OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 10

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(Feom Oub Own Coebesfondent.) A RECORD WINTER. It is pleasing to bo able to report that the winter is still one of the bQSS we have had lor many years. Last montn was one of the driest on record, and so far the month of June has followed the example ot its predecessor. For the past tnree weeks the weather has been simply delightful from every point oi view, and we arc now hoping that it will continue —at least till the shortest day is over. It is felt that the"winter cannot then be a long one. For a time wo had a scries of very sharp frosts, but at the time of writing these have given place to milder nights, followed by days that are simply periect. The sun shines in the middle of the day with a grateful warmth, and there is seldom a cloud in the sky to cause raw conditions to prevail. If there is a grumbler abroad these times in regard to the weather he deserves to be gaoled for sedition, so perfectly satisfactory aro the conditions with which we are being favoured. THE FARM. The work of sowing winter wheat is going on without any hindrance as far as the weather is concerned, 'iliose who aro determined to find something to growl at say that the land is too dry, and that a shower of rain would bo welcome. It is true that the ground is getting on the dry side, but it is not too dry for working and drilling. The surface is certainly cloddy and dusty, but the subsoil still contains a good deal of moisture that comes to the surface as soon as the land is worked down. It will be found that on most of the paddocks there is enough moisture to germinate the seed that is put in, and also sufficient to keep plant life going for some time. Tile frosts and rain that we are sure to have during the next month or two will do more than it is possible to accomplish at the present time in the way of fining down the land, and experience has proved that it is not a good plan to have it cultivated down too finely before the winter sets in. Much of our best wheat-growing land is comprised of clay soil, and it has been proved over and over again that a little roughness during the winter is an advantage rather than otherwise.

Tlio worst proposition at the present time is the ploughing of lea land. It certainly is hard and teams have been stuck ur> in some instances; but there is not a great deal of that work being done at the present time. The land that is now being worked up and drilled in wheat is summer or autumn fallow or else turnip or rape land that can be managed fairly comfortably. At any rate it is to be hoped that for the benefit of all concerned the weather will hold for some weeks to come, but vve have a good deal to be thankful for _ in that it has managed to be so fine during the best part of three months. The fine spell has enabled us to get ahead wtih the sowing of wheat, and although the area is goinp to be a great deal less than for the past few years, it would have been very much smaller had the autumn been an unfavourable one. If the fine weather continues it will enable us to get ready for an early spring sowing, the time for the putting in of winter wheat having now practically come to an end. Down by the sea -coast sowing may continue'for some weeks, but the majority of farmprs prefer to halt the drill for a time, taking the work up again when the spring shows signs of returning in the month of July and the beginning of August. It is a bit risky putting in seed now. right in the dead season of the year. If heavy rain sets in before it gets a start it is likely to rot. As for the other forms of farm work, the weather is giving us all a good chance to get things through in good time. Thrashing mills are still out in some of the upcountry districts, and they are getting about with extraordinary ease. The heavy machinery scarcely leaves a mark in the paddocks! and there is not a deal of time srjent in shifting about from set _ to set. This is a very good thing, seeing that in some districts we have to nay by the hour for the use of the nvll. including the shifting while on the farm. The cost of thrashing is therefore gauged _a good deal by the state of the ground. In some cases it is found that the verv wot sheaves have become as hard ax br'-cks under compression, and they have to b" pulled apart bcfnro they can so through th mill. Speaking of the cost of thrash'' '* is being found that much of the v l i| costinp Is a bushel-to knock out. v. h ; l*> I have heard of some being as hi?h as 2s 6d; Hut it coidd not have been verv good—in fact it must have been very poor. It ia to-'be honed that next season the results wi" be mi'fh better. The chaffcutter is aleo having a firstclass run just now, and most farmers have a supply of the necessary feed for the winter. In most distrVts there is a shortape of chaffcutters, and some of thejarger holders are being compelled to invest in their own plants. The oil o»i<rino »» +**© motive power for the most part, and where kerosene is used the enst of running the machine is low. In adeb'tion to the chaffcutter the oil engine is. made to run -a ww bench—another necessity now that coal is so difficult to procure. Crushing machinery and sheen-shearing plants are also being run with "these engines, to say nothing of rmlkino- machines, separators, and eleetrio lightinp plants. As far as the and saw benches are concerned, there is room for co-operation among farmers in the procuring of them, and for enterprise among shearers in the running of sheepshearing nlants. POTATOES. The bulk of the notatoes are now out of the ground, and it has been found that 'the crops are anything but good. They are patchy, some" paddocks being good, while alongside there mav be crops that are scarcely worth the digging. Tt ha*

been again proved that the early crops have done the best, as they have escaped the blight much better than the others. I am afraid that the Up-to-date, like our old friend the Derwent, has out-stayed its usefulness, and that there are other kinds which pay infinitely better to grow. Thero are eo many different varieties about nowadays, and one hears good reports of no many of them, that it is' difficult to say which is the best. Like other crops, cereals as well as roots, there are some kinds which suit some districts better than others, and all one can do is to go on one'B own experience and that of ono's neighbours. The prices have eased a.little of late, but holders are very firm in their demands. A good deal of business has been done on tne basis 'of about £7 a ton, and' even at that figure some growers have pitted a good proportion of their crop. This has been done in the belief that potatoes will bo scarce and dear before tho year is out. Those who pit will want a few pounds per ton more for their crop than they are getting at present, as there is the labour of storing the tubers and of picking and bagging afterwards. Then there is always a good deal of waste afterwards in the spring when the rebagging is done. Potatoes are now such good property that thoso which were left in the ground after digg'. n S are now being ploughed out and picked up. I know of cases where half a dozen bags a day are being picked up after the plough in cases where the land is being turned over for wheat. Of course, these gleanings are rather knocked about, but they may be very welcome before the year is out or the new potatoes come in. STOCK. Stock have done bettor dcring the last month than at any time dcring the season. The works have been kept besy, but most of the stuff is now cleaned off tho farms, all classes of stock having done very well of late. The weights have been good, and there have been few rejects in the flocks. The ewes are in first-clsas order for the winter, and are doing well. If the spring is anything like a - good one, there should be a good lambing, as the ewes have seldom been in better order at tupping time. Turnips have not been used in any quantity for the ewes, they having been reserved for the sheep that are fattening. There has been plenty of grass for the store stock, though the grass is not as gaod as it was. It has suffered from the frost, and is somewhat dry. and innutritious, but it is quite good enough for stock that '•ftre in good order. The main thing to do now is 'to keep the stock in good condition, so that when the rough weather comes they will be able to meet it in good heart. It is a mistake to keep the stock hard at the present time with the idea that when the bad weather comes it will be possible to keen them right by nutting them on good feed. That, no cToubt, will help, but 'the better plan is to have the stock in good order when the winter sets in properly, and then they will do better, justice to the special feed which is provided for 'them. Prices of store stock have improved of late, a good recovery having been shown. I Oattle, however, are not nearly so good as they were in value, and it is not expected that they will come back to the values that ruled throughout the summer till the spring feed comes away. However, thero is a lot of rough feed in_ tho paddocks, and farmers are not worrying about having to hold their cattle for a time.' .Turnips are no't as plentiful as one would like to see them, but 'the fine winter is helping thsjn out splendidly.