Rambles in the interior.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 9

Rambles in the interior.

A VXBIT TO HAWxIA PLAT.

By Kakapo.

Within the past three years the progress attained in agricultural pursuits on the Hawea Flat has been something considerable. Several hundred acres of grain are now in stack and uncut, and quite a number of huge stacks are erected. The improvements are wide-spread and various, and appear to be of a durable character.

A stilly air and a cloudless sky foretokened the approach of a blazing day, so at early morn I crossed the punt at Albertown, intent on viewing the said corn fields. In the vale of the Hawea, running helter-skelter along the slopes of the first terrace, I counted 60 rabbits in as many seconds. Immediate steps should be taken to compel tho leaseholder to destroy them or check their further advance. Where is the vermin inspector ? His needed presence in this locality is, I think, something like the illusive mirage — i.e., it never assumes a tangible shape. After passing the bend of the river the Hawea Flat opens to view. The first objects that attract the eye of the traveller are several clumps of young poplars dotting the plain. Though not yet larg^e enough to bo of any practical benefit, their beautifying effects are agreeably perceptible, their very presence tending to dispel that irksome sense of lonliness begotten of monotony. Not having breakfasted, I made tracks for the first smoke, and was generously entertained at the homestead cf Mr L. M'Lean ; and, thanks to the ladies, I enjoyed a right hearty meal. Stepping forth, I was shown the education reserve, a fine block of land, comprising ten acres, and situated in the very heart of the settlement. The dimensions of the buildings in qourse of erection thereon are as follows -.—The schoolhouse is 80 feet by 31 feet. From floor to wall-plates, the walls stand 12 feet 6 inches, and the contractors aver that the space enclosed is capable of accommodating 100 children. The teacher's residence measures 36 feet by 25 feet, and contains five rooms and two double chimneys, built of concrete. The whole of both framings are constructed of local timber, but the weatherboarding, floors, lining, &c, are all of imported timber. A coalshed and other detached buildings are also in course of erection. They are lighted and ventilated in the most approved style. In carrying out tho design on such a comprehensive scale, the Board of Education has displayed considerable judgment as regards the growing necessities of the place, and it is to be hoped these commodious edifices will long adorn the plain as palpable and enduring monuments of their foresight and energy. The house of Mr Fox is at present utilise as a post-office, but as soon as matters educational are fairly started, postal offices, I am told, will be transferred to the charge of the teacher^ as the schoolhouse occupies a more convenient and central position. A grand concert ie to be given on the opening day, 1 surmise in aid of the fund. A great gathering is expected, and no doubt all will put a shoulder to the wheel for the furtherance of so laudable an object, and record the opening event in red letters on the annals of Hawea. Of hotels, not including the one at Grand View, there are two in the districtviz., Dowling's, on the Flat, and Cayford's, near the bridge. They are both houses of good repute. The latter is a capacious and comfortable dwelling. The Blairnhall Estate, which I visited, is the property of Mr D. M'Lennan, an old and respected resident of these part. Mr M'Lennan has 140 acres of land under cereal crops this year. The wheat, he estimates, will average 45, and the oats 40, bushels to the acre. Man golds and carrots grown on the farm this season will give about 12 tons to the acre. Early kidney, blue Derwent, and pink-eyed potatoes are the chief sorts grown, experience having proved them the best and most prolific. The crop is not remarkably good, the season having been too dry for their production. I saw some prime English barley that should thresh 35 bushels to the acre. As regards grasses, one-and-a-half bushels rye-grass, one-and-a-half pound alsyke, white and red clovers, and half a pound cow-grass seed is sown as a mixture per acre. The rye- grass comprisfid three varieties,— viz., cocksfoot, timothy, and Italian. Alayke and timothy he conside) s the niosfc suitable grasses, for the soil. A trial jield of 15 aoros is really looking splendid ; tho sjed was purchased at Ninimo and Blair's, and was q| fjratj-r^te quality. 4- goodly num.-

1 ber of weff-bwd! p ig 8 - ate to- foe? fattened^ and cured this fall. Most of the bacwi made is for home consumption. Mr 1 M'Lennan prefers gone hedges to any other kind of hedging,, providing they are kept in order, as they afford, warm shelter for the cattle during winter gales,, which blow here at times with fearfwl violence. The implements on this farm consist oi a smglefurrow plough, by Ransome and Snnma, a. reaping-machine, and two double - furrowploughs of Reid and Gray's manufacture, lliomachinery manufactured by this firm is nignly commended by the fanners of this ( locality for its strength and durability, Mr M'Lennan has also a farm in the Lagoon Valley, on which no is erecting a capacious stone dwelling 1 . It*' crops in this valley are considered good. Ihey are mostly off the first furrow, so the land has not yet received a fair trial. Time wotM not; admit of a visit to the place. Here 1 may mention that as many as eight reapers harv© been cutting in the district this season. # # Mr Cooper has abmit 100 acres of gram ur crop. He estimates his wheat will average 45 bushels, and" oats 50 bushels to the acre. A great nunlbe* at pigs are bred. I was shown a "lie stye, consfetifig of 30 half-bred Berkshire*, fattening for bacon for home consumption and' sale. A goodly numtxff of apple trees are planted on this farm, and ateo on that of Mr Freeman. They take very kindly to the soil, and, no doubt, will produce an abundance of fruit when the evergreen shrubs planted round the margins of the orchards have grown sulhciently to protect them from the rude northerlyblasts. Including a four-horse power ebattcutter and a double-furrow plough, there » sufficient machinery on this farm to till the sou in a systematic manner. Here, again, the implements of Keid and Gray were highly eulogised. Mr Freeman assured me his spring wheat would yield 50" bushels per acre, and oats grown on land six times cultivated 40 bushels, He has alsoavery fair crop of pink-eye potatoes. Lying in a stye was a pure-bred Berkshire boar,, which, I should say, without exaggeration* would weigh 5001bs. It is gratifying to perceive that fanners have an eye to future interests in respect to the breeding of stock. I now retraced my stops and visited the fana of Mr M'Carthy, which is one of the very best in the district. The like of the wheat crop grown on this farm this season is admitted W all never to have been seen in the district. Itis said that it will thresh out from 60 to /0 bushels per acre. I have forgotten tho average given for the oat crop, but it would compare favourably with any on the flat. A noticeable implement among the machinery was a throehorse power chaff-cutter. All bands were busy carting in several large stacks, which were erected of a square or oblongshape. I saw no. round stacks on the plain. The dwelling-house, is lofty and commodious. . .. . * The estate of Drake Brothers is sifcnated; nearest the margin of the lake. Oats is to© chief cereal grown here. They possess some crand horses, and a beautiful and well-watered earden adorns the vicinity of the homestead. Apples, peaches, and plums grow in great abundance and ripen to perfection. The chiet item of machinery is a powerful chaff-cutter. The fences on the Hawea are well constructed and durable; the poets are mostly obtained from the Hawea bush, and are split from the seasoned heart of red birch, and will stand erect and sound a quarter of a century. I then made my way to Mr M'Lean,'s Fresland Estate. Mr M'Lean expects hi» oat crop to average over 60 bushels. It is of the short Tartarian variety. Tho wheat consists of two sorts— viz., red Tuscan and velvet, and is expected to yield from 40 to 45 bushels an acre. Two splendid teams of horses are kept on the farm. The most important implements are a three horse-power chaffcutter, two doublefurrow ploughs, and Reid and Gray's pulleys. The pigs, of which there are a great number, are a cross between the Chinese and the Berkshire. The pork is sold in a green state, len cows are at present milked. They are of Hereford descent. All the cattle, old and young, havo been reared under the fostering care of Mrs M'Lean and her daughter. They are m splendid condition, and are perfectly docile. Mr D. M'Lean's is tho adjoining farm. A splendid crop of spring velvot wheat yet stands uncut. The average of tho gram crops on this farm are as good as any to be seen m tho locality. The breeding of pigs hero also recoives attention. An attractive and noticeable feature near the homestead is a fme clump of young poplars. Poplars are planted along the line of fences on both sides of the main roads. From the Blairnhall Estate, nearly through the entire settlement, the bluegum has been tried, but owing to the severe frosts of winter nipping off the tender shoots, all endeavours to cultivate has hitherto failed. Some farmers say they will give it another trial, Were they planted near the margin of the lakes, I am confident the first effort would be crowned with success. The magnificent trees at the homestead of Mr Fraser, Upper Hawea, are a convincing proof of this assertion. The people here intend to agitate for more land. They want the country surveyed and thrown open for settlement along the base of the original property-block, and between it and tho shores of the Lake. The same remarks apply to the agricultural block on the Fork Run. I believe the surveybrs are surveying in the vicinity of Ardgour. Their presence is sorely needed in this direction, and it is to be hoped no obstructions will be raised by the powers that be to retard the progress and settlement of this magnificent portion of Otago. In the drains cut between the farms of tho M'Lean Brothers the quality and nature of the soil can be inspected. It is of a rich chocolate hue several feet in depth, lying on a subsoil of reddish clay. Taking its depth into consideration, its strength and virtues aro practically inexhaustible. Where gravel beds underlie the surface soil, however, crops of a payable character cannot be grown, the country needing irrigation. Irrigate the Hawea Flat and the terraces and vales in its vicinity, and the quality and quantity of the produce in the district would outvie even that of the farfamed Taieri Plain. The soil will grow, and the climate ripen fruit by the ton, and where now soores of bushels of grain only are raised, thousands would be sent to market. The market— that's the rub. Where is the market for the increasing produce of the Clutha Valley without the railway? Sleeping or waking, these two themes are uppermost in men's minds in this district. Irrigate the land and construct the Otago Central railway, and then the Hawea and its fertile surroundings would soon be recognised as the veritable Eden of Otago. It must not be inforred that the whole of the Clutha Valley is fertile or profitable land. Oh, no ! quite the reverse. There are thousands of acres of next to useless land, and the residents here often refer with feelings of regret to the exaggerated statements that dropped red hot from the glowing pens of special reporters, &c, who never saw tho country, which we require to stand on its merits alone.

In a paper on the position of the Russian Mercantile Marine in 1880, the Riwsiache Rovue shows that, despite its relative insignificance, the Russian Mercantile Navy has.beeu steadily increasing through the labt decade. The 12,214 vessels owned by Russian European ports in 187Q had increased in 1830 to 14,031 yessew."