WAIKAKA

Otago Witness, Issue 1795, 17 April 1886, Page 13

WAIKAKA

Apbil 13. — The late harvest was an early one, but, notwithstanding that, it has caused more anxiety and loss of time than any of its predecessors. Up to the middle of March the weather was fine, but since then to the end of the month showers were very frequent. Every day during that time when a heavy dew in the morning did not delay the stacking, a shower in the evening did. Despite the unseasonableness of the weather, however, the most of the crop was stacked at the end of the month, and the remainder was completed last week. Owing to the moistness of the weather and the entire absence of high winds, there has been a good deal stacked in a rather soft condition. The wheat, which was not stacked till last week, was in fair condition, but I imagine that it will have to remain in the stack till spring in order to harden. Were not the district a very fertile one our farmers would call the crop harvested this year a good one. Those who have threshed are congratulating themselves that the yield is so high, being over what was anticipated. Still it is considerably under what was produced in any of the previous years. The above remarks are applicable to the oat. crop. Wheat, the little there was of it, turned out well, and like the oats it was free from rust. Tho turnips on first furrow land are numerous, though small in many instances, but there are others where the turnips are good. In these places the soil was harrowed early in the spring, when it was wefc, and the turnips sown early— in November. Those sown after the first week of December are poor. On the other hand, turnips on old soil are good. Artificial manures have given satisfaction to those farmers who used them. I noticed the other day an excellent crop of turnips in a paddock on the farm of Mr R, Boag. Two hundredweight of superphosphate of lime was applied per acre. Progression. — That this district is progressing is evident from the fact that there has been erected lately a substantial blacksmith's shop. It is situate in the Waikaka Valley, near tho church, and it is to be hoped that tho blacksmith, Mr Davidson, may meet with the success his enterprise deserves.

Footbridge.— Another footbridge will shortly be erected over the Waikaka stream, between the church and the new school site. It will be a boon to the sebtlers.

Prize Stock. — Our farmers take little practical interest in the sales of prize cattle in these depressed times. It is the more cheering, therefore, to notice that there are some exceptions. From the lat& sale at Glenham Station two bulls were lately brought into this district — one of them purchased by Messrs Aitkeu and Barron, and the other by Mr W. Waddell.

Expeditious Work. — Lately on the farm of Mr G. Wood (Chatton), Messrs Johnston and Graham's combined threshing machine was shifted with horses from one set of stacks to another set, a short distance away, and started threshing within the short space of 11 minqtes.