PUERUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1942, 7 February 1889, Page 17

PUERUA.

February I. —Any apprehensions of a long-con-tinued drought, such as we occasionally, though rarely, have in this country, have been dispelled by a copious fall of fine soft rain, which will do much good to the crops, and also to the-pasture grass, which was getting a good deal burnt up during the late warm weather. The Chops —Though a part of the cereal crop is rather late, especially the spring-sown portion, I think there is promise of a bountiful harvest. The late rain will set the turnip crop all right. Horticultural.—The severe , weather of the latLer part of last spring and the beginning of summer proved injurious to the apple crop, and the depredations of paroquets have injured the small fruit to some extent. Gatidek Club.—The indomitable perseverance of our minister, Mr Dalrymple, to establish a garden club here haß culminated in a flower show, which was a decided success, and for a commencement the late show in the Puerua Hall was all that could be wished. There was a very {rood display of out flowers in the shape of bouquets and otherwise, showing the possession of taste on the part of the ladj exhibitors. There were also &orae fine pot plants exhibited by Messrs Somerville and others. The exhibits of fruit and vegetables were also very good, Mr James Somerville showing some enormous gooseberries. A Trip.—A few days since I took a ride along the Puerua Valley road to Mr George SouueßS', at the Owake, and staying v night under his hospitable roof, proceeded next day to Catlin's Kiver, and so through the bush home. The,,course I took is a splendid ride or drive on a five day at this time of the year, the road being level .a, great portion of the way, and in a very good condition at present, though in winter lam informed it is almost impassable. It Is a highly picturesque country—the adjacent hills crowned with green bush, and, the smiling homesteads aud bright green paddocks on the Blopes. There are a great many settlers all along the splendid valley of the Owake, and flue paddocks with luxuriant grass, and cattle fat aud plump. I hear there is a disgraceful wa»te of timber going ou in the. process of clearing land, fine timber trees being burned or destroyed. If the Catliu's River railway had been continued so as to tap a central portion of the bush, and so have given settlers a means of disposing of the timber on their land, much of thi3 shameful waste might have been avoided, tho settlers at the same tiaie beiog much benefited by the sale of their trees. I balievo Mr Brown is about to erect a sawmill on his land. Catlin'a Bivertownship and surroundings have neat houses and gardens, especially Lbose of Messrs Dabinett and Yout'g. The Owake river and the lake or estuary Of Catlin's river preseut a very engaging spectacle en a fine summer's day. A tida or drive from Catlin's Kiver toSArhuhiri would give a newcomer a fino view of New Zealand bush—largo trees, thick luxuriant undergrowth, and here and there, fine specimens of tree ferns and many other species. Babbits.—l hear that the rabbit inspectors are turning out ferrets by the hundred at Owake. •

\ - Trout.—Mr Burt has just turned 17,000" young fish into the Puerua, including some American brook trout and Loch Leven trout. Some people here are of opinion that the young fisj^hould have been turned out higher up the river tnari they have been.