WYNDHAM. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 21

WYNDHAM. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

August 2nd. The beautiful run of weather we have had and Btill enjoy has raised the spirits of every one to a state of exhilaration. This is pronounced to have been one of the mildest winters ever experienced on the Mataura. Farmers are well forward with their ploughing, and a considerable breadth of wheat will be in by the middle of the month if the weather continue as at present. The ground is too dry for the grass making a start. It was started a little, but two or throe nights in succession of a, pretty stiff froßt has put it back again. So dry has the ground been, and still continues to be, that Beveral parties who had breaking up to do where the ground was bare of tussock have been forced to knock it off and advance their cross-plough-ing. Parties dependent upon water tanks have also run short of water. Lagoons that never were known to be dry until last summer are in some instances nearly as dry as they were during the summer. There has been a short supply of turnips for winter feed, but the mildness of the winter has in a great measure made up for the deficiency ; and stock in general are in as good condition as they ever are at this season of the year, and in many instances better. The better prices ruling for stock have helped to give a little relief. Fat Btock at the Wyndham monthly sales have risen about one third in value ; and there is nothing offering aa stores, neither in cattle or Bheep. It is commonly reported that store cattle are not to be had. Parties are now in a better position to hold on to everything ever since the money -marl et has got easier, and the only complaint is, that the prices are not up to a paying rate yet, and it seems not a few think prioes would get better if tho banks would have a little more confidence in settlers, and enable them to hold any email stocks they have on hand, and notpußh so very hard whenever they overdraw their accounts a few pounds. It is also pleasing to note that gram le rising in value, and as is believed likely to do so yet. Buyers are not quietly eitting waiting on vendors coming in to offer grain, with the alternative of either accepting a very low offer or holding till doomsday. Those who; are. fortunate to hold any grain yet are having a little more attention paid them. One of the effects of low prices and weak demand is notice ablo in the great anxiety manifested for clean seed. It is becoming too apparent that when prices got low quality is wanted as much (if not more) than quality. There is some chance with a good article but none with a poor aud inferior sample. The prices now being given for seed oats prove very clearly that farmers are getting aliveto this. The highest I have heard of as yet ia Is lOd, but for well dressed samples of milling sorts 2s is looked for. A more general rate is Is 6d on the ground, and some won't budge from Is 9d on the ground for good seed. Wheat has been going off for seed from 3s 9d to 4s. The advance in the price of oats has also enhanced the value of chaff, and tho supply of those who have been cutting has run down very much. As much as £4 per ton is now being got, and parties who were offering about three months ago to deliver for £3 per ton in Inveroargill are holding out for £4. Grass seed has also gone up, and the demand is increasing for locally grown seed when known to be clean. Ono farmer has sold 1000 bushels on the ground at 4s, and could dispose of a few thousand bushels more at the same # rate. A very much larger area is going down in graas this year than hns ever gone down iv any previous year. There has never been so much land sown down where only one crop has been taken off before ; and it is to be hoped it will open the eyes of not a few to the advantage to be gained by not cropping too heavily when they see a more luxuriant herbage in their paddocks by giving the grass a chance to grow instead of demanding from it what it never could be expected to do on an exhausted soil.

Rabbit: poisoning is being extensively carried on in all directions, and very successfully. Oats do much better than wheat, aud if judiciously spread, soon show a good effect. With the opening of the year I am glad to say there is a more confident tone expressed, and it is now quite apparent there ia no fear of any distress of any kind in this locality. Another six months will see further progress in the right direction.