LEAVES FROM AN OLD ALMANACK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 15

LEAVES FROM AN OLD ALMANACK.

CONDITIONS IX 1816

• In the "Cook Strait :Alman!ick''^o};: ; j 1547-. appeared an interestins account 'i of the ATairarapa'-as it then 'was;'"V:-.;;l ;: "TJie valley .of the •Waifarapa 'lies";-"| •nearly north .and south; and is : about ; Vi sixty idles long,' and 'averages., father ;'J more than , nine, miles fin width," coil-- •] faming about 400,000 acres; fourvfiftlisr/j of. tbis extent, is 'a dead,level, and the 4 remainder undulating;'land.. ".Of; the ?i level country there-appears to'bcr about; :■; 80,000,' acres of wood land, finely tithV - i berea with totara; matai, miro, 'kahi-J'.-i [katea, 'manuka, etc.; 'the soil of whicir ;< is particularly good;-, about .iWoJ(X)&-£ : acres consist of open.'iland cdycrediiritlr.i*'; grass, fern, anise, and - tohe^Kff;^ 'the level land is intersected ov, several ■« i - - . ■ t u-; .■• ■•^li.aontii.-fiij Ijswahips, but.most Qfe.them«c(>uld'ifbe}l3; •easily drained; ; : '•' ' ..1 , "The district may be divided intiv'.i three parts, , each possessiris its distinct \~2 and peculiar characters; ,the Joiresfc i part, or that nearest .'.the sea; and the. '•! western : side ■of the lakes,: is -mostly■.•■j swampy, and is covered 'during the.Viri-.; ; .j ter months with' water; tho ea'stora' i sido tile stations arg/'fbnncd,".:'] consists chiefly of grass .land/..the lower,. ground, near the river/ consists of Hie -:'j woodland, previously: described: ' Bin' ;)j yond these, in what may b'e termed the .ii valley of. the Upper• Wairarapa (by'fat ,1 tho larger division of 'the district),' :i there aro magnificent grassy.plains, ,, in-; : 'i tersected by belts of wood.and. water- '"•' cd by numerous 'streams, the , ' soil ;oT j which is of tuo richest description. ';;,' "The coast road, though rough, and, 3 in some, places difficult, does not sent any very serious obstacles ; in drivrvj ing over cattlo-and sheep. 'Tho worst: part of. tho journey is the passing' of; the;Jlul;a Muka rocks,, but if care ia'3 taken to reach.them half an hour be- •] fore low water, by persons "driving sheep, no difficulty will be found .in .passing them.■"'. ■'-. • . ';■;. ... ;