CANTERBURY CROPS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16837, 28 December 1928, Page 12

CANTERBURY CROPS

THREE WEEKS BEHIND RAIN CAUSES DAMAGE (Special to the Herald.) CHBTSTCHITRCH, this day. Generally the rain baa boon detrimental to the crops in Mid and North Canterbury, and harvesting will he from a week to three weeks behind ordinary schedule. While a drop in the yield is anticipated in the SpringsEllesmere district an increase is in prospect in North Canterbury. In the Springs-Ellesmerc district the ground is very soft for the crops now ready, and the binders cannot be put through them owing to the amount of water lying about the paddocks. Oat crops suggest that they will he 25 per cent, below what thoy were last year. It would not be surprising if spring-sown wheat and oats are affected by rust. The rape crops have had a bad time. The early-sown Avill be patchy, and some of the crops will have to lie sown over again. It is considered that peas will be affected by the moisture. In many instances there will be more weeds than crop. On the lighter lands below Methven the crops are looking excellent, and give every appearance of returning an abnormal yield. Last year 80 bushels an acre was obtained, and given sunshine the crops this year should average more. Practically all through the district erops are three weeks behind schedule. 'Crops are lying flat on heavier land, and nearer the hills where the rain has been heavy it will require a lot of sunshine and heat to give life to crops which are down. There is a certain amount of mildew in some of the heavy crops, and unless a change to nor'-westerly conditions takes place such crops will not be worth very much.

The farmers from Kaiapoi to Amberley and Oxford look forward generally to" good yields. it, is considered that wheat should yield from eight to ten bushels to the'acre above'the average. On the downs and heavy lands' the wheat is very good, and one light land, though the crops suffered a check in the spring, they are still very good and much better than the average The harvest will be later by three weeks than in an ordinary year. Small patches of crop have been flattened all over the district. Some of the later crops went down badly. If they get the heat they will rise, but the'set back will be detrimental to the yield. Oats are very promising, and the linseed crops, benefiting by the rain, should yield very well.