OAMARU.

Otago Witness, Issue 3444, 16 March 1920, Page 27

OAMARU.

March 13. —»We are having beautiful weatbsr, warm, sunny days and warm nights, affording ideal weather, for leading in, but a bit too dry for the grasses to grow. Social.—The social event of the week has been the visit of the Anglican Bishop, Dr Richards. He conducted divine service last Sunday, and on Monday evening the Anglican Men's C.E.M. Society met him at their gathering and passed congratulatory resolutions. On Tuesday evening the congregation, including visitors from Newborough, Alma, and Totara, tendared his Lordship an enthusiastic social in the Church Hall. There was on the' stage with Archdeacon Russell, who presided, the Rev.. Mr Hunter and the Rev. Mr M'Lane, the Presbyterian divines,, the Rev. Mr Jamieson, the vicar, the Mayor (Mr M'Diarmid), who made the opening speech, and then had to leave owing to a prior engagement, and the two churchwardens, one 3 of whom, Mr Haines, knew the bishop 25 years ago. There was beautiful singing, and eulogistic speeches and fin© refreshments. The bishop was the guest of Archdeacon Russell. A Model Farm.—l took a run down to Herbert a fortnight ago to pay a visit to my old neighbour, Mr R. J. Elliott. The bulk of his crop was then cut, and was a genuine surprise to the district, thanks to a system of early summer fallowing and ploughing after harvest. Some of the oats ■ were nearly six feet high. One seven-acre patch took eight balls of twine. The small experimental area of barley did not do so well; in fact, one corner was ploughed up and put down in turnips, which were ■ doing very well. Still, another corner of the barley in a hollow about three-quarter of an acre in area,, took a ball of twine, which was hopeful and gave indications that when the land is more worked up and a better winter the whole area will give as good results. Then there was a fine crop of four acres of swedes sowed at the rate of 18 ounces of seed to the acre, which was two ounces extra to allow for the couch grass that might come up. Then 14 cows are milked for the factory, which is another record. Several head of young steers are fattening, too. If there was a lot of sheepproof fencing put up the farm would carry 80 to I€o ewes extra without difficulty. A. live hedge could be made very cheaply by making a deep ploughing "finish," and then make a "gather" or : "crown" where the fence is to be and then planting a sycamore seed four inches apart, and there will be a sheep-proof fence in perhaps three years, and cattle-proof in a few years more. And neither stock nor rabbits will touch it. There are no rabbits on the farm, but doubtless there will be the visual migration late in the autumn from the surrounding country, being attracted to this farm owing to its green appearance, when Mr Elliot will make a fine haul. There was an area of a quarter of an acre of blackberries, but as visitors got the benefit Mr Elliott burnt, and now the cattle are continually cropping down the young tender shoots so that it seems likely to soon die out. When the manuka la burnt out here a fine_ crop of cocksfoot at once grows up, which is different to many other places, where the bid-a-bid and other weeds take charge. Some time back there were letters in the Witness having reference to the small catchment areas that supplied perpetual lagoons outside of Oamaru. There would be one on this farm but for the fact that the horses and cattle drink it dry for a couple of months in midsummer. I took all the measurements, and these are the results. It 'is a small valley with most of the surrounding ground sloping away; from it.: Itg

length is 47 yarcU, and a gmall embankment Is built across the mouth. One side of the valley is a gentle' slope 25 yards wide} the other side is lower, but the slope is the same, and the distance is only 10 yards. The water-hole at the bottom of the valley is about 40 yards long and eight yards wide, and is generally two feet deep. Most likely this latter is caused by the horses carrying mud away under their hoofs every time they go in to drink. I have seen similar depressions caused in 10 years. Now, if the top soil of this little valley were removed and fine asphalt put in its place, it would not take much figuring to show the large amount of water it would save with an annual rainfall of 30 inches, and would bo ample for every hoof on the place and household purposes as well. In Herbert Mr Stringer, sen., has a circular cement oistern 9ft by 13ft in size to catch the water off a four-roomed house, and in addition to all household purposes, he has plenty for four cows. Some little time back Mr Elliott took in Mr James Hill, of Roslyn, as a partner.