for the champion bull in the Holsteki, Ayrshire, and Jersey dairy cattle classes.

NEW ZEALAND FLAX. GRADING FOR EXPORT. The following return shows the quantity of hemp and tow graded during the month of December. The total number of hales graded was 14,662, as against 9761 for the corresponding month of last year, an increase of 4901 bales. For the six months ended December 31 the numb©>' of bales graded was 44,501, as against 34,221 for the oorrespending period of last year, or an increase of 10,280 bales. Worked out on a percentage basis, the' quantity of each grade, dealt with during the month was as follows: —Fine 2.25, good fair 44.89, fair 46.26, common 5.01, rejected .55, condemned 1.02. The' large quantity, of "fair" as compared to "good fair " is owinj, to the fact that the difference in price of the two qualities is nefc sufficient to induce millers to strive for the higher grade, especially as mills ar,» working at very high pressure. Present indications poiint to the probability of this year's output being about twice that of last year, though, owing to the reasons above-mentioned, the quality will not be so satisfactory. Con3iciov:i.bl& quantities of tow aro coming forward, and most lines show considerable neglect in, the " shaking-." The market is very quiet, and spot and forward contracts show a oonsidera.bl-0 decline on the values of a few weeks ago. Local 1 )v there were effers last week of from £24t0"£24 10s for "good fair," and "fair" from £23 to £23 10s. In sympathy with the Home market, Australian buyers show a tendency to slacken off. Hemp.

T? 3 3 r °" O o 1=1 § Port. I <B O o 1 -0 a o Q 1 Auckland 830 : 2373 ! 504 7 150 3875 Foxtori .. 23 2057 630 11 — — 2730 Picton .. Wellington 105 146 118 — — — 360 48 2007 : 15H : L02 — — 4571 Blenheim 152 96 — — 248 Napier .. — 20 1 112 — — 316 Dmiedin — 36 764 60" — — 869 Lyttelton — 31 41 — 75 — 147 Bluff .... 266 1222 row. 40 — 1537 p o no" c-l 0 Tj o to no re . T3 O O r c3 Auckland 637 903 79 1619 Poxton .. 146 379 133 — 658 Picton .. 101 36 — — 137 Blenheim Wellington .. 89 57 — — 146 .. 577 5K5 364 — 1524 Napier .. — 67 23 — 80 Lyttelton 20 — 64 — 84 Dimedin Bluff .. — 5 17 — 22 »™= i 238 373 6 617