JOTTINGS PROM THE COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1885, 6 January 1888, Page 14

JOTTINGS PROM THE COUNTRY.

(By Our Travelling Reporter.)

THE TAPANUI DISTRICT.

Brooksdale— An Extensive Tract of Agri-

cultural Country — Magnificent Pasture, Fields, and Fat Stock-Good Wheat land —Crystal Brooks Well Filled with Trout— A large Drove of Pig3 -Forests Stocked with Deer— The Rabbit and his Natural' Enemy— A Bisulphide of Carbon Factory

Wanted-A Choice Spot for Settlement.

Tapanui stands on the edge of one of the finest and most extensive agricultural areas in Otago, if indeed so great an extent of as good farming land can be met with anywhere else in the colony.

Passing through Brooksdale and Crookston, across over JDunrohin to Moa Flat, onward to the Waikaka Valley, and thence to the Hokonuis, low downs and undulating ridgea, either growing excellent crops or pasture for sheep, lie all around. Shortly after leaving Tapanui Mr D. M'Kellar's Brooksdale [estate is entered upon, an d as this magnificent strip of country is characteristic of a tolerably large district, I cannot do better than describe it fully. Brooksdale— so called from the numerous never-failing streams that run through it — is without exception one of the very best estates in Otago, and quite equal to anything I have ever seen elsewhere. The estate consists of 15,000 acres of freehold, Mr M'Kellar also holding leasehold adjoining to the extent of 28,000 acres. Brooksdale was first taken up by Mr Pinkerton about 30 years ago, and as that gentleman had unlimited country to choose from, it speaks well for his shrewdness that he picked Brooksdale for his sheep run. The Blue Mountains, which rise to a height of 3600 ft above sea level, form the southern boundary of the estate, which lies at their base, and crosses right over to Kelso and Heriot, touching the railway at both these places. The whole estate is included in a block very nearly five miles square, and every acre of it, or nearly so, can be cultivated. The property is divided into 25 paddocks, and intersected with roads, and provided with gates in all directions for the convenience of handling stock. Aa Mr M'Kellar has been a runholder for about 30 years, and takes the management in his own hands, everything is in first-class order. The main roads through the estate are fenced on either side, and all fences and gates are in thorough repair.

Magnificent Pasture.

Just at the present time the paddocks may be seen to the best advantage, as the hot weather has induced a magnificent growth of grass. Such fields of clover and fine English grasses I have not seen for a long time. One may walk for miles through fields white with clover, and breathe the air heavily laden with perfume from the abundant blossom. It would bo « difficult matter to pick out the best land from the show of grass, for every paddock entered appears better than another, and on every hand both cattle and sheep are to be seen up to the belly in superabundant pasture. White clover is the weed that sows itself broadcast over the land all about this fertile district ; the road side is white with it, and the glare of the sun hurts the eyes as reflected from the white carpet which lies on the fields. One pound of white clover seed to the acre is the first sowing ; after that it spreads about and chokes out all inferior grasses. Between 11,000 and 12,000 aores of the estate have been cultivated, and over 2000 acres have been leased to tenants at the Crookston end of the property. Here I saw the

Finest Fields of Wheat anywhere out of the fertile Taieri. The soil ia specially adapted to wheatgrowing, the average yield over the whole district being about 40 bushels to the acre, and wheat of choice quality too is produced, Crookston wheat taking first place in the Melbourne market last season. Mr M'Kellar has also some choice fields of Poverty Bay ryegrass. About six years ago he saved the seed from these and sent it to Melbourne. The first seed sent realised 7s 6d per bushel, but the quantity sent soon glutted the market, and reduced prices to 4s 6d. As the sample produced, whenever the grass is allowed to run to seed, is of first-rate quality, Mr M'lCellar prefers his own growing of seed, of which he can always produce more than he requires. The stock of sheep on the estate at the present time stands at something like 34,000. They were in the thick of the shearing when I visited Brooksdale, and it struck mo as being uausual that I did not see a sheep in poor condition turned out of the shed. In poiut of fact the estate could maintain a much larger number of sheep, as in 6ummer the grass paddocks can easily feed six Bheep to the acre, while 15 to the acre can be fed on the turnip fields in winter; but Mr M'Kellar finds that he can produce wool of finer staple off sheep in good condition, and prefers rather to understock than to overstock his run. Iv proof of the wisdom of this he states that his wool topped the London market last year among New Zealand wools. A flock of stud sheep is kept on the estate, and none but seleoted crosobreds retained, and this, along with the excellent pasture, accounts for the high quality of the wool.

Siberia.

Ofl the leasehold, which includes the most rugged portions of the Blue Mountains and rough slopes right down to the Molyneux, merino sheep exclusively are kept. This rough country goes by the name of " Siberia," and in winter time, when the deep snow drifts fill the gullies and crown the mountain tops with whiteness, when King Frost converts the spongy peat moss on the highest points into a solid mass and covers over the numerous lakelets, which stud the green moss in summer like jewels, with sheets of strong ice, the name adequately describes the country. Then the sheep desert the high lands and seek the good shelter afforded by the wooded gullies near the river.

Virgin Forest and Fallow Deer,

But to return to Brooksdale. The homestead stands quite close to the mountain, set close beside a stretch of heavy bush, 300 acres of whiefc belong to the estate, and having the eriountein for a background. The bush contains any quantity of splendid timber, chiefly birch, black pine, white piue, totara, and broadleaf. Close to the boundary a sawmill has been at work for a number of years, and is working still. There I saw birch logs up to 3ft and 4ft in diameter ready for the caw. In almost every gully, cumbers of which furrow the mountain side, tousii is abundant, aud on taking a quiet walk along almost any of these fallow deer may be seen scampering off into the bush. About 15 years ago Mr M'Kellar liberated 13 deer, which have now increased to several hundreds, and have spread ali along the mountain range. In «fche season deer.-stalking is a favourite sport, and tno difficulty is experienced in getting a shot. Streams run down from the gullies nearly every ouarter-mile, and as the spurs open out into low, fan-shaped areas, the water could be quite easily jaid on for irrigation. But as the rainfall ia

always abundant, there is no need for irrigation, unless it were desired to grow lucerne for hay, which could be easily done, as the loose open soil would suit the growth of that fodder plant admirably.

A Herd of Swine.

At the foot of the mountain where the high and low lands meet, bracken fern grows in abundance. Taking advantage of this, Mr M'Kellar has enclosed 500 acres with strong wire netting for pigs. About 5000 pigs run in the enclosure, and find their own feed chiefly in the fern root. An occasional carcass is thrown to them, but fern root is their chief food, and they always keep in good store condition, and grow and thrive on it. When sufficiently grown they are fattened off on grain, and turned into bacon at a very small cost. Pure Berkshire boars are kept separate from the herd, except when required for stud purposes. About 2000 acres have been sown in turnips this season. It is the universal practice in this locality to sow almost all turnips broadcast, as it is found a sufficiently prolific yield can be produced without going to the trouble of drilling. Most of the turnips are through the ground and looking well, although the weather has been quite dry enough of late. This district is never subject to droughts, the average annual rainfall reaching about 23in ; consequently turnips are always a certain crop, and the yield per acre is invariably good. It is of course too early in the season yet to say much about the turnip crop, but so far the indications are favourable, and a splendid crop may be looked for.

Fish in Plenty.

All the streams, of which there is a large number, between Waipahi and Crookston, along the base of the Blue Mountains, are stocked with trout. In an artificial lake in front of his house Mr M'Kellar has placed a number of Loch Leven trout, which are doing well. The rabbit pest is a troublesome one, as these creatures come down from the rough slopes of the mountain and find good shelter in the bush. A vigorous war of extermination keeps them in check. Poisoned grain in winter and bisulphide of carbon prove equal to bunny's reproductive powers. Ferrets have been liberated, and as they increase it is hoped they will do the work now requiring a number of men.

A New Industry Wanted.

Could bisulphide of carbon be manufactured in the colony, and retailed at a cheaper rate, it would be used more extensively, and would prove the most effeotual way of thinning out the rabbits. There is a good opening here for enterprise, as there are no difficulties in the way of manufacturing the drug on a large scale.

A Bird's Eye View.

Not content with walking and riding through the fields, I climbed to the top of the mountain behind the homestead, and obtained a bird's eye view of the whole estate. It is evident that the Crookston Flat is an old lake bed, and that the lake was filled up by some river, which accounts for the understratum of coarse gravel that gives to the district its warmer soil. Those competent to give an opinion think that the Molyneux at some remote period of time coursed along the base of the Bias Mountains. If that were the case the discoverer of the ancieut bed of the river might safely reckon upon striking a deep lead of rich gold wash. Some attempt was made to bottom a shaft near Tapanui, but the shaft collapsed, and the attempt has never been renewed. However, Mr M'Kellar intends to put the theory to the test before long.

Looking down upon this beautiful estate from my vantage point, aoross its fields gleaming white with clover blossom in the summer sun, over its noble expanse of richest; verdure, with its streams of purest mountain water traced out as on a map, with the deep emerald of its crops of wheat, and the scenic beaufcy of its background, with the wild gorges of the mountain fringed with the dark-green shade of the birch relieved by the deep rich crimson of the mistletoe that drapes the forest in beauty at this season of the year, I felt almost sad that all this lavish bounty of Nature should be lost on the unconscious sheep that stood out from among the grass that half buried them like blurs upon an artist's picture. I thought what a choice piece of God's earfch this should be for the support of numerous, happy, and thriving families, who would only be too glad to make their homes in sach a lovely spot. I tried to picture to myself tj|e magic changes that time might bring about, when beside every purling brook a pretty homestead might stand, with the forest and the mountain at its backdoor, and a farm of waving corn in front ; when, instead of the monotonous bleating of sheep, children's happy laughter might wake the echoes of these same picturesque gorges, and a contented and driving population spread over the plain, and know the pleasures of peace and plenty. But I returned from the bright visions of dreamland to the realities which were too apparent beneath, and descended to the lowlands to listen to the discord of the continuous bleating of the restless flocks disturbed from their wonted quietude by the shepherds mustering them for shearing. If Mr M'Kellar could only be induced to subdivide and sell his estate, what a boon he might confer on many families ; but we must not envy the runholders, for they have done good work in paving the way for future settlement.