CLYDEVALE LETTER.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 56, 25 February 1913, Page 6

CLYDEVALE LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) WfiATHER AND OSOPS, v The cold weather of the preceding week, which terminated in a blizzard on Friday, 'has given place to equally hot, or rather, close weather, with occasional •howers—splendid growing weather, but for those who are threshing either grass seed or oats, not altogether*./welcome. Turnips are coming away well now, and lambs generally are being .weaned and put on rape in preparation for the works. In some, instances lambs were sold for forward deli wry about the beginning of this month. This seeming want of support of the local freezing works was to some extent determined by the lateness of the season and the shortness and uncertainty of labour,

PUNT ADRIFT. Some degree of excitement was caused by the breakiug away of the punt on Saturday, and the puntman's usually uneventful day was enlivened considerably by his sudden drift down stream. Luckily, with the aid of tha,.steamer's boats, the puntman and his passenger were rescued without mishap, the punt becoming stranded on a shingle spit. The steamer has made several ineffectual attempts to tow our substitute for a bridge up to its former position, a new cable having been obtained to replace the old one; but from latest reports the stranded pontoon has become a wreck as a result of the'effortS to shift her, and now lies a derelict- in the river. The question now is whether she is worth repairing or whether we will get a bridge in her place. The present is a very opportune moment to decide.

SUKpBISE PABTY. The house of Mr H. Morrison is to be the rendezvous of a surprise party tonight (Thursday), as was Mr Kee's some little time ago. Both these gentlemen are new settlers, and both hail from South Canterbury. We wish them good luck in their new homes. FARMERS' UNION. The meeting of the Farmers' Union on Saturday last was brimful of discussion and, let us say, personal experience. The tenders received for threshing were gone into, and it was proposed that, owing to the not wholly satisfactory position, each one should make his own arrangements. Finally it was decided that three of the members should interview one of the mill-owners with a view to him modifying his tender, a report to be presented next Saturday.

EXPERIMENTAL PLOT. Attention is directed by Mr Snushall to the experiments being carried on by the Department of Agriculture on his, place, and he gives a hearty invitation to all interested to come and inspect the plots. No doubt a great amount of valuable information is derived from these experiments, and perhaps there would be less need for costly experimental farms if farmers generally would take a keener interest in these experiments. February 20. --