HARVEST INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1216, 10 March 1880, Page 2

HARVEST INTELLIGENCE.

Grain is collecting fast in the Whitstone. district, pending the completion of the railway siding now in progress there. The exact total yield for the district is not yefc known, but it will .without doubt be larger than that of any previous'year. We have been favored with the follow-, ing notes from the Waiareka and Whitstone districts :—Thrashing is now general throughout these districts, and all. the mills are fully employed. The probable yield of wheat will be from 30 to 50 bushels. Rust attacked the crops, but in such small patches that the damage it. will occasion will . be but trifling. The yield of barley' has been excellent, the average being 50 bushels, to the acre. The only thing to be regretted is that it' has in some cases been slightly discolored- through the showers. Oats are threshing out well, and, so far, the yield has averaged 70 bushels, : whilst the quality is excellent. The average yield of all kinds of grain crops is good, but the giant straw'has caused higher expectations than will be realised,- The farmers complain that the sparrows are a great nuisance in the; district.

In New South Wales light drizzling rains prevailed during the third week in last month. The wheat (says the Sydney Mail) is nearly all, if not quite garnered, and in the majority of districts the farmers have but low offers for this cereal. The want of railway communication is severely felt, for it will not pay to convey heavy produce over ordinary roads tothe coast. Pastoral affairs are decidedly improving. The improvement of the London wool market and the prospects opened for shipping meat,are enlivening, and'those who hold stocked runs are far more hopeful than they were six months back. The-vineyards are yielding well, as: .the stores of grapes which reach the metropolis, amply testify,, If rain comes, ploughing will be vigorously carried out; but the threshing machines occupy the attention of farmers at present. The stock of the Colony are in fair condition and healthy, but pleuro still keeps in many .districts. Bathurat, Warialda, and Singleton seem in this respect most affected. Thelive stock markets are still dull, and the prioes for fat are absurdly low,

I "Harvest operations in Tasmania (according to a recent number of the Mail) continue brisk. As a rule the yield; is excellent, but much damage has been done by caterpillars. Fortunately : red ■rust has been conspicuous by its absence. The threshing out in Victoria continues to give satisfaction, a high average being "eeheraliy obtained. Of late the weather has been too dry, and the Leader in remarking' on this point, says :—The _ continuance of the drought is giving rise ;to serious apprehensions, for the rains have only been light and very partial. What ■was looked upon as a general breaking up of the dry weather has proved to have beeu> only' a series •of summer showers, and there t are,-,:veryfew ; indications of an immediate f diangei, :,,,., , ~,.•-. ~ ; The weather in South Australia has reWntly been very hot;' arid" dry, arid rain is rivuefo required to' enable farmerk to' coriimenca ploughing, :V : < ' ;.-•' v