THE CANTERBURY CROPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4125, 2 February 1875, Page 3

THE CANTERBURY CROPS.

[FItOM Tin: " I.VTTELTON TIM lIS."] Ari r.it a cartful inspection of the crops in the northern districts of the province, it is very gratifying to be able to report that they are in every sense superior to those grown in any former year, ami although present prices are not so good as last year, it will be found in the majority of cases that the farmer's annual income will be increased rather than diminished owing to the greater yield and better quality of grain he w ill be able to bring into the market. The cercals grown on Kaiapoi Island, at Waiknku, Woodend, the .Native Reserve, and the Rangiora Swamp, nearly always shew a good yield and plump sample, but the success of the crops on the plains and low-lying downs depend upon a plentiful supply of rain up to the middle of December, at the latest. Unfortunately for the farmers on the plains the weather is, as a rule, so unreliable that the rain docs not come socn enough to produce heavy yields, and those located near the hills have to run the risk of heavy sweeping hailstorms, which invariably make their appearance w hen the grain is about lit for the reaper. At the latter part of November last, the crops on the plains looked regularly parched up with drought, and although rain promised to fall several times it refused to carry out the promise till those ehielly interested began to despair of their chance of having anything to harvest this year. Fortune, however, favoured tbem at the last | moment, ami rain fell copiously for several days, producing (juite an agreeable revolution in agricultural prospects. From that time the crops seemed to have gained new life, and taken altogether, a better or more plentiful harvest has never been seen in the North. | The harvest was rather more than a fortnight later this year than last, on account of the late rains, and the grain ripened evenly and gra- 1 dually in the almost entire absence of lior'-westers, winds usually very prevalent in December and January. The excessive heat of the sun was agreeably tempered by nor'east wiritLa, and the grain tilled well in the ear. There" ivas not nearly so much straweven on heavy laud as formerly, and the labour of tying was considerably reduced; still, harvest labourers demmded high prices for tying, and in most instances obtained what they asked, l'rices for this work ruled from 9s to 1-s (id per acre with rations, but the latter was only paid in vi-ry few instances. 'Phe crops did not all ripen at the same time, as is commonly the case, and the demand for labour was not so great as anticipated, but the supply was in excess of the demand in most districts. Oat crops were fully a week, and in some cases a fortnight, earlier than wheat crops, many of which are not yet out ; and barley, of which there was very little, was rather late, but generally of good sample. .Most of the oats are now cut and in stook, but the nor'-wester of .Sunday last shook a good many ripe standing crops, ami several of the owners deserve to lose for their indolence and false security in refusing to consider the uncertain weather the -N e ,v Zealand farmer has to contend against, and lor not getting their crops out at once, instead of waiting till the " beginning of the -week." la the subjoined particulars under the heads of the different Road Board districts special mention of any good or bad crop has been avoided, and the estimated averages, wliieh will be found rather uiyler than over the

mark, have been carefully compiled. It has hitherto been the custom to estimate for subdistricts only, but in the present case this has been abandoned, as the boundaries of Road Board districts are more clearly and intelligibly defined, and more generally known by the public. There is not such a large area under crop in the Xorth this year, but the number of bushels of grain produced will be fully up to, if not in excess of, last year's statistics. Under each lload District heading is placed last year's agricultural statistics as compiled by the Government sub-enumerators. The appointments have now been made for the present yeai, and the collectors will shortly get to work, but the value of their labours is considerably lessened from the fact that nearly the whole of the crops change hands before business men have an opportunity of seeing the statistics.