MOUNT ROYAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 808, 13 November 1878, Page 2

MOUNT ROYAL.

This fine pastoral catate, consisting of 20,000 aci'i!3 of' uplands, is the property of Mr. John Douglas, and is about one and a half miles from Palmcrston. A portion of the property extends to the eastern highest level of Mount Royal, from whence the estate takes its name, Mr, Douglas' residence is situated on a fine flat on the northern side of Pleasant Valley, the Main South Road forming an intersection along its centre. The year previous to the transit of Venus, Mr. Douglas conceived the idea that the approaching season would be a broken one, and favorabc to a scheme he entertained for the purpose of sowing down his rough highlands with mixed gra-ses. He accordingly procui-ed a large quantity of seed, and on the approach of the phenomenon, which, as he had foreseen, was heralded with broken weather and rain, he set about carrying out his design. To this end he engaged a number of men, and employed them in handraking and harrowing in the seed along the sides, tops, and points of the upland ridges, and after a hard struggle of six months, during which time the broken weather lasted, he succeeded in getting his estate rough sown. Tho experiment answered splendidly, the clover and grasses having by this time formed a fine, elastic turf, and spread everywhere. The i-esnlt is that Mount Royal will carry four times the number of sheep it did in its natural state. The sowing cost L3OOO. Mr. Douglas was the first practical cultivator of turnips with the view of making the femy points and sterile portions of hie estate carry grass. This, de-

spite the unbelief of his neighbors, he succeeded in accomplishing, after feeding the turnips off with sheep. A thriving and wellstocked fruit garden lies to the left of the house, and in a conservatory very good grapes are produced. The dairy yields rich, sweet-flavored butter and cheese, equal to some of our best English favorites. The Mount Royal- old port is really a very superior wine, having the advantage over imported fixings of being really made from fruit.