PROLONGED RAIN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 11, 8 October 1943, Page 6

PROLONGED RAIN

Effect On Farm Production

In Canterbury

FALL UNLESS WEATHER

IMPROVES

Dominion Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, October 7. Unless the weather changes for the better almost immediately there is sure to be a serious fall in the production of lamb, milk, peas and potatoes in Canterbury- The opinion • has been expressed by stock and station merLittle concern was voiced about the wheat position, one authority pointing out that the autumiAvas so favourable that the great bulk of the wheat was sown then. Spring sowing of wheat was becoming a thing of the past, so much so that many farmers would not take the risk of spring sowings if they failed to get the crop sown in the wheat was intended for sowing in the sirring, of course, would not be sown now, he said, but existing crops were looking so well that there seemed to be no doubt that last season s yield would be equalled, if not excelled. That was subject to normal conditions being experienced from now on til after the harvest. . The snowfall experienced over Canterbury ‘during the winter had had a most beneficial effect on wheat. crops, he said. There were odd reports that wheat was yellowing a bit. due to water lying in paddocks, but the general opinion, of farmers was that the crops had never lookedtoother hand, he said, the prospects for barley and peas, were gloomy. If the present weather continued during October, thousands of acres would not be sown The time was close at hand When the position would be desperate. Under contracts for growing peas, farmers were Obliged to have crops sown by the middle of October in well-prepared land, but that condition would be impossible to carry out. The biggest barley-growing area in Canterbury was in Ellesmere, but there the ground , was so saturated that farmers could not possibly work it. In view of the bad weather frequently experienced in the spring, merchants said that farmers would be well advised to revert to autumn sowings if they wished to ensure successful crops. A continuation of the wet weather, it was contended, would also have a serious effect on potatoes, though the planting period was much longer than in the case of other crops. Judging from sales of seed potatoes, there was .a general be-lief-that the acreage desired by the Government for next season would not be reached, though there wrfis likely to be an increase on. last year's acreage. Merchants had large quantities of seed potatoes available, and it was stated that farmers who were unable to sow barley and peas would be well advised to plant potatoes which, on present- prices, were a payable crop. , , ... Garton oats, which were used for milling purposes, should have been sown during the past two mouthy, and it - was feared that only a small percentage of the required acreage would be put in. Algerian and Dunn varieties of oats, which were used for stock feed and chaff, were autumn-sown ai)d were looking well, but there was some doubt whether the acreage sown would be sufficient.