HAWKE’S BAY SCENES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

HAWKE’S BAY SCENES

Napier To Takapau VARIED COUNTRYSIDE The run of only about 60 miles, from Napier io Takapau, provides a great variety in landscapes—low and high level, fertile and light country, and farming both intensive and extensive. Leaving Napier, one passes by the 8000 acres of one-time harbour, a gift of land Hom the earthquake of seven yeans ago. ’1 hence the route runs through exlienieiv fertile lands of Taradale and I'ukowliai, and the much-famed I’opmr Grove to Stortford Lodge. A farming feature about laradale is the pumpkins, of the grey variety, grown as stock food. A line of weaner steers on one lot appeared to be thoroughly enjoying their diet. Much maize also is here seen. , .1 WI. Although not so damaged as tile LsKdale Valley, this stretch of small-holdings country has suffered considerably troin the April floods and the earlier ones too. ~r , Through the Poplar Grove silt lay one to two feet deep, and had ruined one Ox the finest pedigree rye pastures in tne .province. , ~ , ... From Hastings a run out to lokohu was made. Here the ground was found to be utterly sodden, from the inundation of two months previously. A lucerne paddock was showing ill-effects of haid grazing at that time, plus subsequent sodden soil. The pastures were, however, showing surprisingly good growth, ana the ewes looked well. Few showed signs of foot trouble, strangely enough. . This country is very flat, and as it is normally dry, having a pumice sub-soil there are. few drains to let the water Despite flooding, the pasture sown this autumn had progressed well. G n sown 15 months ago was, however, showing far too much wild parsnip, almost one-third of this two-thirds grass. This I’okohu ie a block of good land, lying east of the main highway between I’aki Pahl and Hastings. , Ho"-"-ets seen hereabouts were in goon ordeiCand some looked really fat and fOrWard - Te Ante Hills.

At Pohi Pohi limestone hill country is entered and one secs contrasts in grazing, the old and modern style, one area providing rank roughage, another short sweet feed. Danthonia and brown-top were the chief constituents with clover and trefoil and “flat” weeds prominent. There was, too, a fair sprinkling of yaiTow and wild parsnip. Bwec? seen on both types of grazin® looked in splendid order On one closely grazed area was a line of 26-month steers in fine order. . Over these hills generally there is a good deal of roughage. 'Where there is now none one wondered just how the cattle would get through the spring. July and August are the two hard months ot Along by Poukawa a lot of elips had coine down and these had damaged the roadside fences. A white-haired Maori and hie eon were vigorously .shovelling these clear; there was a big job ahead of them by the look of things. . “Slip ‘paint’ hillsides.” This r em “ rk was made to me by an officer of the I/e--partment of Agriculture in explaining that country was generally much, less damaged by slips than it appears to be. This was shown to be true. A slip ot perhaps 10 yards width and a like depth comes from a hill top and slides down the sidling some 200 yards. On first appearances that appears to have slipped the whole hillside. Actually most of the distance down is only painted. Real damage is done at the start and finish only. The “painted” area will wash clear with winter's rains. A splendid line of hoggets was seen in a paddock atop of the Te Aute mil. Cattle seen all along looked really well The valley along the road from Lake Poukawa to Pukehou is an area of strong soil, very fertile. . , The main highway was departed trom at Pukehou and a detour made up College Hill Road for Argyll West, into the good high limestone country, an area delightfully treed by native shrubs. In a little valley a mile or so up there were acres of tetokes. Right across these hills pastures and stock looked well. This is charming country, very clean of pasture. On the Plains. Down on the plains once more some fencers were encountered. 1 hey told ot splitting 1600 battens from river Poplars in two days, 400 a day each man. That is fair going, as I know from experience with white pine. Asked how these poplar battens lasted I was told to see those being replaced. These had gone about two inches only at the bottom and that was in 13 years since 1925. They held the staples well. Good solid battens, about 3 by d inches, were being put in. .. This fence had last been touched nine years ago. It was of seven wires on three posts and 15 battens a chain. Another good standing fence was of 1- battens only and was the same in other respects. Many farmers waste much timber in fences. An eighth wire is worthwhile, but not a fourth post a chain. Out between Tikokino mid Onga Onga a mob of Aberdeen Angus cows wltll calves were seen. One big lusty calf was suckling busily. It is unusual to see calves still on the cows; yet. why not! An Aberdeen Angus studybreeder. discussing the subject of weaning, pointed out that an animal’s lactation period equalled tiie gestation period. That means it natural for a cow to suckle her cnlf tor 91 months. If a calf is born in mid-Sep-tember, it would be suckled to the end of the June following.