CROPS IN THE ASHBURTON DISTRICT.

Press, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5703, 29 December 1883, Page 3

CROPS IN THE ASHBURTON DISTRICT.

_*BOH OUK COKBBBPONDENT.J

As is only too well known the most remarkable feature of the past spring and present summer has been the frequency and variety in the changes of climate from one end of New Zealand to the other. At the end of 1882 the general prospects of a most bountiful harvest were as bright as the most sanguine or impecunious could well desire, and the farmers having had a good lambing season, followed by a good wool clip, were anticipating some substantial recompense for their labor and patience in tiding over the evil effects of several previous unprofitable seasons. In this 'part of the island, as in many other parte, the weather during harvest time proved most disastrous, the consequence being that thousands of bushels of grain were either badly damaged or entirely destroyed through the excessive and continuous rains that prevailed just at the time dry fine weather was badly needed and is usually experienced. In the Ashburton district a large quantity of grain was left in the stook for upwards of five and six weeks, while many a stack was so badly put together that the rain easily found its way through and seriously damaged a large quantity of the grain, that should have been safe from the influence of either- wet or dry weather. Naturally the heaviest losers through the grain remaining in stook so long were the large growers, most of the small farmers who had but a comparatively limited area under crop being fortunate enough to get their corn harvest in good condition, and carted to the stores in time to reap the advantage of the satisfactory prices ruling at the earlier part of the season. This year an unusual amount of very unseasonable weather has been experienced, and the crops generally throughout the district are neither so forward or promising anything like such a good yield as was the case at the end of the year 1882. Between the Rakaia and the Rangitata such grand looking crops had scarcely ever been Been before. This season there is a marked change, and though in some districts the crops are looking well, to take the county generally, present appearances do not warrant the anticipation of many particularly heavy yields. The oats are mostly well in ear, and there are many . paddocks that promise a return, with favorable weather, of from 30 to 50 and 60 bushels to the acre. Along the road from Ashburton to ITundas, both wheat and oats are rather thin and irregular ; but such is not the case with the | sorrel, and in several paddocks scarcely i anything but this noxious weed can be [ seen. In the Seafield district the cereals generally are looking well, and fair average yields may be anticipated. In the Wakan_L district, both wheat and oats look well, and are generally fairly free from sorrel. A small sheaf of oats, cut indiscriminately from a paddock belonging to Mr Johnson, was brought to town last week, and the sample indicated a return of 55 or 60 bushels to the acre. As already reported, the wheat and oats throughout the Longbeach district promise well, and there are some exceptionally good paddocks to be seen on the Longbeacn estate. Away back towards Ashburton, on the Winslow road, there is nothing to be seen <*>lii~g for special mention except, perhaps, a paddock of well advanced wheat, the property of Mr Martin, a most diligent and energetic farmer. The wheat in this paddock was sown early in the season, and if we should chance to get anything like a decent spell of settled weather, the reaper should be at work about the middle of January. Probably no part of Canterbury—the most favored spots around Kaiapoi included—can give points to the Ashburton Forks distriot in the matter of wheat and oat growing, and it would be a strange season that would go by without leaving a record of some heavy yields in this district. For instance, last year Mr Isaac Sargent had a yield of 66 bushels of wheat to the acre from one or two paddocks, and about 5 bushels short of 2000 was the result of one single day's threshing in one of the paddocks referred to. This year the crops generally through the district are again looking well, though in most instances rather late, wit— a prospect of the average yield being considerably less than that of last year. There are, however, some exceptions, notably several paddocks of early sown wheat on Mr Friab/a farm.. Two paddocks are specially noticeable for the evenness and forward condition of the wheat, and given anything like favorable weather there wffl. be a large yield. Mr Sargent has also some paddocks of both wheat and oats that are looking remark-

ably well. He has also some peach trees heavily laden with fine fruit of a healthy vigorous growth, the trees appearing to have entirely escaped the blight that has so unmercifully attacked this kind of fruit in many parts of Canterbury during the present season. In the Upper Ashburton district the cereals promise a fair average yield, but on the whole they do not compare wit— those of last season. Further on, towards Springfield, the appearance of the paddocks on both sides of the road are sufficiently promising to gladden the heart of any farmer who can be content with a reasonable return for his outlay. Some of the paddocks of wheat are looking particularly well, a little light, perhaps, in places, but on the whole of good color, strong vigorous, growth, and calculated to give a very handsome return. Two large paddocks on Messrs Gould and Cameron's estate are particularly noticeable for the heavy crops of clover and grass, and the very forward condition of a splendid flock of sheep feeding or lying about in different parts suggests the shipment of some good mutton to the English market. These two paddocks were down in barley last season, and the quantity of feed they have since produced is astonishing. Close to Messrs Gould and Cameron's homestead are several paddocks of wheat, especially two ■ of velvet chaff and two of Tuscan, showing a particularly even and healthy appearance. One paddock of 400 acres in extent, henceforward to be known as the "eightday paddock," is well worthy special notice. In the middle of September last the sheep were feeding off the turnips, and not a foot of the 400 acres had been ploughed. Though late in the season it was determined to get the paddock down: in, wheat, and anyone passing between the 15th -and 22nd of September would have witnessed a sight not often met with in the Ashburton district. No less than twenty-two double and three-furrow ploughs, several disc harrows, eight seed drills, together with a number of ordinary tine and chain harrows, and Cambridge rollers were kept going in the one paddock at the same time, the result being that on September 22nd, or eight days from starting, the whole paddock was sown' in Tuscan wheat. Last week I rode round and through, the middle of the paddock, and it was difficult to see a square yard of ground anywhere that was not covered with wheat at least 3ft high, and just bursting into ear, and this inside three months from the time the first furrow was turned. It might safely be asserted that there is not a crop in the whole county looking more healthy, or from present indications that promises a better yield; certainly no crop could possibly be of mere even growth. This is attributable in a great measure to the use of the disc harrow, a fact which is borne out by the appearance of a paddock on the opposite side of the road, sown a month earlier with the same sample of seed, and on land of a similar nature. Here the disc harrow was not used, and the crop is not nearly so even, and but very little in advance of that sown a month later. ' Further on towards Methven is a patch of a few hundred acres of barley, but it is not looking bo healthy as might be desired. Mr Duncan Cameron, of Clones, has some crops of wheat looking well. Generally speaking the oats and spring wheat look well throughout this part of the district, but the winter wheat does not look as promising as last year. The general appearance of the whole district, however, is of an encouraging nature, and stands out in bold contradiction to the assertions made some years ago that the land north or west of the present railway line would not grow a crop of grain under any circumstances.