OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3518, 16 August 1921, Page 11

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(From Ouk Own Correspondent.! FIXE WEATHER STILL. While some ot our neighbours have been having very rough and stormy weather ve have ix on reveling in spring-like conditions. We had a period of nor’-westers that were very mild and unseasonable, arid now some showers are being experienced that are welcome, though we would like to see a good heavy rain before the season progresses further. As a matter of fact the - '• o r fin,. jr i<; not often that we grumble at this state of affairs, and ■ siiii now it tile . i " r ■ in tall during the winter has been one of the lowest ton re- - ... u.,,i i,..u i> .-nnaous stale of affairs fobi:,ring on a drought that commenced last spring. We wanted an open winter, and we Imvi had if, and now we are not satisfied. We are getting uneasy at the persistent way .11 which rain holds aloof from us. V. it we do get a snow shower or a few drops of rain the winds set in almost immediately, and in a very short timei the

land is as dry as ever. There is little growth in anything, either grass or crops, and until there is more moisture in the land we cannot expect much movement. It is to be hoped that we shall get some rain during the next few weeks. Signs of spring are in evidence everywhere except in the pastures, and many of the crops. The weeping willows are coming out in the leaf, and the crocuses and snowdrops are blooming in the garden. Indeed, in some localities violets, gi raniums, and other flowers have been blossoming all the winter. The land is warm, an*’ a good rain would transform rlio country and put us all in good heart. ' A WHEAT BOOM. It is held by some that the area in wheat this season is net so great as some suppose. It is argued that the dry autumn and winter prevented the breaking up of much new land that would have gone into wheat if m-er :■ workable conditions had obtained. It is Butter urged that much of the land that is now in wheat cannot give the best of crops because it has been put in the second crop following that of last year. There can be no doubt that a good deal of second crop was put in because it was rot possible to work up fresh land. But :t must be remembered that most of the ■tubb'e was in good order. The dry cummer prevented the weeds coining away, ! the the wheat crops took the minimum supply of plant- constituents out of the soil. It worked up well in the autumn, arid the dry weather was favourable to the thorough working of the soil. If we get the necessary quantity of rain during the next few months there is every prospect of good crops. At the same time a good deal of grass land was nut into wheat. Though the work was done under difficulties it was carried through in the determination that wheat was to be put in at any cost. 1 lion the drill has.been kept going all the winter practically. As the' breaks in the turnip paddocks \\ ■ re eaten down they were ploughed and drilled at once, so that most of the in uai spring crop is now in. Everywhere one sees the plough at work, and there is an unusually large area of iand broken up for wheat and oats, and for root crops la -r on Wheat is eagerly sought after bemuse the price is a certainty if the yield is not- Sheep and lambs are a weak reeil just now. and farmers are determined to have their eggs in more than one basket. The demand for seed wheat has been considerable all the season, and it shows little, if any. slackening off up to the present. Oats are also being sought after, but wheat is the first favourite. DAIRYING FORGING AHEAD. j Another branch of fanning that is receiv - ing a lot of attention is dairying. Where I

sheep had monopolised whole districts up to this spring cows are being introduced and milking plants are being installed. Whether the new move is going to pay in ■ill cases remains to be seen. One would think that some of the land that is being turned into dairy farms is not the best for that purpose, and ill many cases the climate docs not appeal to one for that class of fanning. Where the spring is late and the winter severe one needs good prices to make for successful dairying. However, it. is pointed out that in tile south where conditions are not always of the best dairying pays well, and this is encouraging farmers to try their luck in that industry up here. It is contended that in any case it cannot be much worse than sheep-farming these days, and some state that they cannot make ends meet by keeping sheex> alone. In the past few years in the more settled districts where the conditions are fairly good hundreds of small farmers have reaped much benefit by engaging in dairy-fanning in conjunction with other branches. The industry is working further back all the time into what has been recognised hitherto as purely pastoral country, and where some turnips and hay can be grown it is possible that ii will pay provided that prices keep up. as thev seem liko’.v to do. TURNIPS IN ABUNDANCE. Ii is very fortunate that ’he winter has been good, for the reaeon that the most lias been made of- the turnips, and now we have a sufficient supply to carry us on to lhe lambing. There has been practically no waste. At times the breaks have been very dusty, b-ut, generally speaking, the roots have been fed down under ideal conditions. Roots are going begging just now, and it is possible to buy them at about half the juice that was ruling in the beginning of winter. Indeed, some have a bigger area than they can cat down with the stock that they are holding. If it were certain than the grass would come away in good time in siuing there would be a good demand | for sheen. At present there is not much indication of growth in the grass paddocks, and if winds keep on as they have done in tile nasi, few weeks there cannot he much movement in either the grass or the crops. Ihe green feed has done very little this year, and the wheat does not promise much feeding down later on. In the face of these probabilities there is not much demand for stock of -any sort. Some of t.lie innholders have practically all their last season surplus slock on hand, and they are honing- to get rid of them in the course of the few month,-. At the same time not a few ! farmers held on to their old cast ewes iio--1 cause they could scarcely give them away in the autumn. Others are understocked, and the chances are that if the spring

were n favourable one matters would be equalised to mutual advantage. Though the < v,vs v. iri not come to the lambing in as good condition as usual, they will do well enough if we get a worthy spell later on.