ASHBURTON COUNTY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16330, 20 January 1921, Page 2

ASHBURTON COUNTY.

POOR HARVEST PROSPECTS.

(From a Correspondent.) Comiug us it did at a time when all classes ol cereals were in the critical stage, too long spell oi dry weather and the almost unexampled prevalence oi parching north-west winds prior to tlie recent break, were conditions that rudely shattered the calculations of those* engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits in the Ashburton county. Ju the course of conversation, a I armor who /has been actively engaged iu tlie industry in MidCa’uterbury lor upwards of thirtyfive years briefly reviewed the present position. He stated that in comparison with several previous seasons the total area, under wheat crop in the district? comprising the Ashburton county was considerably larger this year, while less than two months ago the appearance of the countryside was such a* to build up sanguine hopes for a harvest return for 1920-21 much above the average oi anv recorded during the past decade. Although the total rainfall for 1920 :nav Have been equal to the average in former years, the rains were not well distributed, and as a consequence of insufficient moisture during the past six weeks a smiling countryside has been transformed into a Sahara desert. |n former dry seasons over the country, m an area of about ten miles from the base of the hills, north-west showers have fallen anil relieved the situation: hut tUis season these summer rains hare not been experienced, with a result that ti c whole of the land in the county is parched and vegetation of every class lias been wilted and partially ruined. Owing to the large profits made out ol live stock since the outbreak of the Great AA’ar. grain-growing has l»een much neglected, and it is the present shortage of fodder and the failure M rape and turnip crops that is going to lie ’ responsible for serious monetary losses. AYhat with the unexpected big drop in the price of wool, the slumn in ib<? live stock market and the effects of the drought, those farmers who lookup hind last, year are. faced w ith a difficult hurdle to successful! v negotiate. CROPS MATURED TOC) EARLY. The extraordinarily dry season has unduly hastened the maturity of earlysown crops, and these will not give anything like an ordinary yield ; while the late-sown crops have never had a chance from the time the seed was sown. Except in isolated instances there are no heavy yielding cron* in evidence m th-e

countv this season : indeed, they are all, more ov less, poorly-grown and poorlyfilled, and it will be found after tbresh•illVi- -operations have been completed that the average yield wll bo the lowest recorded for quite a number of wars Many of the late-sown crops are so pool- that they. iriU • scarcely pay for harvesting- expenses. Umber-sown wheat crop*, owing to their depth, ot establishment;, are more successfully resisting the ravages of the drought. In the districts between the seaboard and a few miles above the mam railway line most of the oat crop has been reaped, and some threshing from the stpok lias also been done: but in every ease yields have been disappointing - thirty bushels per acre being above the average. Winter-sown wheat crops «V’*“ fast approaching a’ rimmed stage. and at the md of the week harvesting will be in full swing. So far there has been no shortage of harvest labour, but when stacking operation* are begun in earnest a large number of casual worker* will he required on the farm*. For several rears past, farmers in different navis of the Vo mu try have com hined in the work of harvesting, and hr the adoption of this sr-Jenl they find tb.at tTiev can save tlvdr crons more expedition <9and with the employment of less casual labour: GR AFF-SF.ET) SAVING SAT ATX. Had the .occasional showers of ram fallen. throughout. Decern her much grass-seed would have been saved, but owing to the. shortage ol iced farmers were obliged to turn their stock into areas intended to be reserved for seeding purposes. In these circumstance? the total saving of grass-seed will he comparatively small, and jiriccs.. should be good. Crops of rape, turnips, potatoes and pea* are looking very seedy, and unless their growth i* assisted by plenty' of rain n't an early date their complete failure is inevitable.

THE COAL QUESTION. Threshing machine proprietors complain that there is a shortage of coal for steaming purposes, and the quality of that available is far from being good. An ith the parched condition of the country.- drivers of threshing machines w :11 have to exercise more than ordinary c-arc while using inferior coal, otherwise disastrous fires are bound to occur.

THE SLAUGHTERING SEASON. The Fairfield Freezing Works opened for the .season's operations lust week, and on the slaughtering board upwards of forty hooks were in use: but when the coinpanv's Pareora..works are opened. fheso will he reduced. Lambs and sheep are being sent forward lor slaughter in large numbers, as with the shortage of succulent fattening feed the condition of fat stock is sure to deteriorate. Jn these circumstances, too, the flush of milk from dairy herds has also been largely decreased. rain needed for winter FEED. Showers of rain like that which fell on Saturday will do wonders towards r esisting to fill out the ripening crops and freshen’up the country generally; but to ensure the growth of anything like an adequate winter supply of feed two or three days’ heavy rain is needed.