SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14833, 26 November 1913, Page 2

SOUTH CANTERBURY.

A South Canterbury correspondent writes:— The good rainfall came in time to make a huge difference in the agricultural prospects of South Canterbury, and crops on the lighter lands hare lost their faded and yellow appearance and revived quickly into a eatisfaetory state. To-day I journeyed in a motor, all about and across the plains between Ashburton, and Raagitata bridge, and 1 have seldom seen the country looking bettor at any time of any year. Of course we abnsed certain parts of the Maronin road, bnt this may have been from force of habit. Towards Eating

some of tho oat crops are rather thin, and it seems that the Rangitata river- . bed was not quite cleared of rabbits by the big flood last autumn; but I imag\e that the land owners near Mayfield and Ruapuna have littlo of which they can complain. There is plenty of good feed, and the stock is showing signs or. it. In looking through several flocks we noticed that most of the lambs possessed the dark yellowieh fleeces which denote first-class condition. In fact the only thing not in "good going order' was our own motor, when we swampod her works in a flooded stream. To take out and empty a carburettor and to dry sparking plugs in the middle of a lot of racing water, is quite a delicate operation; and if a screw slin-s from your fingers there is not much use in searching for it under the car. Along the coast lands from Hangi-tata-on-Sea to Temuka and inland up the course of the Opihi to Hanging Rock the outlook is satisfactory all the way; and taking a right-Kand road to Kakahu bush, and again right-handed to the old lime-ldln, all the grass countcy is deep under an abundant growth. In, this district oats were being sown last year during, the second week of November, and rather curiously the late sowing resulted in a fairly good crop, but in the present season there is no need for such belated experiments; on the contrary, I saw a well-ridged field where some early swedes were already above the ground. Shearing was delayed by the wet weather, but it is now becoming general, through from "special" reasons there is a shortness of hands. Further delay will occur from the local showers on Monday afternoon, and as T finish this note on Tuesday morning a fresh supply of wot weather seems highly probable. Gardens and orchards are in excellent order, except that from various orchards there is a report of set apples falling wholesale from some unexplained caiiso.