BUMPER BARLEY CROP

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30983, 12 February 1966, Page 10

BUMPER BARLEY CROP

Canterbury’s barley harvest this season is rated as a bumper one. Those associated with the malting industry say it is equal to the excellent barley harvest of two years ago. Bumper harvests are usually expected every six or eight years. That such a season should be experienced so soon after the last very high yielding season is most uncommon. A recent inspection of crops

in the Leeston district showed that yields would be higher than usual. The area is, at any time, a very good cropping district, and the barley industry attributes the high yields this season to the very favourable growing conditions. Threshing damage is low, and is appreciably better than some years ago. Farmers now appear to take more care with their threshing techniques, according to the company’s field officer (Mr

J. Malcolm). , The barley harvest is a month later than usual and as the barley is taking more time to ripen this is having the effect of extending the harvest.

(The photograph shows the manager of the Canterbury Malting Company, Mr J. H. Hewlett (right), and the company’s field officer, Mr J. P. Malcolm, inspecting a crop of barley at Sedgemere which is expected to yield more than 100 bushels an acre).