RAGLAN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 250, 19 October 1907, Page 3

RAGLAN NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

! The weather for nearly two months-past has been "terribly bad. The oldest inhabitants say there has been nothing like it-for overforty years. The roads are in a .very- bad state, and the ground Is so wet that cultivation is out of tile question. Seed oats, are still in the sacks,- and scarcely any potatoes have been planted. I«mri and garden work an? alike at a standstill. ,

Stock of-all' kinds has suffered, not only from the wet and cold, but there, is very little growth in the grlss, and most of ..tne winter forage has been used up long ago. There has been considerable mortality amongst lai|ts, but perhaps the heaviest losers will be the dairymen.' The. quantity of milk being delivered to the local factories is much less than in' the corresponding period of last the cows, instead of improving, are going down. .Prices formal! sorts of stock are good, especially fat cattlei sheep and.horses, while the outlook" for the' butter and wooi markets is.very good. •

The continued bad .weather may prove'to be a blessing In disguise for tnis district. A poll is to- be • taken shortly to • boirow £4000 for metalling and generally improving our roads; and It Is .possible tnat tme recent - bad weather may induce some waverefs "to: vote for the proposal. With the Increase In settlement, and .the extra traffic caused tortile dairy factories, the old style of' clay roadS are not good enough.

Xhe Raglan and Kawhla A. and P.. association are having a change of offlcers this year. Mr. W. M. liankart'ls president, and Mr Allan Gilmonr, secretary. Af the an. nual' meeting if was decided to cut up part of -the show ground-for building lots. The Te Maia ;Dalry -Company: have sold their butter for the.season, while. the Kaglan. tio. are .consigning ! thefi-s to" London. Those who sold last-season -did best. It looks as if the other side would have the best'of~it this season, but it is too soon to teii'yet.''

The question of what 1 to pnt-in lorwlnter. feed is a'probiem, as the turnip crop turned out so badly last year. Some.are talking,or tiylng mangolds, and the small'lots that have been grown here in rthe past have done well. But. after all. 1 thinfc most'farmers will give. swedes another trial, idonrt-thins: potatoes will be planted very largely this season. The. crop is an expensive one to grow now, ■■ especially if you' have to spray [ (and It does not seem wotth while growing them if you dofl*t}, and the prices this season for imported, potatoes has been' so: low ; that there -has been little margin for profit;