ON THE MURIMUTU PLAINS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1083, 23 March 1911, Page 8

ON THE MURIMUTU PLAINS.

■' A MALIGNED COUNTRY. ' TFroin Our Travelling Correspondent.) When I got out on to the open country of tho Murhnutu Plains,, a: the foot pi" Mount Kuapshu, though' the ■ laud is both , hilly and rolling as well as flat, I found everything looting very brown. From a scenic point of viev; it was most delightful, the many shades of brown, on the hillsides, dotted here apd there with a patch of pampas, with its yellow plumes, and an occasional sheep or other beast to fill in the picture, gave me a pleasant impres&ion. I am told that when winter has set in, or when tho heavy gales which are a feature of the Waiouru district set in, accompanied by rain, it. is less enticing. However, like the old saying, "speak. of a man as you find him," so I speak of this district as I saw it under a scorching summer's 6UII- "

What I did not like was the awfuj dust. There is only a' thin layer' of soil on tho pumice, and as the: water tables of tho road are through into it;, and the crown of the road made from the same, you may iin a sine what a treat I had. Jt is like riding through very dry flour. Tho pumice is very fino indeed, and rises in dense clouds. In some places the pumice is quite, white, in others red and pink. There , are some fine streams of beautifully clear water.

The first I noticed as i rode-out to. the open plain was a paddPek of oats in stook, and another almost ready for the binder. I should say they viould easily ,go two ton? to the, acre. Then there is a splendid crop of turnip (one could not wish better; in fact, Sir. Chapman, 011 whose property they were growing, told me that-he had never grown Letter 'in Canterbury

Barren plains! "Thej; are.no such tbniff. AH they require is proper treatment and the right man. I saw cocksfoot and cowgrass waist hi?h ill one paddock. I should ihia?nne:what the soil requires is humus, and, no doubt, lime would : be useful, as the soil is. very light indeed. Mr. Chspinan has planted a lot of red gum? and pines on a hill behind his homestead, and they are making snlen:lid growth, while some which were planted before by his nredecw-sdrs are fine 'trees now. Vegetables grow splendidly, ind. as one settler said, all this land wants is proper manuring and. it will jroiv anything. ' '