OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 15

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(Fijom Oub Own Correspondent.) A DRENCHING WEEK. In the memory of grain growers in Canterbury the last week of January, 1923, will live long. Not only did it bring the wettest day ever since reliable meteoro-' logical records have been kept in Christchurch. but it made the month the whitest that has been recorded in the 22 years that the records of the present Observatory cover. After a fortnight of broken weather a torrential tain set in at mid-day on January 26. and continued throughout the night, ceasing at 5.39 a.m., and the fall was 3* inches. It was rather scattered, not going very far inland, but the inland districts had had their full share previously. At Akaroa the fall for the period was live inches, while at Merhven it was only 67 points. In some of the earliest North Canterbury districts wheat and oats have been out in stook since New Year time, and there has been no chance (o save them. To-day many good crops are spoiled. Much wheat has sprouted in stook. There have been sultry days, and then a wetting shower, with more high temperatures, and it is a wonder that there is not more grain spoilt. On the low-lying country it was not uncommon on Saturday morning to see sheaves floating in the wheat stubble. The rainfall for the past month was 5.350 in, and this places the first month this year as the wettest January since the Observatory was established in 1902. The nearest approach to the record fall of Friday was recorded 14 years ago. when on March 30, 1909, there was a fall of 3.16 in. That year happened to be the wettest year since the records have been kept, a rainfall of 35in having been registered. On only two occasions in the past twenty years has 30in been recorded for an annual fall. DAMAGE NOT SO EXTENSIVE. Naturally one would expect that tho damage would be extensive to the crops, for they had been wet so long; but, after a very muggy day. the wind changed to the nor’-west on Tuesday evening and blew fairly strongly. This had a drying effect, and very materially improved * the prospect of crops being saved. A trip round some of the principal grain growing districts leaves one with an optimistic impression of the outlook. The damage is hardly as severe or as widespread as was expected. In the Hawarden and Scargill districts there are wheat crops that have sprouted badly, and the grain will only be fit for fowls, and there will be rn a.n v badly-coloured samples; but the binders are at work all over the countryside, and the crops that were badly in want of cutting aie mostly now in stook. Some of the oat crops are blackened beyond any use for chaff, and there are others practically flattened out. This is the case with some of the wheat, too. but in the main the standing crops have not suffered nearly as much as the more pessimistic prophets thought likely. Stacking is now goittg on, and though the wind has changed to the east, with a continuance of muggy conditions, there is much being saved. All depends on what the next week or so is like. It is certainly a harvest that will long ha remembered. FEAK PRICES FOR LAMB. After the fluctuation of the previous week, when values went down to 9)d, lamb has taken a rise again, and at the sales this week the exporters have bought freely, paying up to lOfd. though a farthing less would cover the average of the market. From lOd to lOjd lias b:en the ruling rate at the sales this week. A particularly fine draft of lamb topped the Addington market. 'lbis was one of 70 sold on account of Mr M. O’Brien (Killinchy) at from 34s 9d to 33s lOd. the latter price being realised for a pen of 20. Fat sheep show little change in price, and at the last sale at the metropolitan yards there was a strong demand for wether mutton at 6|d, with other classes in proportion. 'I he feature of the store sheep market was the strong buying of store lambs, and anything that would not take many weeks to fatten sold on Wednesday at from 26s to 28s, which certainly sounds big figures for stores. Half bred wethers in moderately forward condition sold at close on 30s. Big consignments of ewes were forward from the Nelson and Marlborough districts, and they met with a good sale.

CHARGE FOR DAGGING For some time past the freezing comt ■fianies have been hampered by the number „• to f sheep and lambs coming forward in need of dagging, and the question has been considered by the companies, with the result that the following circular has been issued ty the South Island Freezing Companies’ Association: “At a recent meeting of the association it was decided that a charge of sixpence (6d) a head should bo made for all sheep or lambs which arrive at the works in such a condition as to necessitate their being dagged. The companies are reluctant to make any charge, and only do so in the hope that it will have the effect of materially reducing the very large numbers of ' daggy fat stock now coming forward to the saleyafds and freezing w’orks. It is ill the interests of all concerned that this work should be done on the farm, so as to avoid tile possibility of bruises immediately before slaughter. ’ If this work has tp be done at the factory it necessitates the sheep being redrafted and penned up for dagging, entailing delay in the killing Of the mob and a certain amount of unnecessary handling and possible bruising, which results in the sheep being either - placed in the second grade or rejected altogether. The matter is of such importance to the producers that we feel it is only necessary to bring it plainly before their "notice to ensure that the present cause for complaint will be removed and that growers in future will prevent the value of their stock being prejudiced by lack of attention ’ in dagging.’