SEADOWN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 2919, 31 January 1884, Page 6

SEADOWN.

The crops m this wallkno'/Fn grata producing district are quite up to tho average of former years, though thure is nob Buch a large arm under crop as last; year. The greater part of the Seudown estate is sown down to gr-.isa, and judging by thi> stock this district is as well adapted for grating parpotes as for producing grain. A paddock of red wheat close to tlie Waehdyke riilway station on the edge of tho lagoon looks remarkably veil, and only wants a few weeks £ne weather to mature it. Mr J. Good».ll has a portion ol'hisform under cfDp, chiefly wheat and oats, both of which are coming on well, and should give good roturne. Between the railway lina and the main road near this point are several piridocka of wheat and oatt. This strip of load is of a lighter and drier description than on the seaward side oi the lino, consequently tie crops are inora forward. The wheat bos not grown go much straw as on the richer land, bat it is quite as well headed, and most of the crops are even and ■landing fairly thick. Oats are looking well, XiTeral fields being mote than average crops. On some of tho dry ridgej tov&rds tbe jtrowhenus, some sm»ll lots ol' oati are ready for the reaper, and a spell of line westher will «i-e osveral of these machines at work. The proprietors of theSeadown esfcite have a large area under wheat, extending from the homeikead down to tbe beach. Ttrae varieties are mini, tuacan, and red and veWet chaff. The fijrmer is a very heavy crcip, tho straw m some places being fully fire feet high, and tho r»t3 and velvet chuff are very littlo inferior. Tbeae are magnificunt mope, and they fully sustain the reputation the lind has acquired for producing cerealn. Ifins weathe? is much needed to mature the crops, as some of fcho wheat; waa sown late >nd any mom wet would be liable to forward the mot, frons which thay teem alinast free as yet. There is not much oats grown on the estate this year. One or two paddocks close to the homeitead look very well, and will noon be ready for the reaper. A plot of linneed, some three or i'otir acret: m extent, looks very healthy and strong, except m one or tiro places where the sorrel showi up a little. A Cbree-horte team vat busy torniag over a paddock sown with tumipj, which seem, irom some cause or other, to hare been a Failure. From the Seadown station to the Opihi river, surersl good fields of wheat are met with on both sides of tbe Seadown road. On the Arowbenua side a field of oats has proved a failure, and the owner has deemed it wiser to turn abeep into it than to allow it to coma to : maturity. The crops on the low-lying land at the beach, have suffered somewhat from thn hetry rains at •awing time, the wheat m a few instances being almost a failure. This, oE courte, the farmers have to thank the wot season for, sod not m any wny the ijaality oi? the land.