Agricultural Items.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1520, 19 February 1886, Page 5

Agricultural Items.

(I*OM OVft OWS CORRSSrON PINTS.)

Harvesting operation! hare began in various parte of the district, and will soon be general throughout •hould the weather continne favorable. The rain experienced at the beginning of the week has given a considerable cheek to the ripening of the cereal crops ; bat, though somewhat late in the season for the more advanced crepa, it may prove beneficial in the war of allowing the heads of the less forward °nei to fill, and prevent ripening prematurely, as would be the case had the drought prevailed much longer without a break. A* very little of this year's growth has yet been threshed out, one is unable to speak with much certainty regarding the yield. I Hit, judging by the appearance of the crops thronghont the district generally, it is en?ouragin2 to believe that the returns will prove much more satisfactory than was at first anticipated. At aayrate, there heed be no hesitation in assertin? that the qwJity of the greater part of the wheat ind barley in the district promises t« be terv good this season, it being well filled and of *n excellent eolnr.

Ftrmem were complaining about the showery weather of the p»«t few days. It must be admitted that the recen? rains may have somewhat interrupted harvesting operations, and would have heen more useful if it had come earlier : but though late, the eeneral cood that mill result from it will mnch more t!ian cnnnterl>alanee any injury it has done. Pasture lands and root crops, snch as turnips, will be grcatlv Vnefitted. and no donbt many stockowners will take ad vantage of the present moisture by towing turnips and other crops necessary for winter and spring feed. We have still three or fonr months of " growing" weather before ns in which to make np, in some measure at least, for the effects of the late drought.

Fortunately, the interruption of harvest operations by the recent break in the weather has not been a very serious one, and there is now a prospect that the "mps will soon be all in safety. It is not too mnch to sav that upon no previous time have the agricultural capabilities of the district been pat to so severe a test than was the case during summer, and it is {ratifying to note that it passed through the ordeal with credit. In spite of the severe drought there are many good crops at Speargrass Flat, Miller's Flat and on the Crown Terrace. At the latter place—a» a'so at Head of the Lake— are even several paddocks of capital oats, which product is a general failure this season in Other plan* as well as the Wakatipn. The whest on the Crown Terrace, as far as can I* judged, is of excellent quality : in fact, it has never been better, and the same may be said of the barley. The croaking we have heard of late about the agricultural prospect of the district has chiefly been a reflex of general complaints, and betides havirg bad a depressing effect upon our farmers, may be accounted as the reason for the rise in the price of oats, of flour and bread in portions of this district. Whatever the commercial justification for such a rise may be, it is certainly not the dearth of wheat, for after the home demand is supplied there will •till be surplus for export.