HARVEST NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1048, 12 January 1884, Page 2

HARVEST NOTES.

[tly oub Travelling Reporter.] During tha past wees the weather has been highly favorable for the development and ripening of the grain crops, and under a continuance of favorable circumstances harvest operations will shortly ho in full swing in many districts. Farmers are already on the look out for extra labor, and otherwise making extensive preparations for the moat critical and busy portion of the season’s work on the farm. An evidence of this was witnessed in the immediate neighborhood of the town, as well as wiihiu the Borough boundaries, yesterday whan public trials of several different makes of reapers and binders took place. Mr George Jameson, the local agent for the Hornsby reaper and binder, gave an opportunity to the farmers and others interested of witnessing a trial of this machine in a paddock of oats on the north side of the Domain. To-day, however, was the advertised trial day, and as the machine gave great satisfaction on Friday it attracted an extra amount of attention while at work am mg the oats to-day. Mr F. Ferrimau, the agent for the Walter A. Wood reaper and binder, exhibited this machine at work yesterday in a paddock of oats opposite the Ashburton Brewery, in Cameron street. A number of farmers were attracted to the scene of the trial, and general admiration was expressed at the effective and excellent manner in which the machine did its work. Messrs Matson, Cox and Co., the local agents for Howard’s simplex reapers and binders, had a couple of these ma chines at work yesterday in one of Mi T. M. Jones’ paddock of oats, opposite the r'recourse. The six feet machim did such excellent work th»t it found t ready purchaser on the ground. The fiv« feet machine also did good work amongs die oats, and was afterwards taken intc one of Mr H. T. Smith’s grass paddocks and did excellent work in mowing a crop of grass and afterwards a crop ot clover The Improvements effected in these severs machines since last year has already beet noticed, and the greater simplicity, com bined with extra strength and saving o time and labor in working the machines was clearly demonstrated at the trials 01 Ftiday. Tne improvements will be jm undoubted benefit, and any improvemenl in labor-saving machinery must be appre ciated by the farming community depen dent as they are on a dear labor tnaike with a limited supply at this period of thi year, and the uncertainty of favorabli weather for anything like prolonged har vest operations. For fear of impressing the outside public with the idea that tin town fanners might be displaying a mud too eager desire to commence harvest, i might be as well to state that the crop: of oats on which the machines were a work were considerably on the greeu side and not forward enough to be likely to b< put through the thresher. There are however, a few paddocks that will be quit' ripe in another week. Taking up tin thread of last week’s “ Harvest Notes,’ the district to be first brought nude: notice are VVinchmore and Upper Ashbur ton, and from observations made during the present week the crops generally hayi made rapid progress, and promise a verj handsome yield. O i the Winchmoti estate both wheat and oats are looking re markably well. The area under crop tlii. year is about 800 acre?, the principal por tion of which is in wheat. Una paddock of 300 acres, partly rough chaff and parti; velvet chaff’, is looking in splendid co.i ditioa, and under favorable circumstance: during the coming six weeks will give i yield of at least 35 to 40 bu dials to thi acre. The velvet chaff wheat ciuh scarcely be wished to look better, and tin rough chaff’, though not quite so forwan is all that could be desired at the presen period. This is the second crop of wheat and last year the greater portion of th< paddock yielded an average of 51i bushel to the acre. On the same estate then are several paddocks of pearl wheat look ing well and promising an average o 35 bushels. Tu all there are about 20 acres of oats, and though not promising such a prolific yield as was obtained a VVinchmore last season, are likely to giv a good average return. The average o the wheat grown on the estate last yea reached the profitable figure of 46 bushels to the acre. Present indication do not warrant the anticipation of such ; return this season, but fully 35 bushel may be counted on. Besides the cereal there are root crops to the extent o 18,000 acres of turnips and mangolds fo sheep feeding purposes. The principa part of the root crops are well forward and quite out of the reach of the bird and fftes. Last season Mr M. Stitt, th: manager, tried the experiment of sowin; turnip seed with some of the wheat, am was so satisfied with the result that In has again 288 acres bearing a ?plotidic crop of wheat, together with a crop o turnips. Mr Robert Millar, a most ener getic and successful farmer in the Uppe Ashburton district, has some crops of botl wheat and oats in a very healthy and for ward condition, and promising a goo( average yield. This gentleman grew so mi splendid crops last year, and the mentiot of one little incident will give the practi cal farmer an idea of some of the oa crops grown on Mr Millar’s farm M: J. Moorhead started his thresher to worl one morning in a paddock of Mr Millar’s and kept it going 13£ hours, the resul being 2,»28 bushels of oats cf a fairl; clean sample. Mr Bright has a large block of land in wheat, and with thi exception of a light patch here and there it is looking very well indeed. The cereal: are also looking very promising on thi farms of Messrs J. Bland, W. Bland Murray, Dent and Hussey. Mr Join Brick, who is a new settler in the district has a block of about 550 acres of lane under crop adjoining the Winohmore estate and part of the old Winohmore run. Mr Brick is an experienced farmer, and his recant purchase shows him to be a man of judgment. His wheat looks remarkably well, and given weather such as will enable him to harvest hia crops without haviig the mortification of seeing a large quantity of it lying on the ground through nor’-westers, he should get an average of close on 40 bushels to the acre. Coming further down the road towards Ashburton there are some good paddocks of both wheat and oats, at present promising a yield very little short of that of last year. Mr Manson has a patch of some 60 acres of pearl wheat well headed and promising a return of at least 35 to 40 bushels. He has also a nice little patch of oats. Nearer home still, Mr Digby has a paddock of oats that surpasses anything seen in any other part of the district, and are well worth a visit of inspection. Tney are of a strong, healthy and vigorous growth, very even, and splendidly headed. The reaper will have to be at work amongst them very shortly, and it is a pretty safe assertion to state that the thresher will afterwards show a more handsome return. The only thing that is wanted by the grain-grower now is a couple of months fine weather, with an absence of boisterous winds, an abundance of labor, in some cases a leniency and assistance on the part of the Hanks, and in all cases an appreciable rise in the grain market. Granted these reasonable desires, a reign of contentment—so far as human nature can be content will prevail over the district for the remainder of the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four.