CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 14

CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

A Visit to Mr Richard Irving's Farm,

Johnston Lea, Peninsula.

Mr Irving was brought up to farming in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Seventeen years ago he arrived in Otago, and after having by hard work Bayed a sum of money, he purchased 50 acres of rich bush land on the Peninsula, in the Broad Bay district, five miles from Anderson's Bay. The first two acres cleared were sown in rye grass for seed, which met with a ready Bale. Fifty bushels of oats to the acre waa an ordinary yield, when that crop was sown. He afterwards purchased 26 acres at 21s per acre, and subsequently took 50 acres adjoining, on a long lease, so that the farm consists of 126 acres. The soil varies from from a light free vegot. able mould to a dark loam, upon clay, and a few acres are so stoney that it has to be grubbed over with picks at an expense of £50 an acre. For the last three years an acre a-year has been cleared of stumps and stones a% that rate It took three weeks to haul the stones off an acre, with a horse and sledge. The pasturage grown upon this land is of the finest quality and the most luxuriant growth, and with the exception of about eleven acres, which are in oats, potatoes, turnips and carrets, ib is devoted to the feeding of a herd of milch cows, nine young cattle, five horses, and eight pigs. The cows are mixed Colonial, selected for their milking qualities, and a fine year-old Ayrshire bull has lately been purchased from Mr G. Warnock. Being a shareholder in the Peninsula Pioneer Cheese Factory, Mr Irving sends all his morning'd milk, amount ing to 220 to 240 lbs., to the Factory, just as it is drawn from the cows, for sixteen or seventeen weeks in the year. The evening's milk is made into butter by Mrs Irving, who has the name of making a first-class article, fche never salts any of her butter down. It in sent fresh every week to Dunedin, and has never brought less than lOd per lb. For three weeks, this year, it brought lid, but it is now again Is. In ordinary weather the milk is allowed to stand for 36 hours. The cream is then taken off and set aside for the churning, being stirred twice a day. Care is taken not to churn too rapidly, and to work more slowly when the cream breaks. When the butter is gathered it is well washed, and then clapped in the hands piece by piece, until the water is all out. In hot weather a little salt is put in the water. In summer the cows feed in the paddocks until April. They have cut clover until May, after which, during the winter they are housed at night and in bad weather, and have an allowance of turnip 3 and straw. The farm is enclosed with stone walls and posts and wire, and there are- some fine white* thorn hedges. There is an orchard of half au acre, which produces a large quantity of fruit.

' o a Cfi ki !> w£rv o ■55° Hill ■SE "3 oJ EH 0.3 Id o ■2 3 =1 . £ Acres. Acros. & I I £ Over 32,000 .. Between 32,000 and 10,000.. Between 10,000 and 640 41 ■2,039,414 I 2,861,016 4279,675 5.519.053 4,177,175 6,116,583 52,21£ 03 951 161 I 908,08) 4 410,946 2,855,946 12,149,704 35.69J 151,b7C 623 Total .. 825 (5,8(58,540 14^200,784

Clas'ificition. Aroa. Gross Value. Net Value. Annual Tax. Ist Class.. 2nd do . . 3rd do „ 4th do .. acea 490,917 1,326,923 3, n 4,567 1,830,133 £ 19,3,038 3 930,769 6,429,134 1,310.133 £ 1,056,068 3,9 0,709 5,631,134 1,471,133 £ 20 7CB 42 384 70,389 18,339 Total . | 6,863,540 14,209,704; 12,149,704 151,870 Classification. No. of Kstates. Average area per Estate. Average tax per Estate. Average tax per acre of gross area. Ist Class.. 2addo .. 3rd do .. 4th do _ 133 257 375 172 acres. 3,(91 P. 163 8,672 10,076 £ 156 165 183 107 d. 10 13 7 63 5.25 2,40 Total .. 937 7 333 1 162 5 31