OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1981, 11 February 1892, Page 20

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Ciiristcuurch, February 9, THE HARVEST.

The fears that we should have unsettled weather for harvest promise to be realised. In the northern districts there has been no good Bpell of fine weather since harvest began, and the progress made has been very disappointing. Southwards the farmers have been more fortunate, and some of the smaller of them have secured their crops in good order and condition —some in stack, others in sack, but the larger croppers have most of the corn yet in the field, and little more than half is yet cut. After the disastrous experience of threshing from the stook in previDUS showery seasons one would have thought farmers would have been chary of following the at all times hazardous practice this year ; but many of them persist in i^, as it turned out all right the last two harvests, and we may look out for a renewal of Jthe old complaints of cargoes of wheat arriving Home in damaged condition, and the loss of the trade in floating cargoes, into which New [Zealand has only during the last two or three years — fine harvests all — established a footing. The grain crops this year were almost all that could be wished. On the North Canterbury downs the dry weather at the time the wheat was in bloom has had its effect, and on the deep lands where the crops are tremendously heavy some of them were badly laid and twisted by last month's storms. In a good many places, too, the ravages of grubs were never recovered from. Some of the latter could only be cut at the rate of six or seven acres a day. How heavy they were may be judged from the fact that 7s 6d worth of twine per acre was used. The rain that Bet in on Thursday fell over the whole district, but that of Friday was less general. Saturday was fine with the exception of a few local showers, but on Sunday heavy rain set in again, and has continued with few intermissions ever since. This morning there are signs of the weather clearing, but it will be several days before harvesting can be resumed. The bad weather is a sad disappointment to farmers who have their splendid crops still in the fields, either in the stook or dead ripe for the machines. Already sprouting 4 is noticeable, and the damage must have been calamitous. Many of them make the mistake of letting their crops stand too long before reaping, but it is being found out that they can have a prime sample , even if they reap while still a good bit on the green side if they heat it properly afterwards. A heavy crop of ryegrass seed has been gathered this year, mostly in good order, but tho cocksfoot harvest has been interfered with by the showery weather. A good demand is expected for both descriptions.

MARKETS.

Very little of the new crop of grain has been marketed as yet, and ifc is too soon to quote definite prices. Sales of wheat have been made at 3s 6d both north and south of Christchurch, but further than the wheat was •• milling quality " nothing has been published. I can say, however, that 3s 6d for equal proportions of Tuscan and Hunter's, or Tuscan, pearl, and Hunter's, was obtainable, and 3s 8d was offered for all Tuscan. Since the rain came on neither merchants nor millers will bid for wheat threshed from the stook, and business may be said to be at a standstill The quantity required for the local mills will be greater than ever. There is a fine new mill here, with all latest improvements— on the roller system of course— just ready to begin work, owned by Messrs D. H. Brown and Son. The well-known Canterbury mills at Ashburton (with a new manager) will have a bigger output than ever, and the Wakanui mills in the same district have been fitted with Simon's roller machinery. The Timaru mills together have a tremendous capacity, so that in Canterbury the requirements for milling alone will make a -good market. The millers recently reduced the price of flour by LI a ton, but the idea of fixing prices at which wheat should be bought was not carried out. Wheat is 6d to 9d a bushel less here than in Melbourne, while flour is about L 3 a ton higher ; so that either Canterbury millers are making a good thing of it or their Victorian brethren are working for nothing or less.

LIVE STOCK

Sheep of all classes have made an upward bound during the last two or three weeks, and last week's markets indicated something like a boom in this class of stock. Not since sheep were common to the country have such prices been obtained as were realised at the Horsley Downs sale last Friday. They showed a rise of quite 20 per cent, on recent rates, and as the demand is by no means supplied ifc is certain the big lots of sheep advertised in the Witness will find buyers at good prices. The rise iv mutton at Home has infused some spirit into buyers for freezing, and both mutton and lamb of freezing weights is eagerly competed for. Prime crossbred wethers and maiden ewes are worth quite 2£d per Ib, and lambs 3-.UI, skins and fat extra. Beef sells very irregularly, there being often a variation of 2s 6s 1001b between one market and the next,

FODDER.

The hay crop was a splendid one, and was secured in good order, except under the hills. There a good deal of ensilage has been made, and no doubt this system will be more widely adopted year by year, as it is found that animals do jmrticularly well on it with an admixture of chaff. The root crops look well, and there will be abundance of stubble feed. A good deal of interest has been taken in tho progress of the new fodder plant Lathyrus sylvestris. Reports of those who are trying it vary. At Kaiapoi (on the property of the late Mr Caleb Whitefoord, who imported some of the seed at a high figure) it is fulfilling all that has been claimed for it ; while at the highly-farmed Winchmore estate, near Ashburton, the plant is said to resemble wire weed more than anything else, and to show no signs of value as fodder. It appears to have done well in Australia, so that probably Mr Whitei'oonV.s experience is the more to be trusted.

STOCK EXPORT.

The resolve of the New >South Wales pastoraJists to go in strongly for exporting their surplus meat is making stud ilockowners in New vfjfiiland look with longing eyes at the market that this will create for loug-woolled and down rams for crossing with tho merh:os for the production of crossbred mutton for report. Thn success of the representations of Mr Council Hate of Oamaru) to tiie New .South Wales chief inspector is earnestly hoped for. Th<? idea that tiny danger is to be apprehended from .bcab ib simply absurd ; &o far the musters toy bhe^cing Invo not iti-sclo^d a single en so <jf the disease,