HARVEST PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2670, 17 January 1916, Page 8

HARVEST PROSPECTS

. IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. 'A correspondent writes to the Christchurch "Press: —Tho continued fino weather and hot north-west winds havo icon exceedingly unwelcome in South . Canterbury, where a whole downpour of rain is required urgently, to relievo tho pastoral situation. ..Not any of the irecent showers were sufficiently penetrating to have lasting effects,- and tlie grass lands- as- a- rule, are now looking • bar© and brown. Hero or thorp exceptions may be found, as in tho districts near the hills, from Peel Forest in a lino through Woodbury to the Four Peaks settlements, and elsewhere; but nearest- the plains along tlie course of tho Rangitata River, l>y Arundel, - Cooper's Creek, Belfield, Orton, and Rangitata Island, the short-feed problem is particularly serious. Here, the eight of a flock of sheep getting all the good they can from a stunted crop, is ; not infrequent, unless" it* is improved by a steady rainfall, the outlook ahead is the reverse of encouraging. Ill' the districts north of tho Rdngitata, harvest prospects, unfortunately,. ,ire not good, and, generally speaking, it .is the small holders who will go Y i shortest. On the other hand a large farmer who refused seven shillings and twopence a bushel 'for several thousand bushels, of. his wheat, is hoping for a profitable sale in the near future. Apparently a cousiderablo storo of grain is; still being held over" from I last season. In the districts mentioned above, presumably competent opinions . , have it that the average corn yield will •be far below tho average of the. past dozen years, but tho. showers about Christmas rand ;the New .Year were of great use in filling out tho heads of the ! . standing crops, and possibly the.threshing returns may show an increase over expectations. Through, the country- from Clande--hoyo to jOrari, the prospect*"-' for' the T/heat harvest remains fair or good. ■The same note will apply towards ,Kakahu. and particularly near Woodbury •and Orari bridge, where tho majority of the crops are good or better. Some exceptionally* fino fields, both of wheat ' ;uid oats,.are to be seen on land belonging to Mr. Dixon, by the Geraldine- - iWoodbury'r.TOad; also there; is a very ■■ notable wheat crop on tho farm" owned i by Mr. T. Wooding, close, to the road /■ leading to Pleasant Valley., Through- ; out this locality, good wheat:prospects" ■ Aro pleasingly numerous, : and - taking tho unfavourable season into considera- ... .tion, the crop's may be classed Altogether 'as very fair. Hereabouts a good many of ryegrass seed have been threshed out during the pastVweekj' and. at the present pries of seed,"results averaging thirty or more bushels per acre must certainly; be set dowu. as excellent. ' The root crops have'received a good • start from .the recent showers; and on. . tho whole, .promise , well, . but ; the- hot; .'iorth-wester-of Wednesday, has left its mark upon them, and here again a twenty-four'hours': rainfall iyould be of the greatest;,tise.,; Late tiirhip-sowiifg is' yet in progress, farmers having . delayed this work until 'it seemed there was more chance "of a wetting'to start . the seed/'-.' , _ . . Shearing, operations' are. not yetfinished in ' the liill districts, but given • favourable | conditions, another week should bring the end in sight. News from the hill runs in the Waihi- ; country. : is generally.,satisfactory.

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