POPOTUNOA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 23

POPOTUNOA.

February 9. —The weather was very hot and dry for some time, -until thig last week, when rain came, and did an immense amount of good. The turnips seemed to grow while one looked at them, ar.d the grass has been freshened up. The crops are coming in fast. Grass for seed is cut arid partly stacked, and there is a good acreage of grass for seed, as many were-- understocked. Autumn-sown oats are also cut, and j[ hear that some spring-sown ©ats on Pomahaka Downs are out. There is very little wheat in this district. The Californian Thistle. —eWeedi; aro growing luxuriously, especially the Califorian thistle. I see that at a meeting in Balclutha the Department of Agriculture has promised that there shall be no prosecutions this year provided farmers do what they can to beep them. down. Really the thistle is not what one would call a weed. A weed is looked upon as something quite useless; but the Californian thistle is useful for feed. Dried and cut into chaff stock like it. When just out in bulb sheep enjoy the bulbs, and when in full bloom horses revel in it. I think the only one who objects to it is the man who handles it when it is dry. But f loves can be used, and stacking and- drayuildinsr can be done with a fork. The War.—War stories are the order of the day, and I have a little story to tell. Most of the inhabitants of this district will remember Mr Cafrnie, who was teacher at Pomahaka Downs School. When he left he went to a school at Henley, and war broke out shortly afterwards. Mr Oairnie from his boyhood days was always fond of adventure, and he enlisted. I saw him in Clinton about three weeks ago, when he was on leave from a hospital ship. He told me he had been in Egypt, Malta, Franco, and. England, and through the Panama Canal. The Americans at Panama, he says, were very patriotic. They took all who were able to go in cars, showed them round the city, and paid all expenses. However, Mr Cairnie says he is very tired of the job. He and some others had to look after 200 consumptives on this last trip, and as they were _ short-handed the work was never ending. He says he will back himself against any woman for scrubbing. I believe Mr A. B;oad. son of Mr "Arthur Broad, of the Waiw-niu, was also an -orderly on the same This is an experience which rarely falls to a man. Wairunn, Church.—The' attendance at this church has not been very good during the holidays, but now it should improve. I would like to see more of oii'r young ladies taking an interest 'in the oh oil*. Mr Duke takes a large amount of paiiM in the sing, ing, and.they ought to back h.\.u up. Then there will soon be a concert and songs have to be prepared for it.