MIDFREW, MANDEVILLE PLAINS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7804, 6 March 1891, Page 6

MIDFREW, MANDEVILLE PLAINS.

Over a quarter of a century ago, when Mr Win. Paterwon. one of the . fir»o settlers who took up land for farming purposes at hie farm, known as Midfrew, ou the Mandeville Plains, laid the timbers of his house uuii goo his awing plough to work, the farm aud adjoining coautry wus a Vast/ track of tussock grass, without the vestige of a tree or a homestead. It a trackless country suitable only lor sheep farjaiog ou the nathe grasses. By enterprise, experience, aud indomitable euergy, however, tiie country surrounding Mandevillu Plains, .between Quoka,. Feruside, and Swaunanoa, ou toe JSyreton railway line, is now studded with very comlortable hoiusteads. The buildings included In these are often com* modlous aud handsome residences, whilst the erections for storage aud housing of •Cock and implements afford a conclusive proof of the well-to-do position of the respective owners. Piautatious greet the eye as well aa relieve the prospect across tne former wide extent of treeless country. On every hand are to be seen evidences of first-class culture in regard to tne management of some of the really high class iaud which extends for several mile* around. Of «oorae che late dry season has been rather hard upon it, and tew are the farms wnich have quite escaped the drought. In, ordinary eeasous this country, especially the arable flats surrounding Midfrew carry crops of wheat reaching forty bushels per acre. This yeur that amount is reduced by about fifteen bushels, The productive qualities of Mr Paterson's paddocks have been shown siuce the late reius by au excellent crop of grass, upon wuich his stock have lecovereu tke eiiects of the. dryness. lc may be noted that the owner of Midfrew from time to lime is able to present some very line exhibition Border Leicester sheep, aud anyone visiting the farm canuot fail to be convinced of Its adaptability for this class of sheep, as well us the reariug of the black Polled Angus cattle that were shown in sleek, comfortable condition. As Mr Patterson has sustained the heat and burden of the toil which falls to the loc of settlers in a new couutry, and, we hope, reaped some of the profits of his twentyseven years' labor, he is giving up the 270 acres, to his second sou, Mr James Peterson, with the view of settling down to a quiet life. He had previously placed his eldest son, Mr John Patereon, in possession of a snug farm at Ciarkville, Kaiapoi Island. There was a goou attendance ut the clearing sale on Thursday. Visitors were hospitably entertained in good Scotch fashion by the fare pro- ; vlded, by Mrs Patercon and her ' daughters. (Subsequently Mr Buss auctioneer, of Baugiora, proceeded to dispose-OX che several locs, remarking as i he did so upon the fact that the season had told against the stock generally, but that the breeding was suc-n that, under an improved rtgtms on rich swamp pasture, the animals would be found to mature in a manner which should be Highly . satisfactory to the purchasers. Having delivered a business-like prellmiuary, the hammer was applied to the various pens, bids coining in pretty cheerfully; with the following results:—Sheep were sold, two-tooth border Leicester rams £2 to £2 lUs, ram iambs £1 10* to £2 6s, aged rams £4 10s, ewes at au average -price of 9s, Berkshire pigs and weaner* Us Oα each. The polled Angus cattle were unexpectedly dull of sale, the young cows fetching ££ 15s 6d, those more advanced £4 2s Cd to £4 We. : A nice young bull went for £1 IDs. Several horse* weie offered ol a good serviceable farm stamp, but the bidding was: languid; a bay mare, Glen, fetched £15, a four-year-old bay draught filly £10 10s, yearling by Pure Diamond £5, mare with foal at foot to Coldstream wan withdrawn at £15 10s, two bay draught geldings brought £10 and £1110s respectively,. • neat three-year-old gelding by Kouser went for £15 10s, aud a nlly Oγ the same sire for £1110 a. Though some lots were not sold, the sale on the whole must have been satisfactory, and those who only came to took on must have left the Mandeviile Plains with pleasant recollections of the Midfrew- farm.