THE HARVEST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2071, 23 February 1889, Page 2

THE HARVEST.

ESTIMATED PRODUCTION.

With the exception of a few spots In the latest localities the harvest m the Ashburton Ooanty is so far advanced that the work of the reapers is dooe, and •boat three-fourths of the grain is Hacked or threshed Never was there a more favorable harvest as regards weather. Many farmers have not lost a single hoar, and even where one or two damp days were experienced, the delay caused only amonnted to a few hoars altogether. The muoh drnaded nor-weeter made frequent threats, but they came to nothing, and the only loss that the greatest grumbler can complain of is that of * few grains shelled out during the carting of the grain on some of the hottest days. List Wednesday's hailstorm was fortunately only local, and the few showers that fell over a wider area did no harm. Praotloally nothing, therefore, has interfered with the ripening and iogatherlng of the most abundant harvest that has yet been reaped m the county. It may ba remarked that some of the returns are not so high as those of last year ; but It must be borne m mind that last year between the time of the collection of the returns by the enumerators »nd the period when the last of the orop was safely scoured great loss was caused by wind, hall and rain, which reduced many an unfortunate farmer's average yield by several bushels from that supplied for the Government returns. It oan be unhesitatingly stated that of wheat at least five bushels an acre more baa been scoured this year than last year, although a comparison of the cffiolal statistics will probably only shaw an increased yield this year of about three bushels per acre. Oats will soaroaly more than equal last year's average, the earlier crops having generally been very thin. Barley will return a very high avetage oompared with last year. To sum up, assuming that we oontinae to be blessed with favorable weather, the following estimate of thli season's grain yield for the Ashburton County will be found very near the mark. Last year's figures are given for comparison :—

*Bot including cats growa for green crop, of whloh there were 11,504 sores last Reason, and about a Ulmilar quantity this season,

Wheat. An pp. Average. Prod not lon. Aorei( Bashelß. Bushels. 1889 1889 1889 90,000 26 2 340 000 1888 1883 1888 76,770 23 64 1,814,486 OATB. . 1889 1889 1889 *27 000 25 676 000 1888 1888 1888 25,889 25 56 661,805 BABIiBY. 1889 1889 188» 3000 28 84.000 1888 1888 1888 1654 20 69 34 215