PUERUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 25

PUERUA.

December 24 — After a long spell of wet and stormy weather, tlurc teems at present indications that we are about to have a course of drier wi ;Ulier. «. Tiik Chops. *l do not hear generally very favourable report? of the cereal crops, the cold weather having somewhat retarded growth, but fine weather and sunshine will probably soon make a noticeable improvement in the appearance of the ott crop. The present drier wwther is being taken advantage of to get in the turnip seed, f hough the wrather ha» been very coarse for the last few months, we h.ive had no frosts severe enough to do much injury to the potato crop. Pasture grass is now coniing on very well.

HoivriCULTUiiAL. — So far as my experience goes, the late cold, stormy weather has been very destructive to the apple ami pear fruit. Though there was a heap of blossom on my Jargonelle pear trees there seems to be hardly anj' fruit on them, an event of very rara occunence. Plums Eeem to hay* done well where they have not been exposed to the cold, high winds. Berries seem to be very abundant.

Rabbits. — I think rabbits are not quite co numerous about here as they have been for some years past, and they are not quite so severe on the pasture grass in paddocks. They continue, however, to be a formidable pisl, aud there should be no relaxation in the destruction of them. Summer poisoning with toxa aud poliard should now be resorted to. Toxa Eeenis to be taken freely by the rabbits, and toxa kills more rapidly than oats or pollard. I understand from people who ought to know that toxa may be laid without any fear of sheep, cow.*, or horses eating it. Some dogs at least, will eat neither tnxa nor poisoned pollaid. Wlddixg —We have juat l>ad a man iage here — viz., that of Mr Peter Grant to a daughter of Mr D:\luleibh.

ITEtLTH. —The Kite inckment weather has been productive of some sickness in the district in the pliaue of colds aud throat affections. A short time since Mr William Hay was seriously il! from inflammation of the luag^. but I am glad to say he is batter now. Mrs Goodall, who had tor years suffered from paralifci^, disd a short time since. Mr Goodall, well known to eaily OUgo BPtllersS, is still to the fore at the age of i! 0 veass, living with his ton-iu-law, Mr Hugh M'Kcehnie.

Sawmilli no. — Messrs Dawson and M'Kucbnie, oursiiw -millers, ha velatelyextended theii business by the purcha-e of the null and plant of Messrs Marshall aud Son, Glenomaru.