CLINTON, WAIRUNA, & C.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 22, 10 December 1874, Page 5

CLINTON, WAIRUNA, &C.

Throughout these districts the increase JH of lambs this year will be very consider- 18 ably below the average. On some stations Jl the returns are reported as being actually A nil, and on others, the .percentage very !■ small indeed. This unfortunate state of : |1 affairs arises from two causes. The. first is/ : J| due to the wholesale system. carried on of. 'M burning the tussock. country. To such ahi *-'3J extent has this practice been .followed that 1 the young stock was literally deprived of -M everything like shelter or protection, from. ?| the .inclemency of the weather. The | second arises from the scarcity of grass, "\=j resulting from dryness and lateness gene- ■•'^ rally, of the season. .On a yery.fevv^stations only, does the yield at all ap- ;'; proximate the usual percentage. -Shearing | I is now well advanaed, and on .some of =the ■;; \ more important stations, such as the Aus- ";'\ stralian and New,Zealand ; Land Company's, A the clip is either finished or „an early day is named forks completion. The crops as a rule are backward. Still, the late -fine weather and genial rains have wrought a marked improvement, and unless we ex- • perience a relap9e to the uncongenial state of things which prevailed a few weeks ago, an average } ield may be anticipated. -Oats « is the staple product, with an inconsiderable breadth of wheat. Although .we^are not in a position-to say the extent under crop, we.have.it on good authority' that a, considerable .quantity of sland hae, and is ' being broken up, so that next year's additiou to the agricultural area will ,be Borne- < thing considerable. The root crops, .are ■'■'-$, spoken of as being in a much more backward state than the cereals, sin 'fact, »the ,_, current opinion is that they will turn out exceptionally poor, a circumstance likewise attributable to the absence of moisture experienced during .the opening of .the season.

Catxtn's River. — About 800 acres of crop, chiefly oats, have been put in. They nee, if anything rather .late; still, their general appearance is not such as to mdi- . cate that the harvest will berto any very great extent a backward one. „The sorrel nuisance which is patchy, has at some places overrun the ground, to t an inconvenient,extent. WyifDiiAM. — Writing, of date the inst., our correspondent reports:-^ We have enjoyed beautiful weather lately, which has had a beneficial effect on the surrounding country. The crops are looking well,, and should we have a favorable harvest, the quantity of grain in this district will be greatly increased, as a large extent of land has lately been ; brought under cultivation. ' Tapanui. — Shearing ,at .- the • stations around Tapanui is now in full operation, or perhaps it would be more correct to say it is pretty well advanced. At Conical Hills a finish was made last week with a .flock estimated in round < numbers .at 20,000. The clin on Mr. John M'Kellar's station is also well .advanced, Tuesday last having been named as tbe day for completing it. The fleece from these stations has been washed and is now in course .of being drayed in to Dunedin. '■Upper Taieri. — Reports to hand state that during the past month, considerable ' activity has been manifested in every branch -of enterprise throughout the district, and the weather has been -more favorable for the sbe iring operations, which are being prosecuted vigorously. <It is anticipated that the current season's clip will be the heaviest shorn from the flocks for .a number of years. all that has been said to the contrary the shearing rates have been fixed at Ll per 100 sheep. Many expressed an .opinion tbat such would not be the case. Mount Ben.gee. — The correspondent of tbe ' Tuapeka Times ' reports that shearing has already commenced iv thedistrict,.some of the stations being in full swing. v Men are plentilul, and wages good. On one of the stations at least 50s per hundred isithe price given. ' •QußENsTowN.—i Writing of date the.23rd ultimo, a . correspondent states that .the, weather which during the past month has been most abominable had now taken up, and the district was happy in the enjoyment of a- delightful summer. 'Vegetation,' however, was behind, andthe season ex • pected to" be a late one. Shearing has commenced, the advertised price being fl7,s 6d. The shearers, however, refused -to take less than til per hundred, which, considering the, high prices of wool and mutton at present ruling in the markets,- the aqat--ters can well .afford to .give. : „ ' Tuapeka.— Cape weed is --said ,to "be spreading rapidly .throughbutrthe district, if, says the local paper, something js/not; done to check tbe growth; pi this, noxious plant, it will rapidly supplaktli^e gTalsses :H in our. pastures. Thistles and -sorrel varef^S bad enough, but our farmers ;wUl^eth^&;^ wted. worse than either.' •-'--'■' -'. yy^-- :^:^:p^Ml. Taibbi.— The Mosgiel vcorrespori^ent of^;| the '* Ev'enin^Sfar/'-wn^giiinu'ffielfU^l^^ reports-:— Th(#nigß:>j|:|ttiM|||^ restored both •y-auimal^'^d^egl'taot^Jif^^^ Measles; have all .but;|leYolheSdißirielßm^« the crops seem to be^vjinalyrigro.wjnff.^^ Fh ere, will be a 'BhprtjQes;s^f;J|^^l|sl^^ season, especially; *on >-|e*M^l^^^^^^^;^S The late crops lookse%er^thlnglt^^^^^^y be:deßir^dA;: , ; ;;>":^:'^|J^^^^^^P