THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8729, 27 February 1894, Page 6

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

In the North Canterbury district tbe weather on Saturday and yesterday wea very squally, And the rain came down nt times in torrents. The rivers were flooded, but not seriously. Towards yesterday evening the weather cleared, and as the clouds lifted they revealed a heavy fall of snow on the hills.

Up to Sunday last, writes our Ellesmare correspondent, beautiful weather has beeu experienced and has greatly assisted in harvesting the few late crops of corn as woll as ripening the bean and clover crops. On Sunday morning a change took place in bhe weather, and it has since rained very heavily with a low temperature. To-day (Monday) was quite a mid-winter day. The yields from the threshing machines continue very low, while the sample is not a good one. The average of wheat up co the present time ia from 17 to 20 bushels, barley. 14 to 17, aud oats from 40 to 50. Some* good yields of oats have been threshed. Last week Mr Robert Moorhead's machine threshed 6300 bushels of Canadian oat* at Mr J. R- Campbell's farm at Southbridge for three days' threshing, aud on one day put through 2200 bushels. The clover crops generally are filhug out very well, the few crops already handled being full ot fiae heavy se~d. Fine weather ia much needed for this crop. The large acreage in the Ellesmere district this season means more to the district than the wheat crop if.it can be successfully saved.

Our Malvern correspondent writes t— Southerly rain, with a fairly strong breeze and very low temperature, set iv here on Saturday night, continuing until late on Sunday night. Monday broke fine, but in the afternoon heavy cold showers fell at intervals. There is a good coating of snow on the ranges. The thermometer early ou Monday was at 34-quite a winterly reading. There is still a large quantity of grain in stook ; in fact, oa one or two farms cutting is not yeb completed. A lot of stacks were run up last week, which was the first wholly fine one this harvest season. Threshing of aome lobs has taken place, and the same old tale is told—wheat very poor, although when standing it looked of the best, and oats good. A couple of lots have gone over fifty bushels per acre, bub all round bhe thresniu'.; will be disappointing to farmers and mill-owners.

During the last fortnight tine weather lias been experienced at Waimate, and farmers have been working day aud nighb to U»ke advantage of it, consequently the bulk of the wheat is now in stack, although there is still some standing uucub in the Hook and Makikihi districts. Oats are being cub, and bhis crop, says our correspondent, i- going bo burn out well, both as regards quantity and quality, and will in some degree make up tor the wheat, which is nearly all blighted, and will thresh out a much larger proportion of seconds than usual. The heavy raius of the winter and spring have caused a great abundance of straw, but the heads are poor and badly blighted. The weather changed on Saturday ufternoon and rain fell, but on Sunday afternoon it cleared up, and to-day (Monday) looks promising. It is to be hoped ib will keep up for auot.her fortnight, as it will take that time before many tanners have their crops safely iv stack. Grass is still abuudauc, aud the stubbie feed is very yood, in fact it looks as if it was ail sown down in grass. Stock do not appear to be doing so well as usual, perhaps on account ot the watery nature oi the feed. Turnips, where .the sorrel has nob gained the mastery, are excellent, but those sown late appear to have done better thau the eariy ones.