Some Crops Not Worth Salvaging

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31002, 7 March 1966, Page 10

Some Crops Not Worth Salvaging

Windrowed grain crops and white clover still awaiting harvesting may hardly be worth salvaging after Thursday night’s downpour.

Coupled with humid conditions, there will also be sprouting of unharvested grain and seed. The greater part of the harvest is completed, but there are still barley crops to be harvested in a number of districts. Many of them are lying in the windrow. Mr C. P. Whatman, senior advisory officer of the Department of Agriculture (Ashburton), said on Friday he thought these crops would be in a sorry state. There would be little chance of salvage. Standing barley was holding well, according to Mr Whatman, but he predicted that it would be discoloured and not of malting quality. There would also be sprouting. Little wheat remains to be harvested in Mid-Canterbury, but it will be similarly affected. Value Worthless Some white clover crops still remained to be harvested this week, but after Thursday night’s torrential rain their value for harvesting may also be worthless. While Canterbury has reached the stage where it has had too much rain, autumn feed supplies are now assured. Mr Whatman said it now remained for farmers to conserve and use autumn growth to the best advantage.

Christchurch has had little more than 5.5 in of rain this year, but 12 hours of rain on Thursday night accounted for an official 1.35 in. In some parts of the city close on 2in was recorded. In North Canterbury, the situation is similar to other districts. There is still barley to harvest—some of it lying in the windrow—and the odd late crop of wheat. There is also both red and white clover to harvest, and there were reports yesterday of some of it sprouting. Some parts of North Canterbury have had twice the amount of rain recorded in Christchurch. Whereas the recent dry spell was broken with rains totalling about 2in in the city, some inland country districts had recorded falls of 4in.

B.H.S. Hostel— The Christchurch Boys’ High School approved considerable improvements to its Adams House hostel. Members said fees were increased because of this need, and the work must be undertaken promptly. Mountain House. The mountain house of the Christchurch Boys’ High School is “booked solid” for the whole of the first term for educational and recreational parties, the headmaster (Mr C. F. S. Caldwell) told the board.