GRAIN CROPS.

Patea Mail, 15 February 1882, Page 3

GRAIN CROPS.

Under the above beading, the Canterbury Times gives the following particulars : SOUTH OAVrmtIJURY. Statistics for 1881—Geraldine County.— Number of acres in wheat, 32,657 ; estimated gross produce in bushels, 824,580. In oals (exclusive of 1707 acres for green food or hay), 14,277 ; estimated to produce 413,344 bushels. In barley, 3059 acres ; estimated at 101,744 bushels. In potatoes, 764 acres ; estimated to produce 2679 tons. Waimatc County.—Number of acres in wheat, 25,052 ; estimated gross produce in bushels, 658,069. In oats (exclusive of 887 acres lor hay), 9758 acres ; estimated to produce 354,547 bushels. In barley, 1883 acres ; estimated at 55,421 bushels. In potatoes, 613 acres ; estimated produce, 1225 tons.

In order to render the statistics more intelligible, and to show at a glance the grain-producing capabilities of the two Counties, the following averages have been worked out, and a comparison of them, with the estimated averages for this year, as given at the end of report, will prove interesting. Averages for 1881 :—Geraldine County—Wheat, 25‘45, or rather under 254 bushels per acre ; cats, 28'9, or nearly 20 bushels ; barley 7, 25 9> or nearly 26 bushels ; potatoes, tons. Waimate County—Wheat, bushels ; oats, 36£ ; barley, 2943, or nearly 294 bushels ; potatoes, rather over tons per acre. The statistics for 1880—a moist, favorable year for grain growing—showed an increase of fully 20 per cent, on the above averages. In the Geraldine County 7 this year there is about the same area of wheat, and an increase of about fifteen per cent, on the area of oats. There is less barley 7, and with a few exceptions the quality is not first-class, and the acreage of potatoes is about 20 per cent, larger, but the average yield per acre is not expected to show much increase. The area of wheat in the Waimate Comity 7 is nearly 7 one-fourth larger than last year, but the area of land under oats has not increased. The breadth of land under barley is about the same as last y 7 ear, and there are some excellent samples. There are also some very 7 bad ones. Potatoes are grown in about the same quantity as last y'oar. Taking Timarn as a centre, and travelling south, the first part of (he County of Geraldine visited is Kingsdown, one of the finest grain-growing l spots in it. There wore nearly 3000 acres of wheat grown in this locality last year, but now there is not more than 500 acres. Most of the land has been laid down to grass with oats, and there arc about 200 acres of barley 7 . In the County 7 of Waimate, on the the Waimate Hat, and down to and beymnd the Waihao, there are some of the best wheat crops in the country. Mr M. Studholme has between 2000 and 3000 acres of wheat, and about 1500 acres of oats. The former ought to average 40 bushels. He has also a grand lot of barley, which was harvested and stacked before the wet weather came on. It should fetch a high figure. The crops at Hakateramea are very good this year. There is a good deal of wheat grown in this district, and it promised a heavy yield, but the nor’west wind shook a good deal of it out. In concluding this notice, it may be stated that the harvest weather now experienced is not very 7 favorable for gathering in the crops, but the showers of ruin have made the grass grow again, and the burnt-up appearance of the pastures has fortunately 7 disappeared. The estimated averages for the Waimate County are ; Wheat, 26 to 28 bushels ; oats, 28 to 30 ; and barley, 25 bushels per acre. Potatoes should yield about four tons per acre.

The Timaru Herald of the Bth, referring to the Waimatc district, says : Some crops of wheat which presented a splended appearance before cutting, do not fulfil the expectations which their appearance caused, the sheaf being light and the grain small. There is no doubt the nor’-westerly weather that prevailed two or three weeks ago caused the crops to appear more mature than they really were, and when cut the grain in many cases became shrivelled. It is feared the unwise advice of cutting grain before being ripe has been followed this year too much. There is, no doubt, great danger of loss from shaking in nor’-westerly weather, but farmers need not expect either good flour or good seed for their future crops from grain that is cut in an unduly immature state.