WANGALOA. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1598, 8 July 1882, Page 13

WAN G ALOA. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

July 3rd. Having miwed the usual letter from your Wangaloa correspondent from your,columns for some time, I take the liberty of sending you some account of what is going on in tho district, and, although it m-iy not perhaps interest outsiders much, yet it gives an additional interest to your paper for those of your readers who reßide here to see their affairs chronicled In print. Ploughing operations have now commenced, and I think the area turned over this year, under the stimuluß of the increased prices for grain, will bo larger than usual. Those farmers who have succeeded in raising a crop of broadcait turnips are now feeding them off with sheep ; but in many cases the only return has been a niag/iiflcent crop of sorrel and weeds. I fancy that some of them have had a lesion to sow earlier for the future. Most of the farmers in this district have within the last year or two gone out dairying and cattle-raising, and taken to keeping small flocks of sheep. These last are found to be nioro profitable, and to bring in quicker returns, whilst the labour connected with them is considerably less. The potatoes raised in tbii district ever since it was settled have always been subject to a peculiar disease, which renders them quite unmarketable. The first stage of the disease is a hard dark lump in the centre of the potato, which afterwards becomes hollow, and in new land the potato ftometimra becomes a mero shell, but in ground cultivated for tome time it seldom goes so far as this. Tho original possessor of the soil was the common fern. 1 should like If you could giva ma some explanation ofe it, or if any of your readers have experienced anything of the s;yiie kind.- [A good subject for a "local experience" item in our farm columns. We trust someone may adopt our correspondent's bugge«tion.— Ed ] There is still some talk of the new road from Kaitangata, but I think thero is little probability of its being made for some time to come, although some of the settlors aro very much in earnest about it. In the meantime I think the Road Board might very proper'y expend a little in surfacing the present road. The water-tables have been allowed to silt up, with the result that evory jain washes deep ruts iii tho roadway.

Tho school has reopened lately, although with a very low average. 1 believe tho newly-appointed teacher— Miss Amelia Allen— is giving groat satlsfacfaction.

[Thanks for your cimmunication. We trust to hoar from you as occasion may arise —Ed ]