A RANGITIKEI CONTRAST.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 24, 23 October 1907, Page 2

A RANGITIKEI CONTRAST.

VERDANT GRASS AND GORSE WILDERNESS. ' IS THERE TO BE DROUGHT? At AVangaehu tho other day I'saw the first' really good grass paddocks I had come across for somo days. They wore, as tho old saying has it, "as green as grass." I doubt if there is any richer land on the West Coast than theso Wangaeliu flats. I was shown two paddocks of, about 20 acres each, ■ and mado the remark what a splendid lot of feed there was in the ono. The farmer told me it had only had the sheop off for a week. They had been put into tho second paddock. r He said lie had 300 ewos all the winter, and now had been running the same sheep'and .100 per i cent, of lambs in these two-paddocks. I also saw very forward potatoes: already earthed up. There is no doubt it isia splendid bit of country. " " The Other Side. i Now look at that "picture; and thon, across tho river on the Rangitikei side, instead of beautiful green pasture, acres and acres of gorso- in full bloom. — splendid land just wasted. And why? Simply,-1 suppose, be-causo-it is Native;land. As:you ride along you sob gorso in! unlimited',quantity, and spreading every year.: ;;-It does seem a pity that such land is. not . put to .better use. If the Natives will not do so, far'better dispose of it,'and let the ■Europeans have a try. But what would be .tho good of the short leases which aro obtainable' under existing conditions? . . i, ... Short Leases Unsuitable. It wouldtakfc'nVauy.-'years arid much capital to got rid of such liugo areas of gorso as oiie sees at "Wangaeliu, so that either a much longer lease or straight-out salo is necessary. I noticed many more dead lambs about Fordeli than I have seen hithorto, but these were chiefly in tho.nioro exposed paddocks. Everybody was bowailing tho backwardness of the season, and'tho inability to get docking 1 done. Very few have got this necessary farm work completed. In those cases where ono sees doclsed- lambsjit is mostly the smaller men. I am afraid fat lambs will bo late this year: ono sees very few-really good lambs in the paddocks: ' ?As showing tho severity of tho recent gales, I noticcd that tho hawthorn hedges on the windward side aro absolutely stripped' of tlieir leaves. Will There Bo a Drought? Wo havo.had five splendid days up to Mondaybeautiful, wann, and sunny woathor. And now tho prophets are beginning to croak again.' Say they, "Wo are in for a severe drought." I was talking to a farmer in a big way about tho coming advance in tho price of cattlo. He said ho would not buy a hoof,

though ho would havo plenty of feed for young' stuff, as ho was under tho impression that wo wero in for a very dry suramor. Ostriches. - I was much interested in seeing ,a small flock of ostriches at Mr. A. Allison's, on No. 1 Lino. I should liavo thought tho winter weather.would have been too inclement for them. lam told they have not bred yet. Mr. Allison has got some very nice feathers from thorn. To anyono fdnd of flowers, a visit to Mr. Allison's garden is a -porfect treat: he is a great florist. .