HAY OF PLENTY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 23, 28 January 1891, Page 2

HAY OF PLENTY.

In the Opotiki and Whakatane districts the weather lately has had a very perceptible and beneficial effect on the maize crop, wKich is the staple one of the district. It was feared in the early part of the season that owing to the cold and wet weather that.the crop this season would be rabher a poor one, but the late propitious weather has pub quite a new aspect on affairs, and if crops only fulfil their present very promising look, they will turn out one of the heaviest yields yet recorded. It is astonishing the difference a week or two's fine, warm, moist weather makes to a maize crop, and only those who see it can form any idea of the growth that is made. Shearing throughout the district is now all completed, and the clip, notwithstanding the cold and wet, has turned out excellently, although the yolk was not up so well as in former years. The Opotiki wool seems to be of prime quality, as consignments to Auckland hit the top price, and that is saying someMr 5 Thomson, Sheep Inspector, has just finished his rounds of the district, and is very well satisfied with the condition of the sheep as a whole, andj speaks very highly of the clean, healthy state of the flocks of those who make it a practice to dip their sheep regularly every season. He asserts that it pays over and over again in the wool alone, besides keeping the animals in a perfectly healthy and thriving condiLast month a mob of 60 two-tooth Lincoln rams arrived overland at Opotiki from Gisborne, through the Motu Bush. They are from the stud flock of Mr Agnew Brown, of Gisborne. Mr Brown made an offer to the sellers at Opotiki through Mr Dumerque, the local commission agent there, that if they gave him a guarantee of forty he would drive them overland. Mr Dumerque was not long in getting more than the guarantee, and so sixty were sent through. . They arrived in splendid condition, and without a single loss, although thirteen days on the road. At Mr Dumorque's ram sale at Opotiki on the 3rd ultimo, bidding was rather slow, competition only being elicited for choice lots. Six-tooth Lincolns sold at from £2 to £2 2s 6d. Full mouth were difficult to get rid of, but a fow changed hands after the saloat £1 per head. A few of the two tooths that came from Gisborne were briskly competed for, and brought as high as £3 10s each. m Mr Foster arrived last week in charge of a survey party to cut' up some of the blocks at the back of the settlement of Opotiki. These blocks are, however, nob likely to be available for settlement, as they are all native lands heavily timbered, and situated beyond the confiscated boundary This season some of the Opotiki settlers are turning their attention to hay and crass seed growing, with very satisfactory results, as it is found to be very payable. Some crops of hay in the district were sold by auction, and realised from £1 to £1 4s per acre, which is not a bad rent for about three months in the year, and shows that seed growing ought to be quite as profitable as any other branch of the farming industry. (Correspondent.)