THE CROPS DOWN SOUTH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1593, 26 January 1884, Page 2

THE CROPS DOWN SOUTH.

Saturday's Tuapeka Times 'says':— " Green linnets are becoming bo plentiful id.tliQ Evans Flat neighborhood that the wheat crop, although green -and unfilled, in being rayaged at au alarming rate—the milk in'ihe' eair of the wheat' being eagerly devoured by ■the peaty and the grains prevented (from coming to maturity. At Miller's Flat',the crops are looking remarkably well'; indeed, tliey could hardiy have looked better with the most propitious season. The cereals are beginning to fill; and should we be favored with a few weeks suitable for ripening, a bountiful harvest may be looked for, after all,the backward weather experienced lately. Grass and gieen crops «."Our , Vrakatipacorrespondent writes: As time. rolls'on,. the ; chances for an early harvest are riot improved, "Week ■after week copes with raia and cold-la increasing proportions, Up to a short wHile igo : the moisture had'done little or no harm ; b'ut : accompanied by tremendous 'gales, both combined have districV and there is riow.little hope of their rising agiain, Under .ordinary, circflmßtajices, harvest commences' here middlfr;'of January j-but at tin crops will be fib' for cutting. There fi&n'no summer weather yet, and we hayft passed 'alwady, into autumn. Thebwkfiii j

weather has also delayed the road contracts now in progress, which. are employing 200 men. It ia questionable whether one-half of this numbet can be' spared when the harvest commences, and it is possible that work may be plentiful during the next two or three- months, .. The contractor? can in no way be blamed for the slow progress made with their work/ for on an averag?;ap; more-than three .or four days a .week hare, been made for some months past, The shearers in one of the large sheds of this district struck fw^l.pe? .hundred—the:, being 15s, and Has been for some years. The'men however, resumed work A Wanaka correspondent writes A more'propitioiis season than the present for the growth, of cereals has seldom been witnessed in this locality, ffie crops, are well, advanced,. and give promiso of a fair average yield, although in many places tliey aro nearly choked with sorrel'; This noxious' weed; lam 'sfltT^,ft6'„Bayi, is!visible everywhere .where..cultivation exists, ond even large tracts of virgin soil is overgrown with .the, pest. As a, consequence; of the wot changeablo - weather, 'shearing operations are much: retarded at the station's, hereabouts. From 'lnformar tiori gleaned I leara the musWr 'oii the leading has.'been eicCediiigly. : good this, year, owing' to; thrlato-mild winter. Compared with tliti 'number ; shorn, the clip is ■ considered gobd, 'and the staple of 'a logger and stronger, tex . •turar thijii 'that of 'late: years, ".The , Kanaka Station,,weather permitting, will .finish shearing during .this month. ■ ■ •Oui* ..Tokomairiro correspondent writes be at least a . fortnight later than last year; Autumn sown .crops havo .generally done'! well, .but now the small birds &re giving the paddoeksa ripened nppeafanciSpiing ;sawii.is-n6>v iii moßt cases in full ear. Crops on ridges are as a rule better than >on the plain, as the season has been' against wet land. The; present wet, cold weather, is much against the turnip crop, and the fly haa been very .prevalent.- Broadcast turnips' now. in the rough leaf will.do well enough, but those not so far forward (ijill not .come to much without a -change to heat. Many turnip crop failures nre reported but a few. odd acres are yet to be sown. Sheepshearing is now finished; anil so far as I hear tho clips are very safiis; factorv.'. .' .'! ">i

• The Strath-Taieri . correspondent writes Though the extraordinary weather expbrieiioiiig ia fftyoi'abl6 to the growth of the gnus it teeps back tho ripening of tiie grain crops, which are very good this year ; but . I do not think any. will be ready for cutting'for; a .mouth yet. Shearing: operations are.finished at Gladbrook, and-Taeiri Lake Stations, but this will jriot bethecate at Cottesbrook for two ,or thieo weeks yet-owing to the jwoather being very-Iroken. i .Our Ogapaia correspondent writes : [■f;',;The weather since my last icoulV jmunicatiori has decidedly. improved, • consequently the crops aro ripening Ijvery satisfactorily. Upon, inspecting farms in the'.district,,,!, jha-ve been much gratified .lit ■ the' abundance and quality, so far' ns can pe.judged, of various descriptions ofcrops; Fears were entertained that rust'might possibly follow so much wet, but these have not as yet been; ballsed, 1 An excellent harvesting'of; an excellent quality .of grass seed has recently taken place. This production pitherto Has paid tho, producer very fell; and as so much attention.is jming, and no doubt will continue' to . be, given to laying' down, grass' for. tep pasturagg, a good, price will be! dot for this year's crop. An enormous number of sheep have been shorn up to t)ie preseut time. The wool is somewhat lighter than in previous seasons,. The, wages paid must be satisfactory" as i have heard- no complaints by 'the' (shearers.