MATAURA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 17

MATAURA.

February 4. — The weather has been extremely bad for a number of weeks past, too much rain altogether haying been experienced to suit farmers who have hay out. In some padlocks it has been lying far too long, and chore is danger of its rotting. . The harvest will ba late here. The oats aud wheat are fairly heavy crops, and a spell of sunny weather to ripen them would do a power of good at the present time. The settlers complain terribly this season of the bniall birds, which arc proving a frightful pest. Grass is looking well. Next year there will be a considerably larger area of pasture than there is at present, as a number of farmers who have as yet delayed sending nrilk to the factory have signed th«ic intention of

doing so. The monthly cheque finds favour with the settlers here, as I suppose it does in most places. The turnip crop promises well as far as can be judged at present. Talking of turnips, a rather novel match took place on the farm of Mr Edwin Townshend, about two miles from the railway station, on Thursday last, when about 200 farmers and settlers in the district assembled to witness a turnip -thinning competition. The ground to work on seemed well selected for the purpose, and was in fairly good order considering the late web weather. There were two classes, senior and junior, and the time allowed was four and a-half hours. The former class had 70 chains, and the latter 21 chains. Twelve entered for the senior class, and five for the junior. The first five of the seniors obtained prizes ranging from 30s to ss, and prizes were also awarded the three first juniors. The match, in which much interest was manifested, 13 likely to become an annual affair, and next year it is anticipated that a much larger number will compete. The New Rabbit Cure.— M. Pasteur's scheme for getting rid of the rabbits is much discussed among pastoral men, and Sir F. D. Bell's report is anxiously looked for, and will be read with great interest by numbers of people interested in pastoral pursuits.