LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2360, 18 May 1899, Page 29

LAKE COUNTY.

May 13. — There is no longer any hiding the iact that winter is upon us, and that, too, before farmers, in the later portions of the district, have secured their crops. Although the past season has been altogether a-n exceptional one, the fact that for some situations it was not long enough may be put upon record as a general warning. Often have we had Jate springs, but they were always followed by Siot and comparatively dry summers, ripening crops of all kinds, so that they might be harvested by the end of- April. The last summer, lor a change, was wet, and the heat coming at intervals between the rains kept the crops growing instead of ripening them. Unfortunate as this mishap .is to many farmers, the average yield has been a very good one for grain jcrops, and naturally turnips and all green fodder favoured by the great amount of moisture ■we have had, have turned out abundantly. 'Amongst the more notable yields may be mentioned a paddock of barley harvested by Mr 3f'Cabo at Gibbston, which, I hear, went 75 to the acre ; Messrs Reid and M'Dowall obtained 1764 bushels of oats off a paddock of 17 acres, or upwards of 100 bushels to the acre. Similar good accounts come from many other parts of the district. Amidst such successes i>arley seems to grow in favour with our farmers. In the first place, it means a crop every eeason, as against wheat, which, to ensure success, must be fall sown, so thai every crop requires two years between seed time and harvest. Secondly, Wakatipu barley is in high favour with malsters and brewers, thus commanding a ready market at a good price. These are advantages which neither wheat nor oats oilers. Promotion.— The many friends of Mr T. Gilmour, who for a long number of years was connected with the stock department in this district, will be pleased to hear that he has (been promoted to the inspectorship of Wallace County. Besides being an efficient and painstaking officer, Mr Gilmour took an, active part in many of the concerns which had the' advancement of the Wakatipu for their object, and his removal will create a blank that will not be filled easily. His genial temper, combined with his acknowledged capacity in his fleparsment, smoothed the w«ur for the many

irksome duties his office imposed upon him, so that it may well be said, though his promotion 1 is -viewed here generally ' with pleasure, his departure is none the less generally regretted- As to the result of Mr Gilmour's efforts in this district, where he has been practically in charge for the past 17 years, it may be pointed out that about 15 years ago the rabbits had increased to such an extent that run after run was thrown up by the holders as utterly profitless, but that by persistent poisoning Mr Gilmour succeeded so well that now there is not an acre of the surveyed country lying unoccupied. Flower Show. — The chrysanthemum show of the Queenstown Horticultural Society, held on Wednesday last, attracted a large crowd, the Town Hall being uncomfortably filled. The show itself was an excellent one, there being many rare beauties on exhibition. Fruit also played an important part, and there was a miscellaneous lot of interesting and valuable exhibits. The society has been started under highly favourable auspices.