SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14343, 1 May 1912, Page 11

SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Wintry weather came on Saturday evening, when a hot north-west day was succeeded by a cold southerly gale and a downpour or' rain which lasted until midday on Sunday. The ranges art , thickly covered with .snow, and ino>t of tlu , streams are in heavy fresh. A severe frost on Sunday night cut bucl» most things in the gardens, and

altogether did a considerable amount of harm. Farm work in rather backward on account of weather delays, and much less ploughing has been accomplished than at this period of last year; though probably on the principles of "out of sight out of mind,' , the crops of wheat which had failed to mature were quickly turned underneath. Reports of tho potato crop, arc not so satisfactory' as could bo wished, for though tho yield is heavy in many places, a great quantity of the tubers arc diseased. A current prico is nino shillings per bag, and it is no unlikely that they, will cost much more than this before the end of the winter, unless outside supplies aro received. Two shilling and sixpence is being asked and paid for-oats, so it will be gathered that dwellers in the country aro having a pretty expensive time all round. On the whole tho stock is looking well, and grass feed is fairly plentiful, but tho root crops haveT not made the progress which might have Wen expected in such a year. At the moment of writing on Monday night, it is again snowing along the hills, and a bitterly cold wind is making the plain a most unpleasant place.