THE WHEAT CROP

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21576, 12 February 1940, Page 4

THE WHEAT CROP

INCIDENCE OF CROSS 7 A BIGGER ACREAGE A rather striking feature in the latest wheat growing statistics is the rapid extension of the acreage devoted to the new Cross 7 variety. Last season it represented 33.14 of the total crop and next season the estimated area is 38.72 per cent. The advance of the variety has been at the expense of Tuscan, which is natural in view of the fact that Cross 7 is a Tuscan cross. The estimated acreage of Tuscan last season was 45.79 per cent, and next season’s estimate is 39.67 per cent. The varieties scheduled under the Tuscan grade comprise a big list, but only one of the other varieties occupied an area reaching 1 per cent, of the total crop. This was Dreadnought, with 4.46 last season and an estimated area of 5.74 per cent, this season.

The total Tuscan varieties last season were 84.17 of the total acreage as against 84.97 estimated for 1940. Hunter varieties were 10.11 per cent, of the wheat area last season and the same is estimated for the ensuing season. Pearl varieties, which include Jumbuck, Marquis, Pearl, Velvet, and Garnet represented only 5.72 of the total crop last year, and 4.93 per cent, in the forthcoming crop. Jumbuck occupied 3.14 per cent, last season as against 2.17 this, but Marquis has shown a slight advance of from 1.94 to 2.14. Pearl appears to have practically gone out. With Velvet and Garnet it represented last season only .64 per cent, of the total crop.