TUTURAU.

Otago Witness, Issue 3234, 8 March 1916, Page 31

TUTURAU.

March 6. —The weather is very fine here at present. The last two days were very warm, registering about 80deg in the shade. Harvesting is general all over the district. The early part of February was stormy, and many were anxious, as some of the crops were very ripe. Most of it was out, howover, before the wind came. Some_ of the heavy crops were laid with the rain, and many tangled and broken with wind; but the latter part of the month has been very dry, and the first week of this month; so that many have cut and stacked, and if the good weather continues harvest will be over very early. Good crops are general. We have not had such a fine summer for eight years. Turnip crops are looking well. They came away very rapidly this season, and*are very free of weeds. There should be plenty of winter feed. Many potato crops which were looking splendid have been affected by blight, which spread rapidly on two very hot days: but a heavy downpour of rain checked it, and some have escaped. Fruit is plentiful, and has ripened very early —nearly six weeks earlier than usual. An apple tree which I saw to-day, and from which a largo crop was gathered a month ago, is now in full bloom. Stoats are very plentiful, and troublesome to poultry.