CHERTSEY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1476, 7 February 1887, Page 2

CHERTSEY

(from oor own correspondent.) There is uioro land under wheat crop this year than last m this district. lam »>.>t aware of any -eriona symptoms of dieeaie. The varieties town are velvet, red *t.rnw, red chaff and Tuaoan. Every aett'e." here, of course, endeavors to secure ihe best variety of need he can la his own imraediito neighborhood, bat «e!d 'a. takes any further tronbie. In all probability the Btraw will be much shorter than usual tlm setiaon, espnoially on very poor Boil. There will be considerably less ; >atß than last year. Wheat will average from 16 to 23 bu«h"la per Hore. Oats will average nbont 20 bushels per acre. A. svibll area is ujcipiad with barley, which will prove a more than average crop. It is used chiefly as a substitute for P*»b for pig feeding, and answers the purpose admirably. The turnip orop is, on the -whole, lot-king splendid thfsiea- ; on, There 's a mnob larger area under cc^p thla year than last. The varieties moatly grown .a*e globe, Aberdeen green top yellow, and purple top yellow. The Aberdeen green top yellow seems the favorite, and promises an excellent orop. There is little or no appearance of blight thi B year, and all crops thar w.»ro sown early are thriving well. The area under grasses is steadily increasing. 4a regards varieties of seed, farmers have to oonsider various clroumsfaoces m laying down their areas, Every farmer, as a matter of course, cannot afford to nse at all times the m-ist expensive seeds, I find that ryegraas, Italian, cocksfoot, t'mothy, and tbo various clovers are what are principally used here. Spring it con« -tfered the moßt favorable time to sow. Manuel wu-zjls are grown here on some farms, and the crop auooeeds under pro* per conditions fairly well. The roots are used for winter food for milch csws that bnttor is produced from, as turnip feeding is said to have a detrimental eff ot upon tha butter. Rape is occasionally grown here|for sbeap feeding. Potatoea are only grown m limited quantities In «hiß ceghborhood and for loci con* Biraption. The orop oan almost never, under the most favorable circumstance?, be called a fair one. Cattle are increasing m the district, The br<?e<is must m demand are the Ayrshire and the common cowi rt shorthorn orossed with Ayrshire hulls, Cattle, m spite of tha miserable burnt up pisture at present, are looking very healthy and m capital condition. Sheep breeding is alto re* ceivin^ more atteutrm from farmers. Percentage of lambs, about 75 to 80. T>ie Bheep appear, generally speaking, to " be m a healthy condition. The quantity of wool will be larger Ihan last season, and the quality is siid to be well up to the average The breeding of horses la followed only to a very moderate extent. Light draughts and haoks are th« result. Several excellent sires, however, travel the ditftriot. Harts and small birds seem t> be Increasing largely m the dlstrlot, and the usual enßiu.s of destruction are v ed largely for the -uppre-iion of thi nuUancn.