ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 44, 20 March 1852, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness,

Sib, — Allow me to call attention to a letter of the Eev. Mr. Nicholson, dated Otago, Ist March 1851, to the Editor of the Edinburgh Witness, which appears to have been useful at home. Mr. Nicholson is an accurate observer ; and, making allowance for tlie shortness of his \isit, it is gratifying to observe the coincidence of his statements with the annual and more detailed report in No. 6 of your journal, which would reach home a few weeks later; and that if the former had created attention from the character of its author, and the more truthfulness of its aspect, how much more will have been the interest in the latter as having been published in the midst of a witnessing community ? whilst the allusions of Mr. Nicholson to matters of Church and School will also have been set in clearest light by the detailed reports of our Minister and Church Courts to their ecclesiastical superiors.

Every competent and reflecting man must be aware that with, respect to climate and fecundity, whether as to live stock or agriculture, it requires to have traversed the district, and to have witnessed proceedings and the results of outlay through a whole year at least in order to decide with certainty ; that a man, for instance, may be mistaken in referring to the fine 'weather that had occurred during his visit in place of the regular monthly tables ; but it is satisfactory to observe even on this point that those who have referred to the tables will have found Mr. Nicholson's impressions to be borne fulfy out. {&< An Original Settleu.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness. Dunedin, 16th March, 1852. Sin,— l am instructed by the Committee of the Otago Agricultural Association to request insertion of the enclosed, and to express a hope that it may induce others to favour them with statistics in regard to the present harvest, observing that in any* case where the results may have been considerably less, or even a failure — as no doubt such may possibly have occurred — it is quite as important to give cases below as above the average, the circumstances in each case being equally detailed. It is in this way that the Society hopes to be useful to the settlement, and to convey appreciable and useful information to intending colonists. P. Proudfoot, Secretary. Dunedin, 26th Feb., 1852. Dear Sirs, — Allow me, as an example to others, to contribute the following facts in dealing with new ground. Ido so the more readily because of my total ignorance of either fanning or gardening, and that any merit or demerit in the case is entirely due to the man who works for me — Francis Marshall, late farm-servajit of Mr. George Baird, of Old Hall, Abbey Parish, Renfrewshire. My only rule in such [ matters is to limit the extent of operations to given | means, and to leave the procedure, without stint or interference, in the hands of a competent and trusty servant.

A piece of flax and fern land on the hill top, rising from the wet meadow which hounds Dunedin on the south, the situation being exposed, without shelter of any kind, to the up-harbour winds from N.E., and and also to the South-Westers (the two together blowing alternately nearly the year round, as shewn by published tables), and the soil, as usual in our district, being a black mould from four to twelve inches deep, overlaying a yellow clay, with certain " hummocks" of the latter protruding here and there to the surface. The space railed in on three sides, and terminated on the fourth by a steep descent, was broken up with the grubbing-hoe in the winter of 1800 (June and July) ; the flax, with part of the fern-pots, burnt off in heaps, and the rest of the fern roots thrown over the bank into a gully. Early in September one half was sown in oats, and the other planted with potatoes ; the latter being slightly manured with cow dung in the furrows, but no manure given to the oats. The crop was not ascertained, but declared by competent judges, who saw it when being gathered, to be <x full average in both kinds ; and it may be sufficient, as to the expense of obtaining it, to state, that there viere no roots except the small stuff that came up with the grubbing-hoe, and no stones, so that the expense can be easily estimated.

These crops being gathered in February and April 1851, the stubble was broken np with the hoe, and the potato ground made level ■«.;!> on lifting the crop. Twenty-two bushels of lime were then ipplied to the whole surface, and harrowed in with oat seeds on. the 9th May— somewhat less than a year from beginning <to break up for the first crop. The second crop, reaped the end of January following, is reported upon as underneath by practical farmers lately arrived by the Cohnnbui. I remain, Gentlemen, Your very faithful servant, W. Cargiu,. To the Chairman and Committee of the " Otago Agricultural Association," Dunedin. North-East Valley, 26th Feb., 1852. We, the undersigned, have examined a patch of oats belonging to Captain Cargill just harvested at Hill Plead, near Dunedin, mea&uring one half superficial acre, the quantity of oats being 46 bushels (92 per Acre), weighing 44 lbs. per bushel, and of fine quality. It gives the undersigned great pleasure in being able to bear testimony that the way the land has been managed meets with their approbation. Alexu. Familtox, late Farmer, Hillend, near Edinburgh. James Hunter, late of Spring Bank, Stirlingshire. Captain Cargill, Dunedin.