THE CHOPS AT ABHBURTON.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2439, 30 January 1882, Page 4

THE CHOPS AT ABHBURTON.

On Friday morning at eight o’clock a boisterous nor’-wester sprang up in this district, affecting the bulk of the early crops of wheat, comparatively little grain having been out before the recent rain. The ripe fields (and a large proportion had already reached that stage), had by last evening suffered materially, and the continuance of the wind must exercise a disastrous effect so far as they are concerned. As it happens, a lot of the crops ripened simultaneously, and the advent of an universal nor’-wester at this critical juncture was most unfortunate, affording a striking proof of the exceptional uncertainties which beset the farmer on the Plains. In the present instance the blast operates most perniciously on the large flat district embraced by the Rangitata and the Hinds on tho south, Longbeach, Wakanui, Ohertsey, JDromore, and approximately extending half-a-dezsn miles west of the railway line. The higher temperature of tho plains having matured the grain, the nor’-wester pitilessly threshes the standing corn and adds insult to injury by breaking it off close to the ground. Though ripe a largo percentage was uncut in the Rangitata district. On Wednesday our correspondent noticed a great deal of wheat "fully ripe, and the farmers straining every exertion to get it down, reapers and binders being exclusively used. That strenuous efforts were being made may, perhaps, be gathered from the fact that a farmer in Longbeach district was reaping all Wednesday night, having lamps attached to his machine. The nor’-wester has created all the more disappointment, inasmuch as the somewhat gloomy prognostications, which had been indulged in *ix weeks ago, had been considerably toned down, and in many instances contradicted, by •the wet weather coming apparently in the nick of time. It can be no exaggeration to state that, when crops were fit to cut and dead ripe, yesterday’s wind was high enough to knock out five or six bushels per acre. The best part of the oats and barley, however, is jitooked, if not catted, and is beyond the Teach of barm from wind. So far as the grain is concerned which lay exposed during ■ the last rain, the sunshine and moderate wind which intervened between the wet and these nor’-westers enabled owners to got in what was out. At any rate, what was not carted lias been effectually dried, and no harm will accrue to it. Tho cut grain was still but trifling in quantity compared with tho amount whose growth received a stimulus by the ■ahowars, and to all present appearance has matured merely to be in part blown away by the pitiless nor’-wester. The crops on the low lands are, as usual, much more forward than those nearer the hills, and the wind will have proved less hurtful to the belt of country under crop at the base of the hills, whsro the temperature ie[Jsooler. At six o'clock this (Friday) evening a decided change for the better occurred, the wind moderating, and by ton tho eky was fairly clear, with b light breeze blowing and occasional flashes of summer lightning.