CLYDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 39

CLYDE.

March -i. — The local cricket club had an entertainment here on Thursday evening last, with a view to augmenting the club's funds, l)Ufc, very HnfortnuateJj-, the concert was poorly attended. It may be that the management made a mistake in not appealing to local musical talent to assist at the entertainment in preference to introducing performers from a distance, many 01 whom were comparatively unknown to the musical portion of our community, who have a decided objection to appearing at concerts of thctind usually given by unknown performers. It so happened, however, that those taking part in the entertainment on Thursday evening last acquitted themselves most creditably, ths several vocal items being very capably rendered. Miss Thomas, who possesses a soprano voice of wide range, gave a most acceptable rendition of lihe old favourite, "When the heart is young," and was not less successful 111 Her otTier contribution, ■' Home once moie," the accompaniment to the latter being played by Miss Smart. The duet, "Life's dream is o'er," was sung by Mr "W. Randall (tenor) and Mr A. Murphy (bass; ; Mr West danced a Highland fling in capital time to Mr Duncan Livingstone's bagpipe music ; and the Highland and Irish reel danced hy Miss Bayer and Miss Sutherland and Messrs G-ally and "West was very acceptable to the audience. Mr J. Nicolson's sword dance was a really good performance. The performers were arrayed in Highland costume for tho occasion. Mr Will Randall sang "Laugh, and the world laughs with you" in his own inimitable style, and his coster songs,., in characteristic dress, were^ .received with vociferous applause. The entertainment was concluded wi£h a laughable comedy, that wr.s very capably carried "through by the performers, each of whom gave a careful interpretation of "their respective parts. A dance followed.

A Plea for the Goldfinch. — This "bird appears to have developed a tasts for the unsightly leech that devours "fche foliage of pear and cherry trees at this season of the year. I had the pleasure of seeing a number of goldfinches feeding off the leech a day or two ago, and they appeared to relish tlie morsel, too. I have not witnessed a similar sighA before now, although I have seen the goldfinch frequent trees upon which the leech was present. Can it be that this bird is about to develop a taste for this food, and thus "become helpful "to the fruit grower? A consciousness of his faults may prompt the bird to do some little good by way of recompense to those whom he has injured in the past.

Harvest. — The oat crop has been fairly heavy i on ths farms on Earnscleugh Flat, and stack- ; ing operations are now in progress. The potato crop is a complete failure throughout this district, but this is not put down to any disease, either in tuber or haulm, but rather to the cold weather which prevailed during the early spring. It is thought by farmers here that the Irish potato blight has been introduced by the importation of new varieties of potatoes. The Agricultural Department should see to it that all imported tubers are subjected to close microscopical examination before being allowed to be distributed amongst farmers. Having had some experience with I the Irish blight, the writer is of opinion that the disease reported as being prevalent in the Worth Island and South Canterbury is not the Irish potato blight, but rather another form of that cryptomatic disease. Any potato grower may easily discover the presence of* Irish blight in his crop by spreading a linen cloth in some part of the paddock, and leaving the cloth there for a night or two. "Where the Irish blight is present the cloth will be found to be stained with small dark spots that 110 process of washing or blea-ehing can po?- ] sibly remove. Again, the Irish blight could i not well affect a crop in an-inhabited locality without occasioning remarks anent the state 01 the atmosphere. "Where the blight is present a nauseating stench pervades the atmosphere in the neighbourhood oi any crop that is being aCcrted. and next day it is found i that that crou of haulms is black, and that a process of decay has set in. By rmllins up the stalks you may think to save the tuber's, but you do not do po. The crop in the adjoining paddock may escape having the stalks feared; but notwithstanding this the tubers will be found dise.ased when the crop is being har"esled. Let farmers try my sugerp^tion by tesiinc: the presence of Ihe Tris.li blisjht with a white linen sheet. The test will be found to ■'be inosc reliable.