GOOD PROSPECTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20361, 19 July 1934, Page 9

GOOD PROSPECTS.

Heavy Rainfall Benefits Farmers. GROUND SATURATED. Farmers should have no # cause to regret the wet winter. It is five or six seasons since the ground in the Canterbury province has been so thoroughly- saturated, and to some extent, the routine will be upset; but the opinion was expressed by- an authority to-day that those farmers who have had plenty- of winter feed to carry them through should, generally, benefit from the abnormally heavy rainfall. The main crop affected will be the u'heat. The heavy- lands have been so soggy- that few- wheatgrowprs have thought it wise to put in the drill. The result is that the autumn-sown wheat is onlv about a third of the usual area, and most of the wheat will be spring sown. Every time the ground was almost ready another heavy fall of rain held up autumn sowing operations. It seems definite that there will not be the same area under wheat as there has been during the last two or three seasons. The grower is reluctant to place too much reliance in spring sown wheat. It is not always as satisfactory, taking rust easily and not filling out too well. If the fanners decide against sowing wheat, there should be a fair area under peas, oats and linseed. It is not probable that there trill be much barley, for the brewers have good stocks carried over. The Wheat Purchase Board is in a position to meet any shortage in this year’s wheat crop. At present the board has a larger surplus than at anytime last season, and until this year s crop is definitely assessed, it will not export any of that surplus, so there will be an ample supply in New Zealand whatever happens. It was pointed out this morning that the heavy lands are the ones affsJ'ted mostly by rain. Many on the lighter areas were able to get the wheat in during the autumn. The heavy- lands, therefore, will be the ones subject to spring sowing, and they are the best suited for that purpose. With the sub-soil well soaked, there should be an abundance of feed In the spring, and much better resistance to

possible drought, and all round prospects are held to be much better than for the last two seasoas, at least.