ARDSOWAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 31

ARDSOWAN.

April 14. — Comparatively little serious loss has been sustained here in connection with, the crops, owing to farmers stacking at the fh-3t opportunity after the cutting was done. Any in stook, which 's very little, is pretty well all destroyed for milling purposes. So anxious are those unlucky ones who have crop in stook to get it secured that yesterday (Sunday) stacking operations were carried on. This is the first occasion in my experience that I have seen this class of farm work in progress on the Sabbath. Threshing has been at it standstill for the past three weeks, but the hum of the drum could be heard on Saturday, showing that operations in this line have been resumed. In case 3 where the threshing is completed the result has been good, up to 45 bushels of -wheat and 60 bushels of oats per ticre being reported. The floods have caused some damage to the potato crop. In one cast which was brought under my notice about one-third of the crop had rotted. All other classes of root crops, turnips, niangola. etc., are fully up to expectations — a far better crop throughout than we had last year. Dairying.— Thero was a great shortage in the milk supply to the creamery last month, owing, no doubt, to vhe rain, cattle seeking shelter rather than fora-ge. The Trail svaal War.— We have contributed our quota of fighting mateiial to this great war. Recently two of our lads left the plough to take up the rifle, one with the Ninth aJid the other with the Tenth Contingent. Trooper H. Calhghan (Ninth) and Trooper A. Clark (Tenth) were accorded a hearty send-off, and if good wishes go for anything they should , get on well and give a good account of themselves. .Death. —Quite a g_loom was cast over the district when the news was spread abroad that Miss Agnes Boyd had passed away after a very brief illness, caused by inflammation of th« kidneys. Great sympathy is expressed for tlio parents in their bereavement. Ecclesiastical. — Our Weston brethren are working very hard to gel a church close to the creamery here. It is to be hoped that their efforts will be successful. In the meantime weekly services are held in Mr Sansom's house. Mr Blair, who has been preaching for some months, has been replaced by Mv Walker. Mt 11. Thompson, oui creamery manager, ministers to the children, and can now claim to have established a very strong Sunday school class. Transfers. — During the past month some changes have taken place. Mr Lindsay, who only recently bought out Mr Jackgon, has again, sold to Mr W. Say, who, I feel sure, has come t« stay. Mr T. Ring, who was one of the first settlera here, has sold out to Mrs Boyd, also a first settler, but finding her section too small she made a. bargain with Mr Ring for his section, which adjoins her own. Very good prices were paid ill both case 3.