WETHERSTONES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 25

WETHERSTONES.

April 26. — here does not appear to be any diminution of the quantity of rabbits coining to L-iwraucrf for the different ageuts. Mv J. B. Thompson is sending away 1800 a day They are going to the Port Chalmers freezing works now. Buinbide and all the fieezing woiks to the south are full of frozen rabbiis. Last Saturday was payday, and men and boys— mostly boys— were getting their tallies of their rabbits, and their money for the same. It would be an interesting calculation to learn how many rabbits have been caught aud how many frozen in the colony this s-etv-on.

Farming. — Those farmers who have reaped barley fi r . for m ilting are busy carting it to the brewery. The Black Horse brewery hns bought a Hue of 1500 hags of barley at a cost of £1200 in the Lake Wakatipu district. If the farmers of Tuapeka West and Waitahuna West would try to grow pood barley they would always have a. ready sale for it, and not have to wait for their money. Owing to the difference in the soil aud climate of the Lakes district and Tuapeka and Waitahuna West district they grow brighter and better barley at Wakatipu for malting purposes, but our own district is by no means unsuitable for its growth. Weather,.— The weather during the last two weeks has generally been fine. On the 12th we had a rough S.W. wind, with a little rain. On. the next day there were heavy showers from the N.W., and it blew strong in the afternoon, followed by s»me warm showers. On the 14th we had hot winds, with a few showers at night ; on the 19th and 20th severe frost, and frost again on the 24 h. That evening and the next morning we had some showers f i-oiu the S.W The wind has generally been rauging between N. and S.W. The lowest readiDg of the thermometer was 40deg at 8 a.m. on the 20th ; the hinhoßt 82deg at 3 p m. on the same day On the ICth at 7a m tbe glass was 48deg, while at 8 a.m. it went down to 43deg, and on tjie 'ollowing morning at 5 a.m. the glass registered 42des, while three hours later— at 8 a.m. — it wa3 40deg.