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Otago Witness, Issue 1931, 26 February 1891, Page 16

Lttttri in order to ba In time for the line lUMoediog th» 4m on whlek Uuy tt* mitUn mart rtaob Danedin by TOBBDAT SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES. (From Oub Own Cobbbspondent.) THE WEATHER AND THE HARVEST. " The weather has been fine and warm during the montfa, but too dry. It was frequently remarked that the heat was not great during the two previous months, but February Is not "passing away without bringing a goodly number of very warm days. There have been a few frosty mornings, but the frost was too slight to injure potatoes or wheat. It may be remarked that if the few showers of rain which fell during the month had fallen generally over the district, the crops would have been benefited to a greater extent than has been the case. The rain fell over small areas only. To-day one district may be receiving a copious shower, and to morrow another district, leaving the one which received it the previous day without a drop. After all, however, we have not much to complain about. The crops are ripening a week earlier than appearances indicated at the beginning of the year; but the yield will in all probability be nearly up to expectations. It will probably be about the same as it has been during our best seasons of late years. It has to be recorded, however, that on some farms there is nearly a fourth of the crop destoyed by smut, but this will not affect the aggregate yield, as the smut appears seriously only la the Sutherland variety, and only where it was not treated with a solution of bluestone. There is, it is satisfactory to record, a much larger area under sparrowbill than Sutherland. The small birds are reducing the quantity of grain considerably all over Southland, and if the increase of birds is not checked farmers will, in the course of a few years, not be able to estimate how much oats they will have until they are threshed. Blight has also appeared in the oats, but only in small patches. It seems to be worse on leas of medium quality, as well as tend that has produced crops of oats in succession for a few years. Some ascribe the presence of blighted oats to the slight frosts which occurred this month, and they point for proof to a season two or three years sinoe when blight appeared after frost. I am very doubtful if the frosts have anything to do with it, and feel more inclined to ascribe the blight to there being too little moisture in the soil for a considerable time after the grain appears in the ear. Parenthetically, it may not be amiss to say that blight is neither smut nor rust, It is a decay of the plant evidenced by the straw becoming a whitish yellow. Examination shows the glumes to be empty if the blight appears ah an early stage, or partially so if it occurs when t'-' j oatß are ripening. Ou pulling up the stem th^ r its are found to be rotten. A good deal of oats have been cut dowi. >'-°ady, and reaping will be general about the en: f this week. This is just about our usual time for commenoing harvest work in favourable seasons. Harvest hands are not numerous, but farmers see: a to nave no difficulty in finding as many as they require. In a week or two more will be wanted. There is not now the large number of men required on the harvest field that was once the case, and farmers now face the harvest with tranquil minds. The rate per hour for a number of years has been 9d and found. This will no doubt be the ruling wage this year also. Chinamen are looking out for harvest work through being unable to continue mining in consequence of the scarcity of water. REAPERS AND BINDERS. In two or three years it is probable that every farmer in Southland who has as much as 50 acres of crop to reap will have a binder of his own, judging from the number of machines that are finding their way on to the farms every year. For a few years some who had not a large urea to cub were picturing to themselves various difficulties .likely to be met with, and asserting that there was no machine like the baok delivery for getting over the ground. But now, with improved machines, farmers talk of getting over 10 aorei a day, and no one says a word in favour of the back-delivery reaper. AH the agents for the various makers are selling a large number of machines, but ithere is of course a moiety of them which are reckoned superior to the other*. The light machines are preferred, as they are found quite strong enough in careful hands. The frame is the prisoipal thing, as when once it gets out of line the machine is not of much account. The principal causes of deterioration are jolting in rough ground, putting an undue strain on the machine going through hollows abounding with sedge grass or rushes, and negligence in oiling. In the hands of tome men three or four seasons Bees a machine pretty well done up. A word on the binding may not be unworthy of a place. Some farmers during their first season with a machine make the mistake of binding the sheaves too tightly, and some habitually bind tight in order to save twine. But thit is false economy, for should the season be a wet one or should the crop be rusty there may be a portion of the straw in the centre of the sheaf that will not be adequately dry for the staok after a due length of time in the stook. It is not necessary to bind so tightly that the extended fingers cannot be thrust easily into the centra of the sheaf. In a wet season, I have seen experienced farmers binding to slack tbat the sheaves wou'd only hold together. THB APIARY. Beekeepers have a very good supply of honey this season, but the bees have (riven trouble through swarming later than usual. The variableness of the weather in December, and during the first half of last month, was the cause of the unusually large number of swarms that" came off during this month. My boxes have been so full of honey that I have had to remove a number of the sections during the month and replace the empty sections. Little attention is paid to bees here, and very few have suitable hives for their bees. I have used the improved Langstroth hive (sold by Mr Brickell) for a number of years, and can recommend them. PRICES. Oats are not quite in so good demand now, and the price is a shade less. About Is 4d (bags extra) was the top price received here for good feed oati at the sidings and the majority of farmers accepted that price and carted away their oats. AH the graindealers waive commission now. Sheep are very high in prioe, stores fetching wit hi a Is or 2s of the price of fat sheep. Lambs aleo are in unusuallly good demand, varying in price from 6s 6d to 7s 6d, and in some cases, it is said, good lots going up to Bs. Cattle are not improving in price, although dealer* and others were whispering to their friends (?) during last winter and spring that there was money in cattle. Few listened to the voice of the charmer, however, and those who have good memories enjoy a quiet laugh. A cattle boom would do no harm to many, but it is not easily started. Factories find 'a great demand for their cheese, there having been numerous inquiries for it at 4d. The extra ?d which was demanded by the factories in order to 'pay a satisfactory price for the milk was rather [hesitatingly given by some, and refused by others . Farmers' lots move off at about 3§ d . There is no local demand for honey.