THE CROPS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1156, 24 January 1874, Page 2

THE CROPS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

A special reporter of the Press writes as follows regarding the state of the crops in South Canterbury :—: —

The effects of the recent heavy northwesters have been felt with varying effect, but in most cases very seriously over the whole of this area, the higher land towards the centre of the plain suffaring in a greater degree. That portion of the Lincoln and Springs districts situated between Shand's track and the Great South road being the greatest sufferer, the land in this quarter is chiefly cut up in small holdings, and is for the most part very light, and until the nor'-west weather set in presented a magnificent appearance. Taking into consideration the friable nature of the soil, the system pursued by the small farmers here has been to crop the land year after year ; the consequence is in many; places it is thoroughly exhausted, and wherever this is the case, the dire effects of the wind are most apparent. For three successive seasons the unfavourable weather has caused miserable crops to be the rule. The remedy for this would seem to be laying down the land in grass for five years and cropping it for two, but in very many case 9 poverty prevents this course from being adopted ; surely it would be better for men so situated to work for others until they had saved enough money to buy land in the swamp, rather than drag out the miserable existence too many of them are vow doing. In the hands of large holders this land might be made to pay. , Throughout the Lincoln and Springs districts the wheat is scarcely affected, and in Spreydon and Halswell not at all. Where a crop has been drilled in it has stood the wind better, the grain coming up evenly seems to have taken better hold of the ground. Caterpillars have shown themselves within the last few days in the oats, chiefly in the neighbourhood of Prebbleton. The area of land under crop is about the same as last year in Spreydou and Halswell ; while in Lincoln and Springs sheep are greatly in favour, so that the acreage under crop is diminished! More barley _ has been grown than last year. It is intended to put in large patches of turnips for sheep feed next winter. The mournful anticipations as to the scarcity of labour indulged in by so many do not appear, thus far, to have been realised ; men are more difficult to procure in the immediate neighbourhood of Christchurch than the outlying districts. Good hands, both for shearing and tying, are pouring in from the Thames and West Coast. 180 such arrived lately in one steamer from Auckland, a contingent in itself worth a whole fleet of emigrant vessels. The cockatoos are also turning out to work in large numbers. These onuses combined have had the effect of dropping the prices asked a week or two since, which no farmer could afford to pay, as much as 18s per acre having been demanded for tying early barley ; they now range from 8s to 12a. The hay orop haa been generally very good, and. root cfcopa «c toolwig well.