DISTRICT REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 October 1907, Page 2

DISTRICT REPORTS.

(From Our' Travelling Correspondent.) Thank Heaven, the sun shines once moref To look over the country to-dayj one'would ■ thing such a thing'as rain had not been seen' for some considerable time. there is always a ".but" or an "if has only to/walk across a paddock, or cross any'.creek or river, when there are too, many sighs', of the extraordinary weather, we'have, had,for weeks and weeks.' Old. settlers in; tjny.Rangitikci say they have never known/ in forty years such a spring. In July and August we had the most delightful weather' imaginable; ; are.in a 'draacl?ja[;'Btatoj';'^/ / i)iere _. is'; growth,' and what''grasses [in the paddocks is'just t%".;samo r - ! colour ; as';in,'thie'dearl.'i'of ; 'winter—a nasty'grey green—and if one does 'occasionally come across one -which' a ! farmer ■ has' been 'fortunate enough to- be able' to 'shut up, tho contrast is most marked. How dairy cattle manage is a marvel.'-" .-'■';"; ';>"<' •'■'"'-■ : ' There is an immense aroa : of'-ploughed: land ■ inßangitikei l still 'unworked;' as' it ; nas 1 been simply' impossible; to get,on' it. '-"In many Cases -where crops have been sown,' they have 'rotted: couldn't doauythingelse.i-rsaw'piie very bright exception. -Apaddock'Of autumnsown oats,- belonging to"one of our best Geirman settlers;, is aperfect-picture, and:l have never seen anything finer; ■ it must bo fully 2 feet high. To-snow howi scarcetfeed'has been, I ,: noticed' that- im one paddock a\large quantity of flax bad been'chewed down right to tho butt; "One "often sees the loaves! half eaten, but' these were completely-.oaten-up, and feed-must, have been pretty) scarce foi that to have'occurred;' ■■•' ■.■':?■'!;'•;•■.'■..-:". Should we have-a few fine days like'theso, there -mil- bo a- tromendous' rush of- work everywhere — the'days will not behalf-long erioiii-h to cope with' thework..«, Ploughing, ' working, and sowing will be pushod on with all speed.,-~.lt is very probable that grain .put in; now —-unless, as: sonuj-say, '.we.are in'for a drought—will do much, better, than what has ' already been sown. - • Tho groundwill be;warm, ! and growth conditions more favourable::in ' ;every'way., • ; '-- , j ,;'-; ;^i;^, i ",-,'";' ';'