OPHIR FARM NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 17

OPHIR FARM NOTES.

(From Oub Own Correspondent )

January 24. — After a very dry and windy spring we are blessed with a splendid summer. The heavy rains we have had lately have brought the crops and grass on splendidly. Everything is about a month late, but no matter, crops are looking well now, and we shall have a rich harvest.

There is a fair acreage under oats this •year, and the yield should be over the average.

Owing to the very low price of wheat the last year or two, farmers have almost given up growing that cereal, atid there is a very small acreage in — hardly enough for local requirements.

At present bakers are getting their flour from Dunedin. as there is none available here. Now, this should not be, as we have one of the beat districts for wheat-growing in New Zealand. No doubt when we get the railway running in our district this crap will be grown to a large extent for milling purposes. The great drawback at present is the difficulty of getting anything in the way of produce to a cash market.

The gras3 lands are looking very well, and have not that dried-np appearance they usually show at this time of year. The turnip crops are looking very well. One I saw weighed out of a paddock last week turned the gcale at 101b, which is a record weight for January.

Live stock of all kinds are looking very well. Thpre have been no buyers for fat lambs here as yet. I hear one buyer from Burnside works has been in Maniototo, and is offering 10s per head This is a very poor price, considering they are giving up to 14s 6d for them at Addington market. The Burn=ide works will have to wake up, or we shall have the Canterbury buyers coming this way, and all our beet lambs will go Home as Canterbury. "We were in hope* that we would have had the train running hero about this time nf\t year. The terminus at Ida Valley being no good to ub on this side of the river, all our produce has to go to "Wedderburn. All the works have been closed down this eide of the river, and we may not have the train running here for years. 1 just mention this, as perhaps it may catch the eye of one of the members of the Railway League. The Farmers' Union should also take this matter us at their cext meeting