OTARIA. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1598, 8 July 1882, Page 14

OTARIA. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

June 20th.

We are now in winter weather properly : it has been raining heavily off and on for the past two weeks, and is bitterly cold, which is very severe on stock that have no shelter.

Tho threshing season is concluded in this district, which has been a very fair one considering the dry summer season we experienced. The oat crop' was up to its usual standard, but the wheat was not what it should have been. ' Potatoes were exceptionally good, in fact I have not seen better potatoes grown in Otaria th*n this year's crop. Turnips were not so good as a rule. A few farmers tried linseed as an experiment, and it appeared 10 thrive vwry well. I hope to see more of it in cultivation next year, as I am sure it will pay farmers to take a little time and trouble with it. r j he rabbit pest is still as bad as ever with us. I trust the'new Rabbit Act will prove more effective than the'oue we had to work under last year, as it was nothing better than a pead letter. Phosphorous appeais to be the only remedy we have to keep them in check, and is very good if persevered with. But, unfortunately, phosphorus is very destructive on imported game. About five years ago several coveys of partridges could be seen at almosn any time, but now not. oik- i« to be seeu or heard, and the same applies to pheasants. Trout iuu thriving in our local streams ; I have soon them in duzons in ihu Waipahi and Otavia streams; several good baskets were made last season, parties coming from Balclutha and even Invercargillto try their luck. One monster weighing lOlbs was taken out of the Otaria, and another of 121bs weight wa<i caught in the Waipahi. Salmon trout wero liberated in the Waipahi River a few years ago, but I have not heara of any having been caught yet. Tho Otaria folk are better off this season in regard to roads. We shall soon have a metalled road all the way to Pukerau if the Council go ahead at the tame rate as they have done during the past summer. It was no jokq last wintt r for the settlers to cart their grain to Pukerau over such miserable roads as- wo then had, and then only get Is or Is 3d per bushol. But, alas 1 the sceno is changed : we have now good roaus, and are getting 2s lOd at Fukerau, or by sending them to Dunedin or Invercargill, 8s to 3s 2d. May thia change long remain so, is the humble prayer of your correspondent. [Our corroapondont'B notes are extremely welcome. We shall be glad to find a place for thorn at any time,— Ed.]