AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue LXVII, 30 January 1904, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

The ciops throughout the district (says the liiuce- ilcnild) «no looking in uploudul condition, itnci give every piomibo ot splendid yields. Ihe piihuiiMge is much uiitter in quality and quantity than laat jour. Clover is exceptionally luxuriant this seubon. Turnij) thinning is now pietly general all over tho district, ana tins crop is looking well. Tho Mock, especially iambs, are looking exceedingly well (slutes the Peel forest correspondent ol liio Lyiteiton Tnue&). Tne Clip in light. As I predicted, blioauiig tallies aru disclosing iho iowui I ot iiiau winter's snow. 1 hear ol loHsoa of buUO, 70U0, 600, and bo on, ana l hero havo been losses on v small .scule in muny places during bhouriug operations by storms. » Fitty Border Leicester stud and flock rums, lrom the Grievo and M'Crostlio Hocks, weio hent lrom Southland to W'ellingion at tlio end ol iasl weuk. 'ihe wenthor continues hot and dry, real South Caiitctbury summer weuthet, just Uio kind lOquired to ripen the harvest, says the Timuru Pofct, ut the end ot last week. Somo larmers, wo hear, would be gittd of ti shower Of rain, and townsfolk would not object to having the dust ol thu strcois lixed again. The crops throughout West Taiori aro looking splendid, lhey are down in a lew piacos, but generally speaking everything looks very satistuctory. It is expected that harvesting will commence m about a month's time. The fruitgrowers in the Nelson district anticipate having a record crop this year. The export of raspberies and curniuts is now in lull swing, and tho various gardens pies.ent a busy scono with the crowds of pickers at work. An exceptionally heavy crop of poars and app.es is expected this season. UoosebeiTies can bo hud tor the asking nearly everywhere. Tho crops of ovory description in tho Ngapura and Alacrowheiiua districts (says the Uanuiru Mail) are looking in splendid order, and with the very lino weather wo aro now experiencing cutting will soon become pretty general. Some of those interested in tho dairy industry wou.d like to see a littio moisture to bring on the grass, but it is questionable whether i|. would be, ot general benelit to the oiops. The splendid \ dry season has had a wondcrlul cifect on the iruit crops on the West Coast of the South Island. Never for years has there boon such a t>plendid crop of plums as those now to be seen in nearly every garden. In somo gurdeus tho trees havo to bo propped up, ns the branches are unable to carry the weigul of fruit. Thero is also a splendid crop of app.es. Tho harvest in Hawkes Bay this season is highly satistactory. In some parts of the piovuiee tho crops have been phenomenal. Owing to various causes, tac uheop aro very (scarce, and are commanding good pneos. IlurveftUiig has already commenced in the Miltord (Temuka) district, tho ciops indicating an excehcut yield. A large numbor of Australian harvesters havo arrived in Temuka during tho past lew days. Harvest operations aro now pretty general through tho Kirwce, Counenay, JJurllold, and Ureendalo districts. There aro Home good crops in places, but tho bu.k ot ceru&is nro on iho light side. Tlio grass puddoekt are very bare of iecd, and the turnip und rape ciops mo a-t a standstill lor tho want of rain, which is very badly needed. Higher up lrom Darllold, through the Racecourse Hiil, Sheffield, and Springfield districts, and awuy again across through tho Coalgate and South Malvorn districts, whoro showers of rain havo been much mure iretiuonl, and pastured are greet), and there is mi übundauco of feed, while the turnip and rapo crops are looking very promising. Many excellent crops of wheat and oats uro also to be teen. A settler on tho Wiiimnto Plains, near Manaiiv, received JMOO m pajmont for milk of 400 cows during December. Over £130 lor tho month was leturned by a dniry of 129, of which 50 woio hoifers. The North Otago Times says that it is estimated that tho depreciation in tho valuo of oats now held in this district since the period when Homo-going steamors were carrying grain cargoes at 15s per ton wouid considerably moro than pay tlio entire intore.st on tho proposed loan for harbour improvement of £17,0uu. The farmers in this district missed tho market owing to the nbsonce of wharfage accommodation for large steamers. A.though the sultry weather may be just tho thing for arable fanners who desire their grain crops dried off, so that they etui fhrenh out of stook, yet tho sluop-farmer (says the Christchnrch Press) is not so pleased, since his grass is turning a khaki huo and tha waterraces aro losing their supply. Excellent progress hns been mado with harvesting oat* and enrly wheat, and very good yields aro expected. This week the reaping of wheat in Ashley, Cheviot, and Aiuuri Counties, our correspondent states, will bo getting into swing. Looking ut a grain-growing area, it is now a marvel compared, with the old methods of evon tho sido delivery reaper, to witness tho celerity with which, on any unfavourable signs in tho weather, tho crop covering hundreds of acres is safely bundled into sheaves and stooked, to save- tho grain from being shod on the ground. Peas aro proving a good crop,, and aro being harvested. Beans are promising a good yield. Potatoes also promise well. Haymaking in tho Taranaki district is still done in the old-stylo neighbourly fashion. Ono helps the other until both lots arc done. This is rendered necessary by Iho scarcity of labour (says tho Howera Star). It is also a saving in another way. Most farmora have only one cart, and as thoy require two, it meets tho case to mako tho arrangement indicated. A good deal of ensilage is being made this year, but mostly by people on largo holdings. Tho small farmer and tho dairyman still prefer hay. Tho causo of this is attributed to the fact that comparatively little is known of ensilage, nnd also that later on it 'a much moro difficult to hnncllD than hay. Farmers throughout tho district aro jubilant at tho result of -tho weather so far (says the Hawora Star). A groat many crops are much in advance of any previous seasons, and in most cases show good returns. Grass ha* beon plentiful, und tho yield of milk tho largest for years. All tho factories should show a. big increase, and it is a fact worthy of mention that Kaupokonui on Thursday paid out about £7000 to the suppliers. The hay-making season has boen excellent, and tho stuff saved is of splendid quality. Most of tho farmers have now finished the work, but thero uro yob a few w-iih tho grass still unstaclcod. Early potatoes have dono exceptionally well, but it is expected that, tho scarcity of rain Tately will spoil tho later varieties. Onions are doing exceedingly well, and arc about a month ahead of last year. All root crops nnd grass, however, could do with a few gontlo showers. .Grain crops nro practically a failure, owing to Iho rust, and a 'good quantity hns been put down as ensilage. The harvesting on, tho Wairnu Plain (says the Daily Times) is proceeding ulidor favourabfo conditions. Generally speaking, tho threshing returns aro satisfactory, a. good avevago yield being obtained, and tho grain being o( good qunliK'. Thero has been a certain amount of rust in tho oats, but tho troublo is not nearly so great, as that being experienced in tho North Island. A number of lapwings weto liberated near Hinut-rn, Waikalo, a few days ajjo. They ate true friends of tlio fnriner, hying on they do upon slugs and kim'ntl thing*,