OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 12

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(Fhom Our Own Correspondent.)

We have experienced variable weather, but for the most part it has been fairly fine, but very cold for the time of the year. Indeed, only a few nights ago the foothill districts registered a frost of 6deg, and the blackened tops of the potatoes bear eloquent testimony to the coldness of the night. Some patches of potatoes have been cut down no fewer than seven times, and the owners are almost in despair. The later potatoes seem to suffer the most. The stronger growths stand the test muchbetter. THE CROPS. Naturally, the country is looking at its very best. With cool weather and showers from time to time it could not look otherwise. Some of the paddocks are showing brown, with a reminder of autumn, but most of the country is still almost as green as spring. The crops for the most part are looking splendid, and promise better than they have done at any time during the past four years. Last season there was much more straw than there is this season. Of course, everything is not altogether lovely this season. There are crops which are causing their owners a good deal of anxiety. Something in the nature of take-all has put in its unwelcome appearance in some parts, and there are other troubles as well. In some cases the crops are breaking down at one of the. lower joints in the straw, and investigations are being conducted with a view to ascertaining the cause of the trouble. It is said that something in the nature of a fungoid growth is responsible. At first Hessian fly was suspected, but the experts have stated that such is not the case. It will be remembered that last year the late oats all went down, and it_ may be that this disaster is something similar to what then took place. It is said also that the frosts, of which we have a good many during the summer, have done same harm, but this statement has not been authenticated as yet. It has been found that there are instances where a crop in the same paddock is differently affected, simply because the land was not all treated alike. For instance, a patch that had turnips in last year will be quite immune from any sign of frosting, while another patch that had something else in it will contain wheat with every evidence of being touched in some way or other. It is hard to say what is the matter under circumstances such as these, and it may not be frost that is the trouble. However, it is pleasing to be able to say that as far as one can see at the present - the crops are not widely affected with disease and blight, though there are some present in different parts. There is every prospect of a good yield, and the crops will be the best handling that we have had for some years. They are all standing up well, and the straw is just about the right length for reaping, stooking, &nd stacking. That being the case, the harvest should be a pleasant one. It will be later than usual. Probably it will be the beginning of next month before reaping will be anything like general. Of course, some harvesting is being done now among the early oats, but the extent of this work is not great. The oats have improved a good deal during the last month, and the yield should be an average one at the very least. The crops are well headed, and they appear to be healthy sofar. One may see in every farmyard binders being got ready for the work before them, and drays and frames being put in order for the carting-in. This is as it should be. There is no sense in leaving this work to the last moment. Spare parts are in big demand just > now, and new machinery may be seen going up the railway lines in readiness for the fray which is to open in the course of the next few weeks. HAY AND GRASS SEED. Among the machinery going to the farms may be seen mowers and strippers, and a trip through the country shows a few paddocks being cut for ryegrass seed. There is not, however, much of this crop about this season for some reason or other. Stripping will have to be resorted to more extensively than usual in order that there may bo some ryegrass saved. On -the other hand, clover has seldom done- better than it has this year. Both white and red crops are everywhere looking at their very best, and it is quite probable that there will be a good deal of seed saved when the proper time comes. I never remember seeing white clover in such abundance, and the paddocks are very pretty with it. The bees are busy, and beekeepers expect to have a very year with so much blossom everywhere present. A fair proportion - of hay is being saved, though there are not as heavy or as numerous crops as usual. The weather has been very patchy, but stacking is going on now with all speed. Wherever the winter is severe, hay is a grand stand by for the dead season of the year, especially where snow is likely to come. Now that cropping is going out and the keeping of stock is growing in favour, the value of good hay and root crops is being more and more recognised, and there are few farmers who are not making every possible preparation for the winter. Some of those who occupy snow country are noj keen on sending their sheep out again in a. snow-time, and they are doing their best to save as much hay as possible and to get a good root crop. THE ROOT CROPS. The area of roots this season is above the average from all appearances. At any rate the drill is now busy getting the last of the crop in, and the land for the most part is In very good order for it. This work is a little later than usual, but the epidemic towards the end of _ the year and the changeable weather is largelv responsible for this. However, sowings that are tak-

ing place now should stand a good chance, though time is running on. Even if the turnips do not attain a large size, they will be of good quality. Unfortunately, some of the seed does not appear to be up to the mark. It is not germinating freely, and some of the crops will be thin. In some instances the heavy showers we have had from time to time have spoilt some of the crops, especially when a downpour came while the drilling was in progress. The best strikes are resulting from locally-grown seed which has iust been harvested. There is a good deal of this seed about, and it should come in -very useful next summer. It possesses a high germination, and comes up very quickly. I have seen some paddocks reaped with a self-harvester, stooked, and stacked in the usual way, and it Is Intended to thrash the stuff out with either a o.lover sheller or an ordinary mill later on. In the meantime the flail is being used for the few pounds which are required for the present sowing, and the seed is being hand-thrashed in many instances. Swedes are doing well, having escaped the blight so far. The season • has been cold and damp, and that is not favourable to blight. For the same reason the potatoes aro promising well where the frost has not spoilt them altogether. The area is not as great as usual, but the yield should be much better than it was last year. Some crops are so backward that there are cases where new potatoes are still a luxury, so scarce are they. To buy them at the shops would take a small fortune, and consequently some people aro going without them till they are more plentiful. THE SHEARING. The'shearing is not yet finished, and in the back country it will be in progress for some time after the harvest is in full swing. I have never seen so late a shearing, . and in some of the down country districts unshorn sheep may be seen in the paddocks. Of course, a few fine, days will see that hit of wool removed, but on the stations the work will go on for some time. The weather has been very patchy right along, and there have been a few losses when a cold snap has come up, as it has not infrequently done. For that reason owners have been loath to cut a shed out in the rain, especially in ewes and lambs, and many newly-shorn mobs have been put back in the shed for a few hours till the weather grew warmer. The wool for the most part is coming oflf very well, and the sheep are all in fair condition. The wool is clean, and is realising better prices than it did last year. Merino seems to be in o-ood demand, and is being valued at high prices. Some of the backcountry men are doing very well, especially in districts where the snow was not heavy enough to cause a break in the wool. Unfortunatelv, there are some flocks with this injury in the fleece, and that means a big drop in the' valued It is now being found that the snow losses are greater than was at first supposed. Many of the stations are mustering thousands short, and naturally some of the -sheep that are coming in are not in the best of fettle. O'n the whole, however, the sheep-owners are havinor a good season, and envious eves are beincr turned towards them, especially by wheat-growers, who have consistently followed up cropping since the war began.