RUINOUS FROST.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 940, 9 December 1933, Page 19 (Supplement)

RUINOUS FROST.

North Canterbury Farmers Suffer. BIG AREA DAMAGED. Frost has blighted farmers’ hopes of a good crop in the North Canterbury districts of Hawarden, Culverden and Ohoka, and at least 2000 acres of wheat and large areas of cocksfoot, ryegrass, peas and white clover have been ruined. The frost, which occurred a fortnight ago, is only now showing its effects; the grain is not coming into ear in the normal manner. Experts who made a survey of the districts yesterday urge farmers to examine their crops immediately and to cut their wheat straight away, as wheaten hay is only good for feed when it is cut near the flowering stage. Some farmers are now cutting their wheat crops into hay, and it is expected that about 1000 acres will be dealt with in this way, while another 1000 acres will be severely damaged but may be reaped. Hundreds of acres of wheat have been ruined in the districts mentioned. Instead of cutting the crop for hay,

farmers have in some cases turned their sheep on to the paddocks. It is feared that large areas in other districts have been affected. Some crops which looked like yielding sixty bushels to the acre will not thresh a single bushel if put through the mill. The earlier and autumn-sown crops seem to have been most affected, especially the Garnet and Jumbuck varieties. Paddocks of the same varieties sown in the spring and which, unlike the autumn-sown, were not in flower at the time, have escaped. Cocksfoot Badly Damaged. The dry weather will also have an effect on the average yield, which last year was 36.5 bushels to the acre. A loss of eight bushels to the acre represents a yield lower by from 20 to 25 per cent. It is reported that a very large area of cocksfoot on the plains, particularly in the Ashburton-Longbeach district, has been damaged by the frost. The loss in yield in one large area is expected to be about 70 per cent of the estimated crop. Reports of ryegrass having been damaged are also coming to hand, but a few more days will be required before a definite indication of the damage can be given. Oat crops have not been affected. Some crops of peas which were out in flower at the time have been cul

d for hay owing to frost damage. In s some cases white clover has suffered, s Not since the year 1919 has a frost h of such severity been experienced in o the early summer, and at a time when :1 the wheat was out in flower. The damr age was widespread in that year, e