WAITAHUNA.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 17

WAITAHUNA.

jdiX 14.— The fine weather which prevailed with tm exceptions during the harvesting period appears to have ended, the weather being rather cold and damp of late. There was sufficient frost on the morning of the 29th April to cause a film of ice, aad we had snow during the f ollowlng'night. Although the night temperature had been Iqw at times, no frost hftd occurred ' since early in November, so it my be «aid that the fall season' has been unusually free of frost in this locality; Pastures have grown and root crops have made fair progress, but gene J tally the latter^ are light this year.' ' Threshing is -bill going on. ' The oat yield Is said to be light, with lomefew exceptions, but it has been harvested in fine condition, Ploughing has begun. PomoloGioax. — The past season has been favoureb!e for some fruits, but not for other*. The drvn en' following the cold; wet, late, spring or. early turamer was against apgleSj but berries and plums did well. ' Native birds , were destructive to" plums, end were present' in' greater v number and variety than usual. Our all-round good little grub forager, hosttrops dr'fca'whou,' had his share of the plums as they softened. A few tuis'also' pati, us a. visit and helped to rtdu'ce the sound frulfc to a minimiun. ( Another bird rather,,larger, deaoribed ac blackish brown with grey above Che neck, also paid us & visit, and during the night or early morn it peeked the apples. It will no doubt fie recognised by those living near forest country. Here it is a strange bird. Tho sparrows and green linnets are numerous, and have been destructive on the outfields. Starlings are numerous and, strange to -say, are partial to ■elderberries and also to the nectar of harakeke bloslomi, but they are not known to touch the plums. However, like other birds, they may learn to do Thb Whathhr continues damp and dull— ln fact the sky looks very much as if there was to be no more fine weather.