THE CROPS. WAIRARAPA, MARLBOROUGH AND OAMARU PROSPECTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 14, 17 January 1908, Page 2

THE CROPS. WAIRARAPA, MARLBOROUGH AND OAMARU PROSPECTS.

The country newspapers are now making foiecasU of the cereal yields likely to lesulfc from tho harvest which is now becoming general. The WairarapA Ago comments that it is a significant fact thut twelve months ago in tho height of a good season, it was impossible for Wairarapa buyers to purchase sheep in Hawkcs Bay, while now they can bo bought in any quantity. One Wairarapa stock dealer alone has 100,000 Hawkcs Bay sheep on his books for sale. Farmers in the nor- j thorn province and even in this part of the Dominion suo getting rid of their sheep at almost any price on account of the lack of good pasture-, and every- day sees tiain^ loads of thes>e animals passing through Ma&torton on their way to the slaughtering works in Wellington. Mahikipawa, once a fairly remunerative goldfield, is now becoming noted as one of the best agricultural districts in Marlborough. A recent issue of tho Marlborough Herald records that the crops at Mahakipawa aro this year better/than ever, and tho farmers thcro stand to make their fortunes if prices keep up A specially prolific yield of oats ia reported from Jand that has been cropped with' grain for nino years in succession without the use of ferlili- ! ser. Such a pioducHve district deserves to bo moro widely known. The Oamaru Moil records that farmers who visited the town last Saturday confirmed the reports made during the past few weeks as to tho ill-effects of tho hot, dry weather upon tho crops It is- the pasture lands, however, that have suffered mpst. In many of- the paddocks iho roots had been burned out as -a result of tho laio drought, and although at tho beginning of tho season grass made a capital showing, there is -evidently not yet sufficient substance lo withstand tho continuously hot weather that is prevalent at this beason of the year. It will take more than one year [ for the pasture lands to become sufficiently recovsved froiu the scorching to which they were subjected less than a year ago. As a; set-off, there is to be taken into consideration the fact that the district is at present understocked. ] A more cheering report conies from Otekaiko. An agriculturist who regularly visits tile country districts says ho has never snen th/a potato crops looking bettor J than they- are at present* Ho ] describes tliem as being ' magnificently fresh and healthy looking. Early sown turnips, also, -he snysj "are- looking .well, but tho later, crops, and those just past the thinning stage, would be all the better for a day's rain. .Farming operations, havo been begun around Oamaru — a much 'earlier harvest timo, than usual. The start has been considerably hastened by the hot weathor of the past two weeks, as a consequence of which grain is ripening ,fast. Many of the oat crops have already undergone the process of cutting, and as regards cereal, harvesting will be fairly • general next week. As a result of the premature ripening, the average yield- will hardly reach the expectations of a few \vecks ago. It will possibly <be- a fortnight yet before much of, tho wheat is ready for cutting. These latter crops, it is satisfactory to note,'--are-looking well, and the average is still expected to be good. [By Teibgbai>kL'— Specui to Thb Post.] DUNEDIN, This Day. ' . Welcome rain has fallen steadily all t*ay. VFifrtn. ..Tapaniii^ comes'" w,ord ' 6f a bount3ou's fall, stopping' tho 'grass-s eed harvest, .but immediately beusfitiiig-' the root crops 'and' the grass. Thero is promise of a grand harvest and an excellent turnip crop.