PUERUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 44

PUERUA.

January 25.— 1t is many a year since we had a regular drought in these pait-s, but it looks something like it now. ii we ao not get ram soon there will proo&biy ba a good cieal of damage done. The Ci ops.— The oat crop is looking fairly well at present, but rather short, luxra-p-sowmg is about completed, tae weather having been favourable ior it; but it ram does not corns soon the crop has a good chance of being ruined. Potatoes aie safisring fiom the drought. Pasture grass is pretty good just now, but with the absence of xam a little longer it is likely to become dried up. Horticultural. — There is a great supply of gooseberries and other berries tnis season ; also oi appies, while pears are not qmte as good, and plums are very scarce on account of inclement weather at time of setting. The birds made a clean sweep of my red -currants and sweet cherries when about naif ripe, but I have 3 tree of Morella, or bitter, cherries which the birds have hardly touched, being too bitter for them. These cherries are too bitter to eat uncooked, but they make a splendid preserve.

Roads. — Our roads are, of course, in a raora trafficable condition during this dry weather, but I should like to see an equivalent for the taxe9 we have to pay in the way of the roads being kept in bettei repair in winter time.

Flower Show. — Our annual flower show came off on the 21st an-d 22i:d inst. It was a capital show, especially as regards cut flowers, of which there was a very fine display. A considerable addition to the show was some beautiful roses and dahlias grown by Mr Thomas* Telford, and exhibited by Mr James Robertson. I observed one very large yellow rose shown by Mr John Goggie, and a fine collection of yellow and other roses by Miss Geggie; also a number of lovely bouquets shown by the ladies of the neighbourhood. Mr Davidson, who is generally a valued contributor to the show, exhibited a tray of very choice flowers. There was a fine display of fruit, among the rest seme enormous gooseberries and fine red, white, auci black currants, shown by Mrs Downie ; a good deal of fnrt, including Japanese plums, by Mr Davidson : some Loganberries from Mr Telford's. Mr James Lament showed some silver bird bark, used by the North American Indians to make their canoe 3 of; a fine collection of potatoes, including some very fine Rcbm Adairs was shown by Mr Jack Shields; a fine low of turnips by Mr P. Grant and others; a fine show of onions. On Friday evening there was a great crowd of people in the hall, hardly room to stir about. Proceedings in the evening were enlivened by seme vocpl andl instrumental music, and Mr William Patterson' s> curious gramaphone.