FORTROSE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 39

FORTROSE.

January 2. — The holiday season has come and gone, and we have, now to look forward to another year, of work. The past few years has been very rosy ones foi the agriculturist, and the farmer who has not done well has nobody to blame but himself. The farmer of old was a chionio growler, and I am not sure that the present-day one has got over the habit, but he does his 1 growl now with a smile on his face. Aa nearly all the farmers here keep moTe or less sheepj- the price of wool is a favourite topic of conversation just now; but if it is true that last year's buyers lost £2. a bale, as reported, then I don't think there is much to be surprised at at present offers. The Holidays. — The holidays- passed over quietly. The bill of fare consisted of races on Boxing Day at Fprtrose, races, and sports at Pine Bush on. the \ 27th December, picnio and 'sports. »t Haldane -on the 27th December, and Caledonian games at Fortrose on "•New Year's Day. The various gatherings were favoured with beautiful weather, with, the exception of the games -on New Year's Day, when it was extremely boisterous, which greatly affected the -attendfence. However, the ground is well sheltered with, a belt of trees, and the "blow" was not felt very much. • The Sport was good, most of the events being well contested. There was a fair number of competitors from Invercargill, Edendale, and Waikawa present, which helped to make things more interesting. A 1 very successful Caledonian "ball was held in the evening, when 80 coupLes were present. The gra^nd march was led off by the officers of the society. ' Fishing. — Although we live on the coast, it was very seldom we were able to enjoy the taste of sea fish (with the exception of flounders), but latterly we have been rather; better off in this respect, with the promise of better things in the future. Mr C. Davis has lately been going outside and' getting good hauls of blue cod and gxoper. There is* some chance of his getting a. whaleboat- provided with an oil engine, when our fish famine should be at an end. Great shoals of sprats have been passing along; the coast, followed by thousands of muttonbirds, and at various spots they are now and again driven ashore. If anybody happens along at the time he gets sufficient to feed! the neighbourhood, but the gulls and other birds in attendance soon .make a -clearance. These small fish are splendid eating, and it is strange that more use is not made of them. Some years ago the then principal 'keeper at the Waipapa lighthouse, Mr Erecson, preserved some, and I well re- , member sampling them and finding them very palatable, but how they were treated 1 I don't remember.

Crops. — The crop_9 throughout the district are looking splendid., but this was only to be expected in such t » splendid 1 season. _If weather conditions are as favourable during the autumn, then great yields will be the result. Some of the grass paddocks are perfect pictures. The well-known Toi ToisEstate, situated beside the coach road from Waimahaka to Fortrose, has a crop of_ grass that would ba hard to beat anywhere in the Dominion. Close beside it, Mr H. J. Middleton has on Uplands a field of about 20 acres of swede turnips equal to anything in the province at the present time. But everything in the vegetable kingdom seems to be bearing in a prolific manner this year — the cabbage trees being more heavily flowered 1 than I have ever noticed "before. Consequent on the rich grass pastures, the various dairy factories are getting an increased yield from much the same numbea? of cattle as were milked last season. Weather. — The heavy gale blowing yesterday caused Mr Ellio't'a launch and Mr C. Davris-'s fishing boat to sink at their moorings. It i» to be hoped that the damagedone to either boat is not extensive. The glass is now (8 p.m.. January 2) , rising, and there are indications that_ the gale has about blown itself out.