PORTOBELLO.

Otago Witness, Issue 1761, 22 August 1885, Page 14

PORTOBELLO.

(FROM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

August 17. Agricultural. — A meeting of the committee of the Otago Peninsula Agricultural and Pastoral Society was held on the loth inst. at Portobello, the following members being present :— Messrs Byan,*tKerr, T. Wilson, J. G. Lewis, Pickering, M'Aulay, Duckmanton, Grainger, Waugh, Weir, Irvine, M'Kay, -Macandrew, and Telfer. Mr A. M'Kay, vice-president, was called to the chair. The prize-list was;discussed, several members expressing the opinion that there should be an addition made In. several of the classes, and a resolution was passed to that effect, the result being that a .material increase was made in the number of prizes offered .under the various classes. The judges were then named, and the meeting adjourned. Weather.— As a consequence of the fine weather vegetation is making rapid progress. Birds xnd Babbits. — The paroquets have taken a new departure in wickedness here this season, having taken to destroying the buds of the plum trees; and if all my neighbours have suffered as much as I have, plums will be scarce in this locality during next season. During the past two seasons, owing, it is thought, to the wet summers we have had, rabbits have been somewhat scarce; but this winter being so mild, they are showing up somewhat better, and quite a number of small fry are to be Been in the evenings now. However, they have never attained to anything like a pest : we are able, with the assistance of plenty of good cats, to keep bunny in subjection.