CANTERBURY CRAIN YIELD.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12721, 17 February 1910, Page 4

CANTERBURY CRAIN YIELD.

AVERAGE OF TWENTY-SIX BUSHELS. to "The Colonist.") Christchurch, Feb 16. At a meeting of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union executive this afternoon reference, was made .to the criticism of the Government's estimate of the Canterbury grain J'jeld. A statement had been made by Mr VY . Sheat, in which he contended that the Government's estimate of 37 bushels per acre should be reduced by one third. This was subsequently combattod by the Hon^Thos Mackenzie, the Minister for Agriculture. Mr feheat said that in support of his statement he was able to give some-threshing returns in the Dunsandel district, and some comparative returns were available. Last year one man threshed 5j bushels, and this year he got^ bushels in one paddock. Another man got 12 bushels in one paddock, and ib Si another. A. third anticipating a <U bushel crop got only 395. Another estimated 30 to 35 bushels and actually threshedlSi. When all the wheat of Canterbury was in the sack .2s to /o bushels would see it there. .There had been few oats threshed in his dis™ but a gentleman in West Melton had assured him that the position was as bad, if not worse than the wheat crops It was stated by othex members that the barley crop was also poor as compared with last year. Barley had been burnt at Kaituna, and it was thought that it should have also been burnt at other places. A member added in connection with .the wheat controversy that in the Tai Tapu district the threshers were working by the hour as they could not make wages any other W *Mr'Lill (Ashburton) said that he knew of one case in which the lowest threshed last yea;* was 35 bushels, and the highest 58, "while this year lowest was C bushels and the nighest 24 On splendid land a paddock which, he had taken 69 bushels off; last year he would sell this year for Another member said that he knew ct cases where the farmer had expected 70 bushels and threshed 29. . Mr G. W. Leadley; said that the Government estimate should be reduced by nearly one third. There would be '.ess wheat in' the country this year than last year in spite of the bigger acreage. He thought that 24 bushels would be about the average. Mr Evans said that in the Northern, districts they were more' fortunate. He got 48 bushels out of one paddock, and he expected 40 bushels . from another. North of Kaiapoi it looked as if they wete going .to thresh about 30 bushels. Looking all round, however,he was satisfied that Mr Sheat's estfcmate of 26 all round was not far out. They would not get anywhere near 35, but they might reach 28: The meeting generally confirmed this view.