Things in General in North Otago.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3030, 24 January 1899, Page 2

Things in General in North Otago.

No ir. ' Whafeyer our crops are like locally it is certain that there will not be this year anything approaching the prices which were obtained last year. If there was any doubt of this it would only be necessary for the sceptic to '■ Tisi^wfiat '■9efe^i"y^^'^^*<SfroagK*stricken districts of North Otago and .Canterbury to be -thoroughly conyiiced ISTaX^erytHin^lseTeing equal, there, wilT be a coniplete revolution in thej grain niarket Ibis year. Last year South Canterbury and North Otago were not even {able to provide for local consumption, to say nothing of competing in the market ; this year matters are changed. As soon as one is fairly launched into the Canterbury plains the prospects are extremely; pleasing. From Waitaki northwards; to Studholme Junction, the whole plain is covered with crop, and for many miles at the end of this stage is one long stretch of magnificent wheat. The season has been a fairly damp one, and as hot as ever: Light showers iiave been the rule. In Oamaru a number of farmers were a few weeks' ago to be seen cutting green oats to avoid the risk of withering by drought, but so far at least they might have waited with complete safety, for the season has been a particularly good one and there are no signs of drought. About Richmond, in the Waitaki district, is some of the finest oats to be Been anywhere, although, strange to say, on the opposite side of the railway line the land looks as bad as any on the Kurow line. The present aspect of Waimate is not unlike that of the Tokomairiro plain as far as agriculture goes, except that wheat is grown almost exclusively. Here we come into the STHAWBBEBT FAEM2NG district par excellence of the colony. The climate of South Canterbury is particularly suited to the cultivation of strawberries, and at "Waimate the proximity of a dividing range of hills prevents any frequency or severity of droughts. The strawberry industry is only of recent origin — in fact a few years ago it did not exist even in name and it is pleasing to note that an old Tokomairiro boy was the pioneer. This is Mr T. S. Hardy, who at a comparatively recent date commenced fruitgrowing in "Waimate. At first he grew larger fruit with a few strawberries among the trees, but as his business extended he woke up to the possibilities of strawberry culture, and embarked in that particular department on a much larger scale than formerly. A few seasons demonstrated his success, and as blight and other drawbacks made the apple crop rather uncertain, he at length decided to devote bis attention almost exclusively to strawberries. The large fruit trees were accordingly destroyed and the ground laid down in strawberries, a single man's work agoing a long way towards keeping a large orchard in order. As Mr Hardy gradually extended his orchard others followed in his footsteps, and a large area on the slopes of the hills facing the north and east was soon laid down. The importance of the industry is now well known, and only last year Major Steward attempted to get something done in the direction of providing special cool vans for the conveyance of fruit from Waimate. Mr Hardy's orchard, Rosaville, now covers over 40 acres, of which about 38 are in strawberries. This is the largest block in the South Island, and may be taken as a typical strawberry farm. Very little labor is expended on the plants, the chief outlay being in the picking season. This extends over five or six weeks in December and the early part of January. The Kosaville orchard this season employed 45 regular pickers, and it can readily be understood that it presents a very busy spectacle from 4 a.m., -when the picking commences, until well on in the afternoon. A number of persons are kept busy packing into crates all day as the boxeß come in from the pickers, and in the afternoon the fruit is all consigned to the markets in various parts of the colony from Invercargiil to "Wellington. The crop this year wa an exceptionally he%vy one. The Rosaville orchard alone sent out over 1000 cases, besides several dozen casks of " jammies, " as the smaller fruit is termed. The daily output ranged from about a dozen cases, near the end of the season, to 91 during the busiest week. The prices also were the best ever obtained. Some people are inclined to think tbtat our own climate would be a very •uitabld one for strawberry culture, h is. a well-known fact that the few

strawberry plots that exist in Milton Eire very neat little successes, and that one in particular, although situated on a high level, has had a very successful season. The outlay is so small that farmers might well think of experimenting with a small patch on a sunny slope. The AVaimate industry, which now employs over 200 hands during the picking,. gre.w. ..out. jojL.a jroere, . experir , ment, and surely when occasional plots have thrived as -^hey- 'have in Tokoaiairiro, -to- -take., up -the., industry, in earnest would s la,ck , most of the characteristics-6£ an experiment.