THE CROPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2247, 4 March 1868, Page 5

THE CROPS.

[ Of the various subjects which at present claim the attention of the people of Canterbury there is, perhaps, none of greater moment than that of the following report. The depression which prevailed among farmers during the past year, owing to the low prices of grain and other causes, and which extended to all daises of the community, has naturally caused a considerable degree of anxiety and speculation as to the result of the present harvest. A good deal of doubt prevailed as to the state of the crops, there having been alarming rumours of rust, &c, and it was well known that a considerable amount of grain must have been destroyed bv the late disastrous floods in the northern part of the province. In order to be able in some measure to allay the anxiety and set at rest the doubts, and give our readers a general idea of the damage done to the crops I by the flood, and also to present an approxii mate of the average yield in the several [ districts, a member of our staff has made a , tour of inspection and inquiry through the ! North. We have also made inquiry through . our agents and correspondents in other parts > of the province, and the results we give > separately below. From a perusal of the . reports from the various districts, it will be , gathered that the yield is almost without ex- , ception good everywhere through the country, and, except where visited by the i flood, farmers are in a much more hopeful • position than they were last year. A , comparatively large breadth of wheat ; has been grown this year, and we have before us several excellent samples from various localities. In inspecting these it must be remembered that they have merely been rubbed out of the ear, and of course do not look so well as if they had been , through a dressing machine. Of oats there is perhaps, three times as much as wheat' and they are good everywhere. Barley is scarce in the northern district; there are however some good-sized fields at Eyreton, Fernside, and Rangiora. Potatoes are scarce, and will probably command a high figure, many patches having been injured by rain and flood. Peas and beans are never grown here to any extent, but this year there are some splendid crops, especially at Woodend. The dreaded rust may scarcely be said to have touched early corn at all. Most farmers consider this to be owing to dry weather in the early part of the season, the rust being a fungus which developes itself in a moist and humid atmosphere, growing on the straw, where it intercepts the nourishment in passing up to the corn from the roots. We were informed by a gentleman farming on the Mount Grey Downs that the rust first appeared in his neighbourhood after some damp weather, and that during some dry north-west weather which immediately followed it, the corn ■ seemed to recover surprisingly. From inquiries made among farmers, as to the kinds of wheat best adapted to the climate, we find ' the velvet or downy chaff generally preferred • and this description has been grown this year to a greater extent than any other. It ap- ' pears to be eminently adapted for dry soils,' 1 and yields remarkably well, but its greatest merit is, that it will stand wind better than any other sort without shedding out. This wheat will, for these reasons, continue to be in high estimation among farmers, especially on the dowos. A great variety of otlie'r wheats I ave been grown, and have all turned out fairly; among others, we may mention Essex white, red straw, or Hunter's white, Talavera, and pedigree. The former is generally reckoned the best yielding sort of any, and is in high favour among millers; but it is not much grown on account of its liability to shed. During this season the caterpillar has scarcely been seen anywhere, except on peas, It is generally thought that the cold, wet weather experienced just before Christmas cleared them off, for they have nowhere been seen since. The corn this year is generally remarkably freo from drake, or other noxious weeds, doubtless owing to improved steam threshing and dressing machinery enabling farmers to procure cleaner seed than hitherto.

The harvest in the North may be said to be well advanced, nevertheless very much stacking remains to he done, though in some places this is completed, In a tour through the various districts, one cannot fail to be struck with the small number of thatched Btacks to be seen, and it is difficult to understand how farmers—generally such a thrifty class-can, for the sake of a few shillings' worth of labour spent in thatching their stacks, run the risk of getting their corn damaged by wet. We feel that we can not too earnestly press upon farmers the importance of tbis subject, for on it depends, in an emi-

nent degree, the good or bad name of our corn and flour in the neighbouring colonies and the home markets. Many farmers have an erroneous idea that they can build stacks Boas to keep out wet without thatching,by keeping the middle belts or layers well up, and giving the sheaves plenty of pitch outr wards; of course, this is a very important point in stack building, and ought always to be attended to. Nevertheless, experience has shewn that, however well stacks may be built, driving south-west or north-east rains will penetrate, and then at threshing time tho farmer finds to his sorrow that the corn in the roof of his Btacks is only fit for pigs' food, and is obliged to employ almost as much additional labour to pick out the wet sheaves « would have thatched his stacks had they been taken in proper time. In fact, often for the sake of ten shillings' worth of labour, twenty times that amount of loss is sustained. To return to the report, the second object of which was touivean approximate of the damage done by the flood. We are sorry to be obliged to state that upwards of 1000 acres of corn of all sorts have been destroyed in the Northern districts in those parts visited by the flood, besides probably a larger amount more or less damaged. The land over which the flood rushed and did most damage had generally good crops upon it, being mostly low moist land Estimating the total loss at 1500 acres, and reckoning the crop at 30 bushels to the acre, we have a loss to the farming interest and the province generally of 45,000 bushels, representing a value of some thousands of pounds, and this estimate we fear is considerably under the mark. If this loss, though so great, were evenly distributed, it perhaps would not be so much felt j but it has of course fallen with peculiar force on individual farmers, many of whom will never recover the injury done them by this last calamity. In every other respect save the flood the report cannot but be regarded as highly satisfactory, and, although the acreage of wheat is falling off, while that of oats is increasing, still we think there will probably be a considerable margin of the former over localrequirements for export. We give the districts in the order they were visited.

KAIAFOI. The crops in the neighbourhood of the town, on the north side of the river, have been considerably injured by the flood. The corn here not being very early, there was but a small patch within the town cut, and a good deal of that was recovered afterwards. None of the standing corn was destroyed, but the flood has caused some late oats to ripen prematurely, so that they will hardly be worth cutting. On the Island, owing to its liability to inundation, very little corn was grown at all last year; but from the success of the cutting for the divenion of the overflow from the river, it is probable that this district will in a year or two take its old place among the graingrowing districts of the north. We have not heard of any rust here worth mention Of wheat there is very little, and it will perhaps average 25 bushels. Oats are generally good, and will average 45, Barley-nil. Potatoes, wherever the flood went, are nearly all rotted, or making a second growth; they promised before the flood to yield splendidly

OHOKA. In this district the crops are, on the whole tolerably good; most of the wheat will yield fairly, though some crops are very indifferent. As a rule the early corn is free from' rust, while that which was sown late is mwe or less affected by that disease. There is not a very large breadth of land here in wheat some of the farmers only having enough for their own requirements. All the samples we have seen might be fuller and plumper than they are. The wheat in this district last year areraged about 30 bushels to the acre but will not be above 25 bushels this year.' Early oats are good; late sown oats are medium, being generally touched with rust to a greater or less extent, they will yield somewhere from 35 to 40 bushels to the aereall over. Of barley there is no very large quantity," and it is almost impossible to give an estimate of yield, as some crops will perhaps give 30 bushels to the acre, AThile others will scarcely be worth cutting, haTing gone off with ablight, appearing to ripen prematurely, or to die as it stands. The principal part of the grain in this district is cut, but not» great deal carried. As far as we can hear, the crops have sustained no damage by the flood worth mention. The potatoes, in places, have been destroyed by the heavy rain of February 3rd, which lay in some cases long enough to rot them, and in others causing the ripe potatoes to throw out a second crop, thus making them very weak and watery. There is not,however,a very large quantity of potatoes grown, as last year tbey scarcely paid for the labour of digging them and taking to market.

ETBEION. In this locality we are happy to be able to report that the damage done to the crops by the late flood was not so great as was generally feared, the chief damage being sustained by a few indiTiduals who happened to have some early corn cut, and in the fields, from which the flood swept it away. Mr Murphy, who appears to have been the heaviest sufferer in this respect, lost about 30 acres of oats and wheat, while his potatoes and some ripe standing barley were also destroyed. Three or four other farmers lost small patches of cut corn, about five or six acres each, while some short uncut crops of barley were also destroyed. All the other corn over which the water passed, though flattened down for a time, soon got up again, and is apparently none the worse for its temporary submergence ; in fact, the flood had much the effect of a strong wind, with the exception that it did not shake the corn out. The corn in the vicinity of banks which were washed down is destroyed, sometimes for about a chain from them, and that is about the extent of the damage sustained by the crops in this neighbourhood. This district will probably yield the best of any. We have seen some excellent samples of wheat here, and place the yield at about thirty to the acre. Oats, of which there are twice as much as wheat, will average forty bushels, though some late crops will not go twenty. Iu both oats and wheat the early corn may be pronounced free from rust, while the late is affected by it. Some crops of barley will yield thirty bushels to the acre, while some are very inferior, and will yield nothing like it. Beyond Eyreton, Messrs H. J, Wood and M. Dixon have large cultivations which promise to yield satisfactorily j the former gentleman shewed us some very fair samples of velvet chaff wheat and barley, from both of which he expects to get forty bushels to the acre; he also expects his oats to yield well.

MOERAKI DOWNS, la this part of the country the early crops are generally very satisfactory; iu the lute wheat and oats, the rust has, however, made

its appearance, but does not seem to have done a great deal of damage. The early barley is pretty good, and the oata in some places very heavy, and in others very light. Wheat will probably average 20 to 25, and oats 35 bushels to the acre. These remarks will apply to both north and south Moeraki Downs. Some of the farmers have sustained considerable damage by the late nor'-wester, which have in some instances shaken out twothirds of the com. Potatoes, of which there have not been many grown here, have in some cases suffered by the late rain, in places where there is no facility of drainage, owing to the stiff clay sub-soil retaining the water; but in others, where it could get off readily, very fair crops are expected. Only a few farms in this district were visited by the flood, and here it did the crops uo particular damage, except to some cut corn which was washed away, belonging to Messrs McDowell and Bolton j the former, however, recovered

most of his, while the latter totally lost part of a 20-acre field. In the swamp, Messrs Crysell's and Bichardson's farms were inundated, but as their corn was standing it recovered, and they have since cut It by hand, the land being too wet for the reaping machine.

ASHLEY DOWNS. On these Downs the crops are in a very satisfactory state, with the exception of those in lowlands, adjoining the Ashley, where they have been damaged by the flood. Cultivations extend for about 15 miles above the Bangiora ford of the Ashley, and all the way the crops may be pronounced good. The late disastrous flood has destroyed a considerable

amount of corn between the Ashley Lank school-house and Saltwater Creek, probably more than 200 acres, some of the farms having been converted into shingle beds, and on others the water has rendered the corn utterly useless. With these exceptions the crops win yield a very fair average, and the «l ai . y f t„ larße uan % of the grain is excellent. We have before us some very fir?' 68 ° f w . heat 6«""» in «* locality. Among farmers in this district the velvet aff°«hir epeopleCßllit ' the downy appears to be well adapted for high, dry 1 and ike these downs, and has escaped rust better han any other sort. There is not much rust here in any description of com, and it h nearly confined to late oats, thou»h some late wheat is also affected by it. Most 0 f the wheat is cut, but very little of it stacked at pres nt. There ire many patches of late oat) which will soon be ready for the reapers; but the bulk of the harvesting will very soon be completed. The greater part of the oats are the Tartarian sort, and a good many short oats have been grown also. Barley Ins not been very extensively grown here, what little there is is of fair quality. Blight made its appearance among some of it, in patches, here and there, but so little as to be scarcely worth mention. We place the average yield for this district as follows -.-Wheat, 2j to 30 bushels; oats, at 35; and barley, 25 to the acre.

MOUNT GUET DOWNS. In this large agricultural district there has been no damage done by the floods to the crops and we are happy to bo able to state hat the corn, wherever it was sown in good tnne-and there was very little sown hue—is quite free from rust; this district is also remarkably clear of drake, docks, or other roublesome weeds which are such a pest to the farmer, and do so much damage to the sample. A large amount of wheat has been grown, though here oats, as every where else largely predominate. In our opinion, backed by that of several farmers in the district wheat will average 25 bushels to the acre all over. Early oats are of very fair quality and free from rust; late oats more or less affected by it. Mr Fendall has a crop of oats that will probably yield 70 bushels to the acre Oats will generally average from 30 to 35 bushelBarley is not worth mention, as there is scarcely any cultivated. Yery good peas and beans have been raised here; some of the peas have been injured by caterpillars, which have not been seen in any otherdescription of crop though they have been searched for carefully Of potatoes, there are only sufficient cultivated for local requirements, as the soil is generally too dry to grow them to any extent 'I he bulk of the reaping is done, and after a few days' flue weather, stacking will be actively going on; there is not a great deal of corn in stack at present.

BROWN'S BRIDGE. In this locality all we need remark is that tne crops are very good. Wheat will average 25 bushels; oats, from 30 to 40; barley next to none; potatoes, a fair crop, but not much cultivated. There has not been much rust in this district, the late crops being principally those that have suffered. The harvest here is nearly completed.

WOODEHD, This locality stands higher for average yield than any of its larger neighbours, the crops being in nearly all cases heavy, and they mostly come in very early. In this district the harvest may be said to be over nearly all the corn being cut, and but little remaining to be carried. The wheat is generally of remarkably good quality and will average not much less than 40 bushels to the acre, while oats are expected to yield as much as 50 bushels. There is some good barley, which will go 30 to the acre. More root crops are cultivated here than in anv other part of the Northern district. The potatoes will yield remarkably well, and the farmers will have considerable quantities for sale, as the crop is almost without exception good. Several good sized patches of peas and beans have been grown here; tares have also been a good deal cultivated. In fact, there is a greater variety of crops here than anywhere else in the North The flood did not visit this district sufficiently to do any particular damage. Th»re has been very little rust indeed, but the peas have been somewhat damaged by high winds and caterpillars. The land in this vicinity seems mostly to be hetter farmed than any we have seen elsewhere in this part of the province; the holdings being small,more pains is taken in cultivating the land, A large amount of manure was made use of last year and in our visit to the district we were' pleased to notice several large manure heaps some land being already manured ready for n xt season's ploughing. It is doubtless to this cause, and to the pains taken in the preparation of thesoil.that thehigh average of this district may be attributed, though the land is naturally excellent, and there is no doubt that if the majority of farmers here had less land, and farmed more carefully, it would be much better both for themselves and the community at large,

RANGIOBA. The crops in the immediate neighbourhood of Kangiora are ,'generally very good; some damage has, however, been done by the late flood, but the worst of that is on the plains beyond the town. Farmers here average wheat at 20, oats at 35, and barley at 25 bushels to the acre; but there is nothing like the quantity of land under grain here that there was a few years since, most of the farms being laid down in English grasses. There are no potatoes except enough for growers' own use, and but a small amount of barley. The corn generally was early, and free from rust.

FERNSIDE. _ For convenience we will include both Fernside proper and the plains adjoining it under this heading, as in these localities a greater amount of damage was done to crops than in any other place in the Northern district. The damage here, as elsewhere, is not at all evenly distributed, but has fallen heaviest on a few unfortunate farmers whose land lies lower, and consequently where the water rushed with the greatest force, sweeping away cut crops and burying standing crops under drift and debris of every description; large quantities ofjcom are totally destroyed, and very much more damaged in various degrees. It is no part of our present purpose to enter into details of individual loss; but in order to give a general idea of the loss of crops sustained in this part of the couutry,we are able to state on good authority that probably no less than 600 acres of corn have been totally destroyed by the rush of water which proceeded from the Ashley on the disastrous 4th of February, besides very much more damaged to a greater or less extent. Much of the standing corn that was flooded lias since recovered. The greatest loss of corn was incutcropsj which were swept away wherever the water went. The potatoes have suffered all along the line of the flood; some of them have recovered. This district, before the flood, had excellent prospects of a satisfactory harvest there being no rust in early com, and but little in late. On the land uninjured by the flood the yield will be-wheat, about % bushels to the acre; oats, 35 bushels; and barley, 25 bushels. The land crossed by the flood is about the best in the district, as were also the crops destroyed or injured.

DRAIN' ROAD. Very heavy damage has been sustained by the crops in this vicinity, in the rear of the Church Bush, and on the banks of the Cam, by the late flood. A quantity of corn has been destroyed, and the land rendered so wet anil soft that it was impossible to cut that which did escape. Unfortunately, just as the land was beginning to get so as some hopes began to be entertained of saving a portion at least of the crop, the heavy rain of the 25th ult. caused the main drain to overflow, inundating nearly nil the land lying between it and the Cam. Grave fears are entertained that if the crops are not destroyed by the water, they will be blown out by the wind before they can be cut. There was not a very largo amount of coru here, but a fair yield was anticipated, the crops being very promising. Some of the farmers have a considerable quantity of their corn in stack.