WHEAT-GROWING IN WAIKATO

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1779, 29 February 1888, Page 3

WHEAT-GROWING IN WAIKATO

The Te Awamutu correspondent of the 11 New Zealand Herald" writae :— The Upper Waipa has shown Itself by its cropping thia year to be the leading wheat-prodocing district ia Walkato, not even excepting the fertile district of Pakekura. The present has reference to the wheat crop alone, which reaches the total of 860 acres, and for general average •ho we no less than a fraction over 32 bushels per acre. Mr John Hutohlnscn, of Orakau, whose farm is m all respects what a New Zealand farm should be, tops the Hit with 100 acres wheat, estimated to yield 45 buahels per acre. Of farms, which may be fairly estimated to produce 40 bushels per acre, there are no laaa than nine, those of Mr Tole, of Orakaa, 30 Hares ; Mr T. Weatfaerell, of l&sngiaohia, with 30 acres ; of Mr W. Taylor, of Te Awamatu, 60 acres ; of Mr W. S. Rutherford and Mr Westney, both of Te Awftmatu, each with 20 acres;, of Mr Hugh Rama ay. of Rangiaohla, with 60 acres ; Captain Beckett and Mr Bertram, both of Banglaohla, with 32 acres and 21 acres respectively ; .and Mr T. Anderson, of Kihikihl, with 10 acres. These are all extraordinary cropB s and were a pretty eight when ready fot cutting, and show clearly what may be reached by good farming. Taking the mxt average, that of 35 bushels per acre, the honors fall to two far ma only, those of Messrs J. W. Watson, of HShikibi, and Mr O. J. Storey, of Te Rahao, t.bp former with 10 and the latter with 40 acres. At the average yield of SO bushels, a larger number are to be found. In Orakau are Mr Corkerline, 40 acres, and Messrs A. Hoes and A. Henderson, 20 acres each In Te Awarndtu are the crops of Mr John Gompstone (32 acres,) Mr J. Gibson (20 acres), Mr M. Tierney (20 acree,) and Mr J» Bryant (15 acres). Kihikihi 1b represented by Mr 6. McKinder, with 20 acres ; Alexandra, by Mr Finch, with 15 •ores. Ia Rangiobia Mr T. Hunt has 34 acres ; Mr James Ramay, 15 acres ; and Mr ' George Ramsay, 45 acres. Mr B. BaU, of Te Rabau, has 10 acres. At Ptt'erangi Messrs James Byburn, F. Sing and Fox, have 15, 10, and 3 acres respectively ; and Mr Isaac Hodgson brings up Ihe .rear of the SO-bußhel crops with a 20 acred Thlß la a grand record, and •hows the capabilitfes of the dietrlct. Below 30 bushels there are only 53 acres, all m Te Awamutu— namely, Messrs A. "White and O, Short with 10 and 15 acres respectively, averaging 35 buehela per acre ; and Messrs S. Short and Bridgman, the former frith eight acres and the latter witfi 20 acres, averaging 20 bushels per acre. If anything the above averages are rather under than over estimated, but they famish a strong proof of the wheatgrowiog capabilities of this part of the Waikato. Ho satisfactory, indeed, are they that they will lead to the sowing of a larger breath of wheat than ever iv the coming teaeno.