A RIDE THROUGH THE RANGITIKEI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 886, 4 August 1910, Page 8

A RIDE THROUGH THE RANGITIKEI.

GRASS FEED AND TURNIP CEOPS.

This is a busy time in many parts of the , liangitikei: and- olhor-'districts where there are gorse- , 'fences, ; trimming . and cutting;: being the- order of the (lay. It makes a. wbnde-rful difference to tho appearance of any fariii when its owner keeps his gorse well trimmed. This is the more evident when one notices how utterly careless the Maoris are in this respect. One'raroly sees a Native attend to hedges. On the contrary they are left -severely alone, and,. not only that, they-are allowed to spread .away into, the paddocks. ,V ■ ; ■ There is a good deal of cold, wet land in the Bonny Glen district, and when I rodo through, the other day a considerable amount of water was lying about. The grass cannot: grow under such conditions, and I really do, not remember to have seen it so sparse as during this season. . : .

'What few crops,of turnips I saw were ; really - heart-breaking-' ~sights—simply wretched. It does seem a pity, that after all the trouble, time, and • expense to which, the farmer 'has been . put, he should:have, such poor results./ All the way to Wnngamii I.did not see a single crop worth calling one. It is to be hoped that either some means will soon bo discovered to, combat ,tho,blight, or a variety found .'which will; be more immune than those in general use to-day. Some farmers tell'me they are now almost afraid to.venturein turnips.next season. In this-connection I have seen a good many more-'mangolds being fed' to sheep than in past/years. ■They, are carted out to the , paddocks for the sheep to feed on, and the animals seem soon to take to them , . Though-there is a good 'deal more labour 1 .■ entailed in , growing a mangold crop,-under existing conditions .with turnips,.:it .is a : mogf question whether it is-not better , to undertake the more expensive crop, and be. practically ; siire of the results;'than to .go.: on year to year as the' farmers ' have . been doing, and get either no crop at all or only one of a most disappointing, character.' ■_ ■'■■"Getting..o'vjjr.,the.ihill,and down into the Turakina Valley,:'" the ' grass ; was showing very much; better. Ihe same in the Wangaehu Valley. U the latter there-are: some really good-looking pastures, the" eoiU coming-.down.-irom the paDa country-being, of a warmer, nature than that in the cold clay sub-soils.