Round and About the Bush.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2363, 28 February 1893, Page 2

Round and About the Bush.

(by a, five xeabs 1 absentee.!

Finding myself in Hawera after an absence of five years, and having a day or two to spare, I determined to visit that part of the bash with which I was once familiar, and to note what changes and improvements had taken place daring my absenoe. It is not always pleasant visit* ing old scenes ; sometimes it is foand that old faces have disappeared, bat when the stay-away has not been so long, when one can return and find all friends alive, and well, and enjoying increasing prosperity, it is. quite different. The silver threads are perhaps a little more plentiful among the gold, bnt this, in the coarse of events, mast be expeotedi- -

Having procured a horse I soon found my way towards the bush, and one of the first farms I came to was that of Mr. Heslop. Since I had last seen the homestead a handsome front has been erected, a quantity of land has been got under the plough, and a lot of bay has just been stacked, Dairying operations ara being carried on on a large scale, a separator is at work, and the old milk-pan business is of the past. A number of those giants of the forest, ratas, still tower above, but little note is taken of them, aVtbe danger of falling limbs does not appear to be so great as was at one time supposed. A little further on is Mr. Cubbin's farm and here dairying is the chief occupation* A separator is used, and tfr. Oubbin informs me that separator butter brines ia a pound more ; also that two pounds mere per week can be obtained from each cow, so that the machine soon pays for itself. Besides, the most objectionable part of butter-making, viz., skimming, is done away with, and sweet milk is providea for calves, a delicacy they appear to thoroughly enjoy. The late fall in the price of butler has caused Mr. Oubbin to turn his attention to cheese-making as the prices ruling for this artiole make its production more profitable, than buttermaking. About twenty acres are under crop, ana next year Mr. Gubbin intends extending his operations in this direotion. • °

Crossing the.Skeet road Mr. J. O'Snlli van's fine farm is seen on the riabt About 40 acres of oats h ?v e Just been harvested The yieia is expected to go near topping the record, andw**-^ grown on land that was once heiiVv forest. It seems hard to believe that ten years ago the writer need to form one of hunting parties when wild oattle »nt pfos the reaper and binder is in work and • prize pigs and cattle take the plaeeof the of 800 acres of firet-class land, and is frit coming under cultivation. On the S2L Biae of i h ! road " ******* *™ Poor Bassi ! he haa gone to join tbt gnat

majority. Be was a good neighbor, qniet ana nnaffiumiog. His place is in the possession of Mr. Allen, who intends oarryiDß on dairying. Beside the bachelor home of the deceased owner a substantial residence has been erected. This part of the Hastings road baa been oleared to its fall width, whioh should be a great convenience to drivers of stock. All that is wanted is a little formation, and it ■hould be capable of carrying the traffic without beeomiDg very bad. Mr. I. Bayly's large farm is now the property of Mr. Candy, late of Canterbury, and as this gentleman has been a prize taker for cheese he ahould be a welcome addition to the bnsh population. The bachelor, residence of the Hewitt Broaj is liill standing, but a fine residence has been erected at the back, and preparations are bejng niade for dairying. on a large scale. Mr. SfoLdqwie's bouse is on the oppoute, and the growth of bis Bhrnbbery haß been most marvellous. The house is quite bidden among the ornamental trees, and is well sheltered from all winds and weather. A little farther on and we come to the residence of Mr. D. Whyte and family. Mr. A. Whyte, Jan., had just finished harvesting his graas seed, whioh promises to be exceptionally heavy. Maori labor Wftß employed, and these dusky harvesters save every satisfaction. Three acres of land had been measured off, and the yield from this was 25 Backs .0/ 801b eaoh. Taking last vear'a price for a calculation this would give a yield of over eight pounds per acre, or nearly three times what was paid for.tne ground. In order to get such a crop as this it is necessary to close the .ground early, and should this be done it will he found that tbe increased yield will more tb'an pay for the trouble. Flower culture here receives some attention, and, under the care of Mrs. and Misa Wbyte, a beautiful flower garden is to be seen. Some of the specimens are from prize-takers in other patte, and I venture to say that the success will be repeated at tbe forthcoming Normanby show. Bushfelling here, as at •11 the other places mentioned, is a thing of the past. With tbe exception of a few reserves judiciously left standing, it baa all been laid low, and the grubber or plongh has taken the place of the axe and Blasher.