Mr John Butel's Farm.

Otago Witness, Issue 1672, 8 December 1883, Page 13

Mr John Butel's Farm.

To anyone who remembers the locality of this farm about six or seven years ago, ths transformation wrought in it during that short time appears marvellous. Where six yean ago .there was a sorrel bed there are now stately poplars, 25 or 30 feet high, sheltering extensive orchards and kitchen and flower gardens, furnishing a proof at once of what can be done in tree planting in a short time, and of the substantial and practical benefit it is — for every tree has a certain value in Otago —to say nothing ot the homely and pleasing effect it imparts to a homestead. Mr John Butel has a freehold property of 500 acres, and is the leaseholder of the Arrowtown Endowment of 1200 acres, the greater part of which is, however, hilly, and only fit for sheep. The freehold has been farmed with success for a number of years, and some good crops of wheat, barley, and oats have been takan off it. About 300 acres are now_ laid down, or being laid down, in grass, with a view to dairying and meat-growing. There are at the present time ten horßes employed ploughing, harrowing, &c, and 90 aores ara laid down in oats, 70 acres in wheat, and the orohards comprise about three acres. The farm lies well to the sun, and Haves' Creek flows through the length of it. The homosteadiiig, which with its machine aheds, chaff-house, umithy, stables, &c, resembles a email village, is situated on rising ground on the southern bank of the creek, and is embellished, ;is already stated, with tree plantations, orchards, and gardens. A hydraulic ram rais-63 water to an eminence at tha back of tha liou&e, from whence it commanda tb,o whols

settlement, which in all its detnil3 phows that Jit hftS been laid, out upon a well-digested plau. ,A feature of this farm is a movable chaff-hoi'se, with a set of elevators, which may be used for filling bags or for stowage pw 'poses, and tho whole of which may bo shifted, to any part of tke farm.

The agricultural machinery on the farm is *very complete, and of a first-class description, lit may here I>a mentioned that Mr John Butel also possesses a vary extraordinary amount of snechanical talent, everything, including all ■machinory on the farm, from a watch or a'pewing machine to a plough, bejng repaired by himself, and there is a complete emit by and machine sbop on the premises. There are two M'Corriiick's reapers and binders, a steam threshingmachine, a steam chaft'-eufcfcer, and several sowing machines. As an evidence of Mr Butel's mechanical skill I may mention that he has jusfc adapted a turnip sower ft»r grass seed, and that several of his contrivances for gate fasteners, by which gates may be opened and shut by horsemen without dismounting, would turn m a fair penny if patented. The kitchen and dining-room of the dwelling Ihouse reminds one of those spacious and eomrfortabla apartments common to the farm houses of northern Europe only, and speak of "thspractical good sense of Mrs Butel ; while xnfche. sitting-room and parlour her taste has *aa -up to very pleasing results. Tbero are 'eight well and comfortably arranged raoms in the dwelling-house. The dairy is lofty and well lighted and aired, and is under the immediate supervision of Mrs Butel, whose fame as a butter - maker dates back to the earliest tirao of the industry in this district, when fresh butter fetched 5s per lb, and was bespoke a month in advance, and then often s6id as a favour. There areat the present time 13 cows in milk, and the dairy dapartment has always added its share to the returns from tho farm. The cows are fed in winter on turnips, of which there ara about 30 acres laid down annually. It is Mr Sutel s opinion that, with plenty of feed, the manufacture of butter and the fattening of stock will yield quite as good, if "not better, returns for hia land than can be obtained by gram growing. From two to three tons of Oacon and hams are , raised and cured annually. In all its departments the farm is worked m a systematic and economic manner, \? £ c can bo no doubfc but that Mr and Mrs Butel are the kind of settlers which go to make a Colony woalthy and prosperous.