ALBURY (South Canterbury).

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 36

ALBURY (South Canterbury) .

March 13. — The weather during the past week lias been very favourable for harvest operations, and farmers have been enabled to get a o-oodly quantity into the stacks. Tnresnine has been completed on a few of the sraal-[iW-fatmß.^ The yield on the whole has oeen Ve Stock°Sale.— The usual monthly stock sale vas held on Monday. 6th inst. There was a large attendance of iarmexs, graziers, and dealers. A full yarding, comprising about feOOO sheep and cattle, was submitted, end ScW.-Our school has been closed for the Harvest holidays, also to allow the builders "complete a much-needed addition m th< orm of a new classroom. When this is LuisTiea the pupils will be much more coraortable than they have been for many months Ecclesiastical.— We had a visit recently torn two of the Redemptionist Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church, and they preached Baily to large congregations throughout the district. Yesterday the Presbyterian Church bnlpit'was occupied by Mr D. Scott, one of the Student deputies appointed by the Foreign {Mission Committee to make an appeal to all jthe congregations throughout the bounds on behalf of the Foreign Mission schemes of his jshurcli. There was a large attendance, and^ as a result of Mr Scott's efforts a special collection is to be made on behalf of missions. Potato Blight. — Almost every crop of potatoes m the district has been affected by the blight, which seems to have visited almost every part of the colony. Patches which a Few days ago looked flourishing are to-day withered and black. Those that were with the mixture recommended by the Agricultural Department do not seem in any better plight tha;n those which were left seV erely alone. lam afraid the disease starts not in the stalk, or on the leaves, but in the tubers themselves, for I have -smelt a powerful and by no means pleasant odour coming from ■oatches that to the naked eye looked quite fiea.lthy. The outlook is a serious one, especially for men with large families, as the potato has become an almost indispensable irticle of diet, and most people look askance at V dinner if this favourite vegetable does not form part of the bill of fare.