WAIWERA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 39

WAIWERA.

January 1L — The weather for some time • ,lias been very unfavourable for farming, j high winds with burning sun having beea i the rule. There have been some rain-showers, but these have not had: time to get into the ground before the. moisture dried up. 'The grass paddocks are, consequently, looking very dry, and a continuance of drought j will make feed Eomewhat scarce. Stock, however, owing to the good weatiher and abundance of feed iv the earlier part of the season, are in remarkably good condition, i and should: be able to hold their own for a considerable, time. As re&aards -sheep tfaeTe aae, apparently, a good number of lambs, which will sell fat off the -ewes, and these, ' when disposed of, will -ease the strain on the pasture. Some preparation b»s been madfe for lamb fattening in the way of «arly sown turnips, and turnips and, young grass. 1 notice that Mr W. Paterson has a nice field of th.« latter coming on. Crops. — The oat crops here are looking well Som« of the earlier sown are colouring, and it -will not be long before some cutting will 'be done. The rain which came some time ago was of much benefit to the oat crop, especially that which -was late in being sown. This previously was making little 'headway. Tbe sowing of turnips has just bsen finished. The ground has_ been in good! order, a fine moisture being retained in the soil almost right through, the- season so that there should ■not T>e -many failures tfs regards the sprmging of tne seeds. During the last week however the ground, snd especially that ploughed, the second time, has -worked up , dry and there is little hope of any seed | springing until it gets a soaking rain. Those v turnips which were sown early are making a good show. The general method this season has bean to .sow with the broadcast drill, aa this seems to suit best in the, long run. Some small fields sown with the ridger can be seen, but this modes of sowing is not much practised. This is owing to the trouble j oi thizming, and the scarcity of EUitable laibour to carry out Ufae work ai a reasonable expense. Besides the difference in the crops doss not warrant the rislc of failure in a dry season, and th© extra, time and expenses incurred. The Wool Clip. — Shearing, so far as I can leurn, has -now been -completed. This was < protracted owing, to the broken time through, i wet weather in the earlier part of the season. There was also a difficulty in obtaining i hands. Some of these undertook to do much, more tban they were able to accomplish, i resulting in considerable inconvenience to the cheap-owner. In some oases owners- w&re . able to obtain permission to- shear "Kb , the large sheds, "both, with machine and hand. TMsj N although it may luave- some drawbacks, as having to wait till, perhaps, th« «nd of th© Eeason. or being interrupted through wet weather, is a great" oonvenienoe to the small farmers, who in many cases have to go to trouble in, .making temporary yards, night pens, etc. Grass Seed. — Those who have a Tgrass-ssed crop axe just now busily 'harvesting. The crops ar© -fair 'beyond those of last year in weight, ther© being some particularly heavyones. It will perhaps, however, take it all to make" up for th© difference in price to be obtained this season compared with last. The indications are that a coneicteTably less price will hay© to be accepted.