THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS

Temuka Leader, Issue 2153, 22 January 1891, Page 2

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS

In the Temuka district occasional showers and ..several dull days have allowed crops to ripen slowly, and harvest can hardly be called general. Some of the earlier oats have been cut and Btacked, and in one or two instances threshed. A crop of Mr Eli Mitchell's at the Rangitira Valley went 62 bushels to the acre, agreeably disappointing its owner, and raising the hopes of adjoining farmers, who anticipate that their yields also will prove better than the appearance of the crops will warrant, In the same neighborhood Mr T. Talbot has some wheat that is stooking out well, and | he also has a very promising crop of barley, green, however, as yet. Mr Hullen has on his own farm, and on

tbe Dinda Estate, some capital crops, that is, considering the season. In one paddock he has grown some Golden Drop wheat, a variety he introduced to the district last year. Whather it is the change of seed merely, or the fact that the wheat is really a superior Bort, the fact remains that upon similar land and sown under like conditions it promises to yield far 1 in excess of other varieties. It is a <* wheat that partakes of the character of Bed Tuscan and Bhould prove a good milling sort, Mr Hullen has already several enquiries for seed, and his enterprise should reap its due reward. Upon the Winchester road Mr Edward Lee has some even paddocks of wheat, and Mr Geo. Cliff, his neighbor, has also good crops. Close by ¥v Tom Davis has a particularly heavy erop of oats, and upon the Springfield Estate Mr J. Wareing and Mr Oldfield also some paddoeks that should yield well. As a matter of fact all the crops have been much improved, but there are of course many that are past redemption, Strange to say some of these are on the best of land. On Seadown, for instance, a district noted for heavy, if not phenomenal yields, some of the crops will hardly be worth reaping, while on portions of the Waitohi, where the yields are rarely large, the crops are fully up to, and in some cases, promise to exceed the average. Mention has been made earlier in the season of the ravages of the grab. Owing to tbe destruction caused by this pest, if it may be so termed, a good deal of grass land has been ploughed for turnips. The results are, on the whole, satisfactory, most of the late crops having come away very well. At Woodbury there are some promising strikes, and some noticeably good crops may be seen the ; Geraldine road. On the whole root crops although later than usual, will be good. Mr Deßenzy has some capital swedes, and there are several small areas of good mangolds. Farmers have had a rough time of it with weeds this season, and that hardy nuisance called "fat hen" figures in some paddocks as bushy as a pine. It is certainly now as prevalent as sorrel. The potato crops in the Oran district are, as far as looks go, good, but in several cases it has been shown that the tops are the best part of the crops. All the early kidney varieties show signs of second growth. Already buyers for potatoes are in the field, and some lines have already been booked for forward delivery. Farmers at Belfield, who make a speciality of this crop, are agitating for a siding, as in the event of floods in the Orari they may be put to great inconvenience and loss. All the crop from this district, which is just on the north bank of the Orari, has to go to Timaru, and very frequently it has to be consigned to catch certain steamers. If the Orari happens to be in flood there is no chance of fulfilling consignments, and the loss in such a case would probably fall upon the grower. The cost of a siding would not be heavy, and the >. convenience would be great. The Commissioners have signified their intention of not going on with the work, but it is to be hoped that they will reconsider their decision.