MAUSGATUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 17

MAUSG ATUA.

January 11. — The weather still continues very dry and warm, and the general cry out among the farmers is for rain. A shower or two would indeed be welcome just now, as grass will soon be getting withered up if the dry weather continues for any length of time.

AsRicuLTUEAL. — The crops this reason appear to be iv first-rate condition, and there in every prospect of an abundant harvest. A heavy shower or two of rain just now, however, would be the means of bringing them on more and helping those which are maturing to fill out. The turnip crop promises this season to be a success, owing to the heavy showers we experienced a month or two ago, and I notice that the small birds have not been so destructive on them this summer. Grass still continues to be abundant notwithstanding the present dry weather, but unless rain comes shortly there wiil be a falling off. Potatoes are also looking extremely well this season, and appeal* to be cultivated to a considerable extent by some of the farmers in the district. With the prospect of pricof hardening and an abundant crop, let us hope that the farmer will ba amply compensated for the small returns, resulting from the depression, which has existed during the last year or two. ' Dairy Factoey.— The dairy factory at Honley was completed a short time ago, and is now in fall work. c The management has now commenced to take in milk from the Maungatua district, and there is every prospect of some of .the residents in the neighbourhood going in for milch cows Tvho would not otherwise have done so.