THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16424, 18 January 1919, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOE FARMERS,

The cocksfoot seed harvest in the Taihape district promises well, and is likely to be a record. Tlio grass has everywhere attained a very # even growth, and is carrying exceptionally heavy heads of seed.

After considering the matter, the Feilding borough, engineer has • reported that he is unable to recommend the Council to adopt a municipal haymaking scheme. At a meeting of the Council a month ago, Mr Geary was asked to discover whether it would, bo a payable, proposition for the Council to cut the long grass on the streets and paths for the purpose of making hay. A Ma6terton settler informed an "Age" reporter that he intended shutting down a thirty-live acre paddock of white clover for seed purposes. Ho states thai with the stock market on sucli an uncertain basis, and with clover seed selling at 2s 6d per lb. thero was little doubt that the seed was a more payable proposition than eating the clover off with stock. A start has been made with the reaping of the cocksfoot harvest (says yesterday's "Akaroa Mail")* I n L® Bon's Bay an. early start was made with some of the paddocks, but the reapers soon got ahead of the seed, and -there will be a delay before cutting is continued. In Pigeon Bay only a few patches of early seed have been cut. Cutting is fairly general on the lower levels in tho watershed of the harbour; but unless there is a very hot spell there is no danger of the seed ripening rapidly and shaking. The rain yesterday afternoon put a stop to all operations. . It is reported that Mr G-. H. Perry's! farm at Upper Plain-, near Masterton, has been sold for £100 per acre, which is amoms the highest- prices paid for farm land in the* Dominion. J HANMER SPRINGS. On Thursday the visitors at Hanmer Springs gave a social in the Queen. Mary Hospital. -A- large crowd attended, and all thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment.. Progressive' euchre was Splayed for an hour. The ladies' prize was won by. Mrs Mooar, the gentleman'a by Private Bates. The booby prize fell to Matron Rennell. A Casey's parade for ladies was won by Miss ,Gwen Kirby, and a whistling R.ufu s competition for gentlemen by Private Bates. The musical programme was as follows: —Duet, Privates JTalkner and Silverwood; songs and choruses by Miss Cotterill "and the Lodge glee party, Mr Guy Cotterill and party, Rev. J. Paterson and party. The prizes, which were given by Mesdames Rhodes and Cotterill, were presented by Colonel Bernau, Commandant, who warmly thanked the visitors for the very enjoyable entertainment given. Heavy rain fell on Thursday night, 21 inches falling in twelve hours. The. rain was much needed, and will do a great deal of good. CHEVIOT. A splendid warm rain set in on Thursday evening, and continued till 5 p.m. yesterday. Tho rain was badly needed to fill out the wheat, and was welcomed on every farm. Several f.armers are experimenting with linseed this season, and, to judge by the crops, they should prove lucrative. AVAIPARA. After a spell of warm, dry weather, heavy rain set on Thursday at about 7 p.m., and continued till 3 p.m. yesterday,- when 151 points were recorded. Although the clilinge in the weather will put a stop to all harvesting operations, the rain will do a vast amount of. good to pastures, as the paddocks were ljeginning to have a very parchod appearance. Some of the oat crops have been harvested, and a start has been made on a few of the wheat crops. KAIAPOJ. There was a very large gathering at the Drill Hall on Thursday night, when a welcome homo was extended to Corporals R. Croft. G. Martin, Privates C. Ashley, J. Catteraole, A. Hirst, fc>. Warwick, J. Purdie. and T. Linklater. The Mayor (Mr J. H. Blaekwoll) presided. and on behalf of the Patriotic Committee presented the mfcn with a gold medal' each, in the form of a Maltese cross. An addrei* of wcleomo was given by the Rev. AW Ready. Durjnrr the evening the following items were contributed : —Songs, Mrs McL&ughlin, Misses N. Young, Roberts Messrs A. Baker, and J. Brown. Recitations, Miss Atkins. Air C. Eyles, and a club-swinging exhibition l,y Mr E. Bavliss. Supper was uroviderl M- the Patriotic Committee, after which dancing was indulged in till a late hour. hok-n-by-islixgtox. The Hornbv-Isliugtou branch of the Protestant Political Association held their annual meeting in the Orange Hall Hornbv, there being present a ,rood attendance of members. Durfn<r the evening, the chairman gave a brief account ot the doings of tho branch during the past year, pointuig out the progress that had been made, and also mentioning that the balancesheet showed a very satisfactory credit. A committee of lo members was elected for the ensuing year. , halsavell. The recent warm weather was much irnrpeiatod by .the farmers, who were freauentlv delayed dunug the hay &ealon bv wet and boisterous squalls. The fruit'is ripening rapidly teome raspberrv beds are reported almost failures, •l kind of blight forming on them bofore full growth. The bird pest is very troublesome. f TO have also been attacked b> blight, the leaves

entirely disappearing, together with th© main stem, although the root seems to be intact. Blight is apparent everywhere.

At the last meeting of the School Committee, there were present —Messrs W. L. Wright (chairman). Bird. Smith, and Tyson (secretary). It was decided to give prizes to all children attending the school. The chairman and headmaster, together with Mesdames Guiner and Ferguson, "were appointed to select the prizes. Th© question of holding a concert and prize distributing was held over till next meeting. The Anglican Sunday school resumed 1 last Sunday. 7 hero was a verv fair attendance. In the absence of the vicar, the promotion of scholars in their re-spect-ire classes Trill not take place till to-morrow. Most, of the pupils of Standard VI. at the local school who gained proficiency certificates are seeking higher education, either at the Boys' High School or the Technical College*. ROLLESTOX. Heavy rain commenced to fall on Thursday evening, and continued most of the night. It will do an immense amount of good to pastures and lato crops. The bulk of th© oats crop has been reaped, and stacked. There are somo very promising crops of wheat, but the new disease has made its appearance in some paddocks, though in a mild form. The potato crops are looking well and promise a good yield. The late rain will help the pea crops, and there should be some good yields. Ryegrass crops are very limited, as fanners have not been too well off for feed. HORORATA. After a few hot north-west clays rain started to fall in tho Hororata district on Thursday afternoon, and continued throughout tho night. Up to 9 a.m. yesterday .90 points had fallen, making 1.90 points for the month. The rain will do good to : the turnip and rape crops, which aro not looking as well as in former years. Thero aro some good crops of wheat' and late oats in the district, but the wheat has suffered from disease. There aro many theories as to what the disease is, but the general opinion is that something eats through the straw close to tho ground, and the heavy winds break it down before the grain falls. One farmer in the Glenroy district states that ho has had tho same trouble in previous years. KIRWEE. The weather during tho early part of January has been more like winter than summer, cold winds predominating. The ground was getting very dry, and feed was going off quickly. A change took place on Thursday afternoon, when light rain came up from' the east. The fall grew heavier _ towards evening, and during the night the wind veered to the south-west, heavy rain falling, .94 inches being registered. The rainfall for December was 1.07 in. Rain fell on six days, the maximum fall being .35 inches on the 9th, .427 inches was registered for the corresponding month of 1917, and .70 inches in 1916. The fall registered, for tho year 1918 was 26.00, and for 1917 28.96 inches. The crops will greatly benefit from the heavy rain which has just fallen, and they"should now fill out well. Rape and turnip crops, which in numbers of cases aro just showing, should now grow rapidly. Grass, which was feeling tho effects of tho dry weather, will be freshened. Oat cutting is now general, and on a few farms some paddocks of oats aria in stack. Most of the early oat cropfi are very much inferior to the later CTOpi. Courtenay, Kimberley, Darfield, and Greendale districts all report the appearance of disease in the wheat crops, the variety chiefly attacked being solid straw Tuscan. There aro eomo splendid crops of wheat to be seen, and it will be a calamity if they arejspoilt .by . this apparently mysterious disease. A very fin© crop of Cape barley is to be seen in the Courtenay district, which should yield well on to 80 bushels an aero. A fair acreage of grass has been stripped this year, the seed being heavy and clean. White clover appears to "be a very good crop. Although, in most case? potatoes wore cut _ down by th© frost, they afro now looking very well. Owing: to frosts fruit will not be so plentiful as anticipated. Some sheltered orchards escaped, whilst in others less' favoured the fruit was all destroyed. SOUTH MALVERN DISTRICT. Th© weather of th© past week has been very warm and sultry. On Monday and Tuesday last unusual conditions wero experienced, there being very little wind in the district, while seven miles away, at Glenroy, _ a nor*-west gale was Taging, and flying dust and grit made things most unpleasant for those who had to travel through it. It seemed as if tho strong wind at Glenroy had created a vacuum here, so oppressive was the weather. On Wednesday night, after a day of strong nor'-west wind, a very wolcomo change came. The wind veered, to sou'-west, and continued all day (Thursday). About 3 p.m. rain began to fall, and gradually increased in volume. At 9 a.m. yesterday 97 points were.recorded, but the conditions _were so dry that thero was little evidence of it. Th© day was showery, and the temperature dropped considerably. _ Nearly all the hay is harvested, and in another week the first of the early oat crops will be ready for the. reaper. WOODEND. The anniversary services of the Waikuku Methodist Sunday school were held ou Sunday last, the preacher being tho Rev. Mr Beckett (Sydenham). I On Thursday the annual social was held : . Addresses wero given by the Rev. I'. 'Guy'and C. B. Jordan. The annual report was presented by Mr P. Robinson (superintendent). Considering tho wet weather the attendance was very gooa. During the- evening several musical items were given by tho children, assisted by friends. MAIREHAU. On Thursday the residents of the district tendered a welcome homo .social to Privato J. J. O'Connor. There was verv large attendance, the hall uuiii'i, taxed to its utmost capacity. A thoroughly cnjovablo programme was contributed by the following:-—jLisses la. Gottermever, Smith, E. Marshall, O. i Heath, J>. Beck, E. Beck, A. Maday, Messrs L. Wilson, Basher, and Angus. During the evening tho chairman (Mr W. J. Walter) spoke of Privato O Connor's popularity in tho district, and extended him a most hearty welcome home. On behalf of the Patriotic teocietv. Mrs Meynell pinned a gold medal, suitably inscribed, on Private O'Connor, amidst cheers, th© audience au « singing "For lie's a Jolly Good t ellon. After supper dancing was indulged in. Miss K. Haughey supplied the music, and Mr L, .Wilson acted as M.C.