THE HARVEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2465, 16 February 1893, Page 4

THE HARVEST.

In spite of the many gloomy predictions, justified at the time by the " catchy " nature of the weather, that this year's harvest would be another failure, the crops in South Canterbury are now almost all secured in good order. In the immediate neighborhood of Temuka they are fully up to the average of former seasons, although it is unlikely that there will be any phenomenal yields recorded. The heavy swamp lands should yield fairly well, although in some instances the wheat went down early in the season and can scarcely be expected to till as it otherwise would have done. There will also on these lands be the usual complement of tares, combine, and docks, and the seeds of the two former will be difficult to remove from samples. Latterly the weather has been favorable for ripening and maturing the grain in stook, and the sample generally should be sound and bright. On lighter lands, where the wheat was in full about Christinas, it is probable there will be a somewhat large proportion of shrivelled grain, for both the cold winds that prevailed about the middle of December and the scorching nor'-westers later on would have a very bad effect. On tho whole, though, the medium quality land has stood the test of the season well, and has agaiu justified the principle that early-sown gram on a dry seed bed " pans out " best. The crops on the Waitohi Flat vary very much, some of them being good, others particularly bad. The down land promises to yield well, except with latesown crops, which were mostly put in rather on the wet side. Oats on this class of land are not promising, many of the crops having developed unmistakeable signs of rust. The crops between Temuka and Winchester are scarcely so good as usual. One of the best ia that of Mr 13. Martin, whose wheat should go close upon 40 bushels per acre. Mr liees Thomas and Mr E. Lee both have some good paddocks of wheat, but the tatter's will hardly yield as it has done in previous years when as high an average as 50 bushels has been reached. Mr Arthur lumber has some good grain on Mr Cliff's farm, this land being apparently inexhaustible. Mr Clyne's paddocks also showed good even grain that should stand the test of the mill well. At Trevenna Mr Guild has a large area in crop, and from its appearance it should yield better than usual; in fact, it looks as if it was likely to be the heaviest he has grown for years. He has also some good grain on the land recently purchased from the Biverslea estate. On tiiis estate also Mr J. B. Wareing and Mr D. McLeod have excellent crops. About the Ohapi district the crops of Messrs Stewart Bros., Collie, Gladstone, Crompton, Oldfield, and Bissett show up well, but towards Orari there is a slight falling off. Several good crops have been gathered at the Belheld settlement, but there iB a decided falling off, both in yield and quality, at Rangitata and the island. Here the principal wheat grown is pearl, and millers look forward to securing this valuable mixing wheat. Tuscan has again been largely sown in the other districts, but it does not appear to be yielding any too well this season. Messrs Woodhead, Woodley, Macaulay, i-'arko, Brown, Holwell, and Angland have good average crops at Milford, and, generally speaking, the crop grown on the Green Hays Estate is an improvement on last year. Mr P. Wareing's crop is variable, an inevitable result where a large area is dealt with. Mr M. Quinu has a capital crop on Rhodes's island, and also some very good wheat at Arowhenua. Mr Aspinall also has a small area that should yield fully up to 40 bushels. At Smithheld and Hunnmgton tho crops are again good, and should prove good samples. The general average m the iiukah'.J and Hilton districts will not be heavy. That patch at Arowhenua comprised in the farms of Messrs Quinn, J. Fitzgerald, Brosnahan, Gibson, Holwell, Marshall, and Gaffaney shows particularly good results, and all has been safety harvested and some of it already threshed. On the Point-Temuka roads there has not been much grown, but Mr W. Fitzgerald and Mr S. Coughlan both have good yields. The Seadown, except the wetter portions of it, is up to the average', and probably some good yields will be recorded. There is a large area in crop upon the Levels Estate, and it is said to be fair. At the Totara the area under wheat is small compared with former years, and the yield difficult to estimate. Some of the grain looked exceptionally heavy, but it did not fill well. Messrs 1). Blue aud Mcßeath have good wops generally, and a portion of that oil Mr W„ Hay's farm, " Te Bukera," is good. The Heavier part of it, however, went down, and wili thresh poorly. On this estate is a small patch of Egyptian, or " mummy," wheat, the seed of which was originally grown from a few grains found in the casing of a mummy discovered in Egypt. It is quite on the cards that this seed was some saved during the years of plenty recorded in Holy Writ. The heads are bearded, and have smail heads growing from the neck of the .si;fmi. It has some of the characteristics of tuscan, but becomes particularly hard and tine in the skin. It should yield well, and it is stated that from an exporimeut made on a small scale that as much as 80 bushels per acre could be grown. Farmers stili appear t„ be divided upon the question o£ thresiiiw out of the stook. Competent t llis system heartily, but we observe that tiiis year many of our best farmers are doing it. With resdlv good weather, such as we are now experiencing it may turn out all right, but it is certainly risky. The grass seea harvest has been un.usmdly good, but there i* only a very smaU atea of potatoes. With regard to the probable price opinions vary much. At present it is very low, and probably all in a Doaitiou to do so will hold on tor a time. \ m "oil the mills throughout the colony ~n 0 mea j, 3 unlikely that are idle it is uy - ,j 0 f speculation there will be a good dea. ..„ 0 £ U 1I _ thi.3 season, for there is pleu^

employed capital about. it must be borno in mind, however, that New Zealand is a long way from a main market, and has to submit to a iot of competition. Should wheat rise to os it must be looked upon as a fair price, and, with modern appliances for harvesting, etc., as a payable one.