THE MARKET AND THE CROPS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 33, 2 November 1918, Page 10

THE MARKET AND THE CROPS

j. By Tolegranh-Prcas Association.' j. Christchurch, November 1. i The recent ehowers of ruin, including I:.,'the. good.downfall on Wednesday night, [.will-do a considerable amount of guod to !. the crops, which were beginning to lani giiish under the drying winds of the past [.■.month. They have. .also, improved-the ■i ground for further, sowings.. There , is ;" almost'an entire absence of offerings in j-"grain from the country, and any busi- |; r liess that is done is between merchants, i- ■.whose stocks nre very low. There is still i-'a good demand for prime bright chaff, [•'■ and even more business ooul'l be dona j' : -if freight wore available. Up to £1 10s, '.'per ton is still offered at country sta-' I ' tions for prime quality and inferior chaff; j; which has met with a dragging Bale all i 'the winter, is now practically unsaleable. !'; .A fairly largo quantity of potatoes has ;; lately been shipped to the north, and j; ;the clearing up of consignments this week [■practically represents the closing of tho I ; season. Up to Jill per ton at country |; Btations has been paid this week. It is j;.--not usual ti do' much business after . .'the November holidays, and this year .the prices have been sufficient to enconr- !, .age growers to sell, so that stocks held j.-.in the country are'now down to a very finiall compass, and it would be difficult :to pick up.any quantity. The late rains ,:■ will benefit the earlier planted crops, J 'which so far havo.suffered"very little j, from frosts. ■ There ie a considerable I quaritiiy.'of ryegrass seed in stock, and |: it is likely tlicru.will be. more than suffi- ;- eierit for. requirements, but the backward 'ntato:. of the grass this spring does not [. i give -much promise of a very heavy crop I for. next- harvest. Supplies of cocksfoot J - are'-scarce, and there (ire not very large j • stocks of clovers. •