THE CROPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5892, 14 January 1880, Page 3

THE CROPS.

The following description of the state of the crops in Ashburton County has been forwarded by our correspondent. It must be explained that the report was written before yesterday’s rain fell: — TINWAID, WATBETON, AND LONGDEACH. Proceeding down Graham’s road, the various crops that are to be seen en route are veryencouraging, and some splendid areas of all kinds of cereals and root crops are to be met with. In nearly every case they are not so forward as in the other districts, but the yields will invariably be heavier. The acreage is nearly as large as that of last season, wheat being the largest. Some fine fields of peas are here and there to be seen, which will return good heavy yields. The rust has made its appearance in the oat crop, but not to any serious extent. The crops of oats are remarkably heavy, and the sample very large and plump. Through the Wheatstone and Ashton districts some first-class crops are to be met with, and will no doubt yield a handsome return. The wheat crops are heavy and are well forward, and will be ready for the reaper in about three weeks’ time. Barley has not been sown very largely, but what there is premises well.

At Longbeach there are some splendid paddocks of oats and wheat; in fact, the heaviest crops in the whole County. In some places the rain has laid the crops, and they do not look so even, nor will they give such a good return, owing to the difficulty that will be experienced in reaping them with the binders. The oats are also very heavy, and have been laid rather badly in some places. The recent fine weather has been most beneficial, as it has prevented the rust from making any further havoc, and also lifted the heavy crops up again in many instances. The hay crops have been very heavy, and some capital fodder and seed has been secured this season. There is a good prospect of a second crop of clover hay being shortly ready for reaping, so fast has been the growth in all the clover paddocks. The potato and turnip crops are promising well, and heavy yields are anticipated. The fly has made its appearance in one or two places in the latter, but not in sufficient quantities to do any harm yet. A few paddocks of oats and barley have already been reaped, and the sample of both are excellent, far above the average of last season. The estimated yields will not he far short of the following : —Wheat, 40 ; barley, 30 ; and oats, 50 bushels per acre. Winsiow, Hinds, and Uppbb Ashbtjbton. The various crops met with in these districts are very good, and will invariably return heavy yields. The acreage under cultivation and in crop, is very much larger than last year, and should a fine harvest time follow, a very large quantity of grain will be sent from these districts. The branch railway, now nearly completed, will come into use it is confidently expected during this season. This will be found to be of great service to the many farmers, who have found their way into the Upper Ashburton neighbourhood, as it will place them on the same footing as those who have been living in more favoured districts with regard to cost of carriage.

The principal area in this district is sown with wheat and oats, barley not being generally met with anywhere, except, in small patches. The crops are not so heavy as at Longbeach and Wakanui, but there is every prospect of good yields, with a first-class sample of grain, in nearly every instance. Towards the Eangitata the crops are rather heavier than in other places, and promise good yields should the weather keep up. They are as a rule later than at Long beach, but will come on remarkably fast if a spell of fine dry weather should ensue. The crops on the Westerfield estate are very good, and include some fine fields of barley and wheat. Turnip and root crops have been largely sown, and look very promising. A number of homesteads have sprung up on the plains between the Ashburton and the Eangitata rivers within the past two years, making a pleasing change from the dreary waste of swamp and tussock which was visible a short time back. A large number of reapers and binders are to be seen in these districts, and will no doubt bo soon in full work. The estimated yields of cereals are —Wheat 35, oats 40, barley 28, bushels per acre. Mount Sombes and Abhbueton Foeks. As in other districts, the crops to be seen in this part of the County are far superior to those of last season. In the former district they will be about three weeks later than those at Chertsey or Wakanui. The wheat appears to be strong and healthy, and will no doubt fill out well in the ear, and yield well should fine dry weather follow. Plenty of rain has fallen here to be of service to the crops, and it is feared if any more comes, rust will make its appearance in a bad form. The oat crops look very fair, and good yields are expected. There are some capital farms to be met with in the Forks district, and fine crops are to be seen, including wheat, oats, and barley, all of which appear to promise heavy yields. The wheat crop appears to predominate as regards acreage, and will give thebest returns, as the soil is one that is particularly adapted to this cereal in a wet season; consequently little damage has been done by the heavy rains of last month. Messrs Gould and Cameron have some magnificent crops of all kinds, and the yields will, it is anticipated, be very good. The wheat grown on this estate “ topped the English market last year, fetching some 5s per quarter more than any other sample of the same cereal grown in the County. The crop now to be seen is an excellent one, and shows what systematic farming can produce. The yield of wheat on this estate will probably turn out to be fully 50 bushels per acre, and the other cereals proportionately as great. The average yields in these districts will bo as follows":—Wheat, 35 bushels; oats, 40 bushels, and barley, 26 bushels per acre. Mbthten and Baeb Hm. The construction of the Alford Forest and Bakaia Bail way has given a great impetus to all kinds of agricultural pursuits in those districts north of the Eakaia township, and large areas under crop are now to be seen in all directions.

The favourable season so far has been equally productive of good results to the farmers who have cultivated their land as in other districts. The crops on the whole look remarkobly well; in faot, far bettor than they have over been known before, due acreage under crop is very much larger 'than last year, and includes all kinds of cereals, with a fair proportion of root crops, me latter consisting principally of turnips. In some places oats have been cut, ana me quality is first-class. Barley has not been sown very largely, but what there is appears to be of good It is expected that the branch railway, already referred to, will bo ready for use this season, and should such be the case, the benefit therefrom cannot bo under-estimated. A large number of reapers and binders have found their way into these districts lately, and will be universally used during me present season. It will be remembered that the first reaper and binder trial in South Canterbury took place at Methven about two years ago, when the M'Oormick machine came oft

with first honours, and ever since this make of machine has been principally used in the Mothvon district.

The estimated yields in those districts will bn on the average about as follows: —Wheat, 37 bushels; oats, 45 ; barley, 28 per acr<;. South Rakaia and Acton. In these districts some of the finest wheat growing land is to bo found in the whole County. There is a good acreage under crop, chiefly in wheat, but not so much as last year. On the Acton estate there arc some very fine crops to be seen. The oats and barley crops are excellent, hut not bo good as are to bo found at Longbeach or Wakanui. Towards the sea, however, there are some very fine crops of both these cereals, and the yields will be found equal, if not superior to that of many other districts. The samples of the various kinds are plump and bright, and the straw clean. There is no appearance of rust, but blight has slightly affected some small patches here and there, but not sufficient to hurt the yields. Oats and barley have been cut in some places, and the samples appear to bo first-class. Turnips have been sown freely and fair crops are anticipated. In one or two places, the wheat crops will average felly 60 bushels per acre, should fine weather now follow for the next few weeks. Harvest will become general throughout these districts in about three weeks. The wheat is well filled out in the ear, and only requires five or six days warm sun to make it fit for cutl ing. The estimated yields are as follows: Wheat 45, oats 50, and barley 30 bushels per acre. Wakanui and Sbaeield. The favourable appearance of all kinds of crops must be most cheering to those who have witnessed them, and more particularly to those to whom they belong. In every direction they look remarkably well, and possibly cannot be excelled in many districts throughout Canterbury. The acreage under crop is not, however, so large as that of last season, which may be accounted for by the bad harvests of the past two seasons, and the ill effects thereof. Whatever deterring effects the two past seasons referred to may have had, it is gratifying to know that the farmers in this neighbourhood determined to “ try again,” and this season will, it is hoped, make up for their previous losses. In the Wakanui district the crops are, without any exception, particularly fine. Wheat has been largely sown, and looks extremely well, being in a nice even, and well forward state. The straw is in some places fully six feet long, the ears well filled, and no appearance of rust or other defects visible. The oat crops are well forward, and some patches have been already harvested on several farms. There is a good acreage of this cereal under crop, and the yield will be heavier than for years past. Barley has not been sown to any great extent, but what there is is first-class, and will no doubt turn out bright samples when threshed, should there be fine weather for a short time longer to enable the crops to be properly stacked. There is not a large area sown in root crops. Potatoes predominate and look extremely well, and the yield will no doubt be heavy. Towards Seafleld the whole of the crops are looking very fine indeed. Wheat has been largely sown, but in some places is not so fine as could be wished. The oat crops are fajr, and will yield a good return. The estimated yields are as follows Wheat, 38 ; barley, 27; cats, 45 bushels per acre. The crops of hay for seed have been remarkably heavy this season, and a large quantity of hay for fodder has been secured in fine condition.

Ohebtsey, Dbomobe, and Cahbeidgb. Here the past season has been of the utmost benefit to all owners of property, owing to the dry nature of the soil, and the absence of trees or shelter of any kind. The heavy rains during the early spring have made the crops in these localities promise exceedingly well, and nowhere can the sample of grain be surpassed in the County, The acreage under crop is larger, perhaps, here than in other parts, owing to a very much greater proportion of land being cultivated this season than in previous years. More spring wheat, however, would have been sown had the weather been a little drier; as it fortunately happens, the greatest acreage is in wheat sown last autumn. The crops as a whole loot extremely well, and heavier yields than in any previous year are confidently expected, should a few weeks of favourable weather ensue. Taking the wheat crops first, it may be remarked that they are not so heavy in the straw as in other districts, but the heads are very heavy, and the sample will be good, and will average about 35 bushels per acre. The oats are very fine, and some, which are now being cut, will yield fully 60 bushels per acre. The average yield of the cereal will be about 45 bushels. Barley has been freely sown this season, and the acreage under cultivation of this cereal is the largest in the County. Mr John Grigg has 600 acres of barley, fully ripe, and is now being cut. The yield will be a good one, but the sample will, it is feared, be slightly discoloured from the unfavourable weather that has been experienced. The nor’-west wind of Saturday last did a great deal of damage to this crop, and it is feared others have suffered to some extent from this cause. The average yield of barley will be about 28 bushels per acre. The root crops are all looking well, notably the potatoes, which are well forward. The turnip paddocks are showing up well, and there is a considerable acreage of this valuable root crop under cultivation this season.

The estimated acreage under crop in these districts is as follows : Wheat, 14,000 ; barley, 3009 ; oats, 10,000 5 and the average yield about Wheat, 35 ; oats, 40 ; barley, 28 bushels per acre. In concluding this report on the crops in the Ashburton County, it is but fair to state that on a good few farms, where the soil has been favourable for the growth of wheat during a wet season, the owners have estimated their crops of this cereal to promise fully 60 bushels per acre, and this assertion will no doubt prove a correct one in the majority of cases, if they are fortunate to get them secured during fine weather. 1