THE HARVEST.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20171, 25 February 1931, Page 8

THE HARVEST.

THE W AIM ATE DISTRICT. CROPS AS GQOD AS USUAL. The dry weather experienced of late has been most favourable for harvesting. Some threshing from the \ stook has already taken place, V and the yields have been very satisfactory. The average wheat yield for the Morven district this year is estimated at "about 35 bushels "to the acre, which , is better than usual. Many crops should average 40 to 45 bushels, and there is little alteration in total acreage for the district. More Tuscan lias been sown this year, a)tid less College

*** ' t. •■'- -• * ■ ■"'•' » - . Hunters anil' Velvety Crops generally i are free from disease'. -, . "' A good crop is tiiat of Mr A. W. I Barhett. It is a new variety .produced, at Lincoln College, and named' Bell's. It is estimated that it will thresh 60 bushels to the acre. Mr Andrew Martin's Dreadnought crop shbuttt profduco 30 bushels to the ac?e, while Mr J. Brace 'a, should also rank.bigh. Other good crops .are those of Messrs J. and M. Cooney, J. B. Bell ~ (Dreadji6ught), E. Stokes, J. O. Hay, E., Hay, M." Marphy, and thofi Efltate '• ot S. J. Bailey. 11 , Oats and -Boots, -. ' , • ■* ' y ' * - J I? 1 The dry weather has ,defected the j>s£ crops about they, are 1 gpod. "Sdmo should yield * 50jbtishels to. th® aere. v .» l A' heavy vcrop grown by Mr Barnett is estimated to thresh over 100 bushels. / /In many parts of JMorven turnips have struok particularly' well, bu|; growth haa'been'6l?w iii>thets. SomO crops were sown a seeond. time, more 'frequently 'early in the season. Other ■ root crops are, doing well/ -Mr Murphy has some fine swedcs. \ ; It has been a bad year > for grass, and' Stock generally, ha vebeen short of feed. Tho turnip' cjfops, howovor, sliould be ready for feeding; soon, and 'in some cases the! feed .shortage wiJ be met to a certain extent./ ■ A' Good District. . - 1 • • : ' . ViAn' average wheat"yield v i of''about ta the 'acre "is," estimated'for tlja -WillowbHdgo dißCtricti."' V'The'"best cxpp\to be seen is quite; a small pa'teh W some 4 or 5 acres,.' on the '.property t>( ,Mr W. Fletcher. . Mr , TE"I. Qmnn's >Drcadnouglit is also of. good appearance. Oatf crops should yield well, up N to- between 50'uad 60 bushels per acre. J3oth wheat' and oats arc free from disease, with-practically no tdke-alj, lesß loose smut. No crops 'this year are T very rink, and' this meanß .economical handling in harvesting, , .Potatoes do, not seem as goo# as ttyual. A cold spring ' meant. 4 slow growth, and the tuber#, /tferpJa month' 'to sis weeks-late-at'Christmas timfc. In January the crops -came"'i>n; well > but ■ "at -the same - time, 'on 1 present appearaij.cea; the yields should-be'below average. Twenty per cent. f below last- year's very satisfactory yield; is'- reckoned. There arc no outstanding crops. Mrs Bennett's crop is healthy/ and about 'the best to bo seen. ' Sttidholme 3>latrict. Wheat, and ,oats district have- a pleasing'appearance.' The ' wheat cropjs are expected, to average "about 45 bushels to 2 the acre. @6me splendid potato crops are reported, and ' they should- yield heavily. area in peas* is less- than",lost\ year. The ■yields should bo good,, for the crops arp looking healthy.- • The ' root crops ' -are not long'ia, but th'&y-'sfeem vigorous. Among the' best wheat, crops are, those of Messrs Frost Bros. (which should yield 50 bushels .to* the acre), J": H. Mitchell; Quince '(who. has ! a fine, crop of Collegq Mr Bogers's oats look, ve?y 'well. Mr W. Hayman's area of 90'-acres,, about the biggest vpaddoek in the district, looks well indeed. The total -.area in wheat' ' -in the district is ilast v year. Axi ■ outstanding root of being grown Jby Mr P. and Mr-' J.' Foley's peas' attract' the ey J. .The wheat acreage-lit-the-Arno district is estimated to be somewhat less than last yea)-,' but tlie' yielS per acre, .ftjl is CQnsidered, will be about on a ,par—from 35 io 40 bushels. As in other .pafts, disease is absent. The area la oats is' also believed "to be less than' larft year. 'The yield i Should be quite satisfactory. in thf vicifli,ty , of" sft ' <p ■ l - have ' rather'backward?' among v^ cropsi of district r ■, those of Mr W.

McKenzie, who has 'some. 40 acres oi solid straw Tuscan, of Mr C. Thomas who has 4.0 acres of Sensation; of Mi D. P. McDonald, of Mr Olorenshaw, oi Mr K. Hodges and of Mr A. Don. The Waiibao Forks. Oats about the Waihao Porks distric nte medium, and the yield should b< about 40 bushels to the acre. Amonj the few wheat growers there are Messri McDonald Bros, and A. Medlicott, win have good crops.: • About -the OSVaihao Downs * the whea' crops are only moderate, and the sani( •remark applies to oats. . "As good as last year" is to be re marked about the wheat in Douglai district. Some crops are expected. .produce up to 65 bushels to the* acre and the average is estimated at up ti 55 bushels.: Mr W., ll# Hoflgen's 8( adres of College "Hunters should thrssl out at over 50. ■ - Some very "good crops of oats are c< be seen about Douglas, 30 acres o:

.Algorism, '&fM(srs Preeco Bros, being ono of,, the bC'st. Mr Gor•dingley has a nice too. Peas aro . looking very promising, though a leaser area has been devoted this year to the crop. Mr Hobbs has a good crop. The' lucerne batches the' eye with its ■look of thriving, and among" the' boat crops are those .of Messrs Hodgen, Hobbs and Preeee Bros. Bape and turnips arc liealihy. Wheat about ' the Bedcliflf district should return about 35' bushels to the acre. Messrs Wilson Bros.' "and' Mr F. Brown both hav& crops of Hunters ,wheat thiit should yield very satisfactorily. Tho total acreage for the district is about equal to that of last * L'l'"' f i\ 4 , ' Oats Yielding Well. Oats promise profitably,' arid a good crop is that of Mr S.,J. Dugdale. Mr U. Geddep's crops, as a v "whole,/ are worthy of bote, ■While Mr F. Brown's paddock of v lu<Serne is''also'very good. - Very little wheat is grown about Glenavy. .What, haa, bee/i grofra lit returning about BO' bushels .to the aere, Oats aue fairly well, .with promise of 40 to 50 bushels to the'acre. Turnips .have made, a -fairly., good strike, and.therapS crops are looking well. i ■ Going to the .other „endj of ...the district, ono finds'the acreage »f wheat in the Makikihi district on a,.par last year's.' The ' promised average yield is good,' about 35 bushels to Jthe acre. Mr M. J. has ssome Hunters wkeat which tq. give up,tWso, bushels; to*the lacre, • and' Mr ,<J. W. .Simmons**." shottld : be l ; between '35 .to 40. ' , 'Many good,oat crops are to be seen. Boot crops are rrither backward. About tlie "best 1 lucerne "patch' is that of: Mr A. BurneßS. Bape .is rilso backward. The prospects l for;wheat in-, the; ilooka*e for "an average; yield" between 1 30 to 35' bushels tff the r acre. • Some i <?rops ■ are outstanding.; -Mr - H. G. Bathgen has an area' pf Tuscan- which Bhows every likelihood of producing 50 bushels to the acre. Others on a. similar plane are th6se of Messrs T. Nolftn (Bedcliff), and; J. Adam,'' (Tuscan).-, Almost as bromising are the crops of S.'Jones, J. Stewart and J. Simmons, all Tuscan, which should thresh out at 40. Oat crops ate up" to the usual standard, and indications fire -for an average yield of abfctft" 40" bushels to; the acre. Boot crops' aTe only "fair. , ' • - 1 r A crop of merit-in the; Hook district ia' that' of Mr H. H. Mayer, and'Mr H. Mason's wheat should" return- up' to 60 bushels to the acre'. -The feed shortage , has ■" resulted in much less ' grass seed, being saved in the Hook district* this' season, the acreage being the smallest for years. , eWe fairs. THE DATES' ARRANGED. The following dates have been arranged for the aututnn- ram. and - ewe fairs: — " March 2 —Amberley. March s—HaVrar&en. - ' Majteh< 9—Little'--'River.V-March 10 —Waiau. - March 12—Culverden! J ■ "March 13—Methven." "March, 16— ; Tinwald/ , x ' " ' 1 March 17 —Sheffield. „ March -18—Ashburton ram and ewe^fair. ■ March 19 ram and ewe fair. , f ' 'Marcli 20— I Mt. Sonars,'*/ f .March ,23 —Oxford. March ~ 24—Coalgato/ V> March §ll^