SOUTHLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10680, 29 January 1913, Page 2

SOUTHLAND.

[Fitcm Our Coeskspondskt.]

INVERCAiIGILL, January 23. We are in the midst or a period of most unsettled weather. which has 'lasted nearly a fortnight, and at present shows littlo sign of mending. High winds from the westward, at times developiug into gales, have been the predominating feature,. although the deludes of ram have not been tar behind. Several heavy downfalis of 'hail also have added variety to the unruly atmospheric conditions, and incidentally did a considerable amount of damage to lender growth- . Altogether, the elements have boon most unsatisfactory, r.nd at times most depressing, but, nevertheless, the country presents a picture that gives townspeople, especially, much pleasure to look upon. The oat crop is making fair headway, A great many paddocks sou 11 down with this cereal are shooting up their heads' of grain, while quite a lot are rapidly ripening., Indeed, some of the autumn sown crops have been raid are being cut. but from present appearances it will not be until well on in March that the bulk will have reached that stage of maturity necessitating attention from the reaper and binder. The general opinion of those in a position to gauge the extent of land devoted to oat-grow-ing with some degree of accuracy is that the area is a great deal smaller than was the case last year. The reduction can readily be accounted for when one takes into consideration the troublesome and vexatious time farmers experienced last haryest in their endeavours to get their crops stacked in proper condition. Again, the elements in the spring a'nd well into the summer this season were of such a boisterous nature that many wouid-ba growers of oats found it weil-nicdi impossible to get their land into a fit state preparatory to sowins, so they gave up their attempts in disgust. Another important factor governing the acreage put down in oatsj probably the most important factor of all, is the labour question. The position in this respect hist harvest* was very acute, and as far as one can judge this difficulty is likely to be even more keenly felt this'' harvest. Farmers are prepared to pay Is and Is 3d per hour in return for the honest la-, hour of harvesters, hut the trouble seems to be not so much the question of. pay as the paucity, of hands. Apart from considerations of area down in oats, from all accounts the yield on the whole is going to be 011 the light side. Jhe young growth had a hard struggle in its early stages, and warm, sunny weather came too late to counterbalance the ejects of the had beginning. Again, -the land whereon many crops are growing was insufficiently cultivated to give tliem a fair - -show. It seems a safe conclusion to arrive at, namely, that the Southland oat crop this year will be a comparatively light and small one, but if the weather is only reasonably decent up to the time of harvesting, some of the late crops will recover to a large extent. * It might be mentioned, however, that the winds and rains alluded to, especially the latter, have in ' the more inland portions of the province, been somewhat conspicuous by their absence. Apparently the downpour has confined its attention more to the coast lino. The upcountry referred to had, therefore, been suffering from a mild form of drought until a couple of days ago. wh n n it got its fair share of moisture. The crops of oats in all such parts then have been languishing for lack of rain, and it is rather late in the season to expect them to make the recovery that those nearer the coast may, as in the event of our petting a decent spell. The old crop has been fairly well cleaned out, and from what is to be gleaned from the daily papers, the northern crops are suffering because of insufficiency of rain, so indications, seem to he in favour of satisfactory prices ruling for tho new season's grain. The wheat crop this year is likely to be comparatively insignificant. The local flour millers will, from all accounts, have no difficulty in turning the wliolo of the crop into flour, even supposing the whole of it is suitable for such a purpose, which is not likely. and on the top of ifc will require to bring in wheat, from Oamaru and other districts. Tliere_ was very little of this cereal sown in the autumn and spring, and what is growing is going to give a light return. Oamavu and Canterbury, also, are not .going to prove the big wheat growing parts they usually are. so that everything points in the direction of high prices for this season's crop. There is likely to he a fairly big lot of ryegrass down here this summer, although had the early pn.it of tho i season been a little pleasanter as to weather, it would have been very, much heavier. Feed _ with many was «o scarce in the spring and forepart of tho .m miner that chev wore com polled to put their stock on grass thnv otherwise would have saved for cutting. Providing growers are permitted to get their "seed into stack in decent order, the quality will bo splendid, and greatly superior 'iQ last year'- seed,, which-

as will be remembered, was of very indifferent quality. Cutting is full ,sv. i,,; 4 all over the country; • thai* _ i'*j whenever a break occurs in the existing lmd spoil. There should bo ft few samples on offer about the first \ve"iv in February. One HUinplo tlnit ha-; already boon seen was found, on banig weighed, to go 251b to the bushel, a weight which can be considered \er\ pood. It has been reported that owners of bush land in the North Is itid have had very satisfactory burns. Eucli is tlio ease, a big -lot of the nc.ti seed will bo required for sowing down. There is a fair quantity of last your s grass seed still on the market, and it the new crop turns out as well as is Knenilly expected tho old stuff v/ili something of a drug on the market, for naturally tho new crop will be [>;ivon tho preference by buyers, because of tho better quality and germination. Tho crop of fescue that is also being cut at present will be quite an average one. The crop, perhaps, will ba on tho light side, but, if anything, the area given over to this useful seed will be greater than last year. On one estate alone tliero are 500 acres to be harvested. The old crop has been completely cleaned out, so if tho. usual demand from the United Kingdom and Continent springs up, growers should secure prices that will amply repay tlieni.

Root crops are looking particularly 'well, and an 'ample supply of winter feed is assured. Late turnips have not it 11 been sown yet, but in a few weeks this work will have been completed. The thinning of drills is being vigorously carried out just now, and, generally speaking,, work in this connection is well advanced. _ As lias already been mentioned in this column, some farmers have had the turnip fly to contend with, necessitating in some cases' rosowlng.

Potatoes, too, are making good progross and givo promise of yielding bountifully. As usual, a large area in the Orepuki district is down in these tubers, while in other parts .the same •can be said. As far as can be ascertained, blight so far has not been at all troublesome, but time enough yet.