THE HARVEST IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 17

THE HARVEST IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

RBDCLIFF, WATAKI, AND WAtHAO. In the Redcliff and Waitaki North districts crops all round are very good, and promise a general high average. Wheat should run nearly 33 bushels per acre all over, and oats 36. Messrs Hurst, Goodson, Shearer, Geddes, Simpkiuson, and Allan M'Lean of Waikakahi have excellent crops of oat 9 and wheat. Nearer the Waitaki in the cases of Messrs M'Kabe, A. C. Pelvin, Gibson, Wallace, Bain, Johnston, R. Stuart, Rogerson, and Fleming, together with Messrs Aitkenhead,M'Gimpsey,Cameron, Kane, Robertg on Burke, Davis, Lane, and M'Kenzie, the crops are variable, but the general run are up to ordinary expectations. Mr M'Lean has an area of nearly 5000 acres under turnips and 300 acres oats on tho estate, which should thresh over the district's average. Harvest if general, fl nd when the disagreeable north and south winds have subsided, harvest and grass seed threshing will proceed more pleasurably. On the Waitaki Plain tho wheat is not very promising, and a low average over the plain will be a certainty. From 15 to 18 bushels at the outside will be the running yield. The people on the plain are in the thick of the harvest, as are also all the Lower Waihao farmers. Mr P. J Murphy, Earliedale, has harvested his barley, a very fair crop, and he has 250 acres of >heat and 240 acres of oats yet to negotiate. The former should run the average, and the latter about 20 bushels per acre. Mr James Campbell has 100 acres of clean looking wheat, rather thin. Mr John Hanley has 150 acres wheat and 150 of oats to harvest. Messrs John Morris, Martin M'Donough, John Ryan, Peter Burke, and Edward Crow, all large farmers, have considerable areas of their estates under wheat and oats. Mr Patrick Hanley, Whitecastle farm, has 300 acres of oats and wheat ; aud Mr John Carroll about 100 acres in gram crop. Messrs O'Brien Brothers, Waihao, huvo, with their Midfleld property, near Waimate, about 210 acres in oats aud 180 in wheat. One hundred and forty acres of the wheat is on part of the Waimate estate at Willow bridge. This crop is nearly all ljing down, and is being cut with back-delivery reapers. The crop itself for a largo area is a phenomenal one, but the extra cost of harvesting will absorb the profit of an extra yield. Mr George Morten's crops look well ; and those on tho Native reserve, though patchy, will yield fairly well. The very wet spring is answerable far the backward slate of the crops all over the flat. Messrs Price and Manchester, Waimate, who have large areas under grain near the Waitaki, have prospects of very good yields. There seems to be no scarcity of labourers for harvest work. Outside of contractors, men for stooking and generally knocking about can be got by the week for 30 * and found. Farmers are in hopes that, though wheat way not be such a big item in the district, the price will bo well kept up. It is generally believed here that oats will advance after the first rush of the new season's crop.