The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, March 15, 1851.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 10, 15 March 1851, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, March 15, 1851.

We beg the attention of our readers to an extract of a letter which Mr. Godley has received from a settler at Wellington, and which he has kindly allowed us to print for the information of our fellow colonists. The writer has had many years' experience in the cultivation of land in New Zealand, and has paid a visit to the Canterbury plains. His opinion is therefore deserving of great attention; and the subject on which he writes is one of the most important which can occupy the thoughts of the colonists. If we look at the chief surveyor's map of the land already selected, we find a tract of country of six or seven miles square, within which almost the whole of the land purchased has been chosen. There are comparitively few isolated sections. The properties lie for the most part side by side, in a mass, along both sides of the road now in the course of construction, and around the block reserved as the capital town. This is a very favourable feature in the first formation of our colony. The grand difficulty of dispersion of population, with all its attendant moral and economical evils, is, so far, overcome. Butjhis condensation of the properties selected, will involve the necessity of immediately fencing the land, to an extent which would not otherwise have been the case. A settler who buys land in a wild

-• . , , . i m % country where he has no neighbours without! several miles, will not probably fence in more than he can cultivate in each year; first a garden, of an acre's extent; next five or ten acres for a paddock, or a crop of oats ; and ' many years will elapse before all his land will be enclosed. In our case, however, where a great number of land-owner a hold small estates in close juxta-position, it will probably be necessary to complete the fences which separate the properties without loss of time. The great ease, too, with which the land can be tilled, will induce the settlers to bring a larger quantity into cultivation at once; which will again demandia corresponding amount of fencing. Our readers are no doubt aware of an Ordinance by which any land-owner making a fence can recover from his neighbour, whose property is bounded by the same fence, half the cost of the work; so that many may be compelled to fence, or to pay for fencing, who would not otherwise do it. It will be better therefore that the colonists should speedily agree with one another as to the most desirable description of fence between estates lying in immediate juxta-position.

Now we are almost deprived of the use of wood for jfencing, first by the cost of the wood, and secondly by the difficulty there may be herafter, in preventing persons from stealing the fences for fire wood. There is then nothing left us but stone walls, the bank and ditch. Stones are not to be had over a great part of the plains. So we come to the bank and ditch ; and the hedge row immediately and almost necessarily follows. First, it is one of the most permanent kinds of fence ; and in a country where growth is so luxuriant and rapid, it will be capable of easy and cheap repair : secondly, it will be an ornament to every individual property, and to the country at large ; an ornament reminding us of the richest and most beautiful counties of our own land :. and lastly, we think it will prove of service to the farmer in sheltering the growing crops from the wind. We should like the opinion of some practical farmer, acquainted with the country, on this point; in the mean time wa suggest whether the winds which sometimes sweep across those wide and extensive plains towards the end of the summer, may not forestall the labour of the reaper, by causing the ear to shed its seed. If this be the case, thick and lofty hedgerows will prove of immediate economical value to the husbandman. We know that in England, the farmer is rooting up his hedge row, and supplyingits place with wood or iron railing; but this is to gain land of which every inch is of value there; and in many cases, to open the ground to the sun, which is often needed. But here we have land and to - spare; and we are ten degrees nearer the' line, and have sun enough.

We cordially agree with" Mr. Godley's ij correspondent, in hoping that the Horti- ' cultural Society about to be formed, will turn its earliest attention to the cultivation of shrubs for the uses he points out. We are informed that a portion of the ground reserved for the Botanical Garden in tbe neighbourhood of Christchurch. is to be placed at the disposal of this Society •

w|e therefore urge those who are interested in its formation, to set about their labours at once. A good gardener could be hired probably for £50 a year ; he could at once build his cottage on the land, and fence in, and dig up, during the winter months, a sufficient piece of land to begin upon. Surely there are to be found among the colonists fifty who would subscribe for this purpose. The engagement of a gardener is the whole of the expence necessary at first. It is probable too, that there are many of the colonists who may have brought seeds with them, and have no opportunity for planting them . themselves, and who would be very glad to have them cultivated in the Society's grounds, r-sign-ing a portion of the produce to the society as payment. It is likely also, that, if a judicious selection of plants were made, a considerable income might be realised by the society, by the sale of the productions raised in its grounds. We have thrown out these remarks merely as suggestions, in the hope that some one of those immediately interested, may be induced to engage actively in bringing the Horticultural Society into operation.

The " Aup.ti alia " of Hamburgh, arrived here on Thursday morning with a cargo of Sheep, and Horses. She brings us the Sydney Morning Herald to the 24th of February. The mail was sent on shore on Thursday, and our papers amongst them ; but the post office authorities refused to deliver them till the next morning, when it was too late to extract their contents for to-day's journal. We cannot conceive any reason why a delay of eighteen hours, should occur before the delivery of letters. But with regard to papers, upon which nothing is to be paid, which have simply to be handed to the owner calling for them, why they should lie on the counter at the post office instead of being delivered up, is a mystery. To ourselves personally, this is a matter of indifference;' but we think it right our readers should know why we are unable to give them the latest news from New South Wales.