ROUND ABOUT UTIKU.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1346, 25 January 1912, Page 8

ROUND ABOUT UTIKU.

SOMETHING AHOOT THE SEASON. Shearing is still goins along tardily owing to the broken weather, writes a Utiku (Kangitikei) correspondent. Tho few who got their shearing done early have had' reason to bo pleased, as the shorn sheep have plenty of good feed, and have picked up condition well. The market for butcher's sheep is fairly good, and tho wool returns that have come to hand are satisfactory. The demand for store cuttle nml sheep is good, and prices high. The dairy industry is in a very flourishing condition. Many farmers are getting l.msy with such harvesting as they have, nnd crops are fnirly good. Jinsilage would seem to bo coming' into greater favour, as farmers realise the necessity for winter feed that will not be affected in the harvesting like hay would ba with much variable weather. The grass-seed crop is good, and many farmers are pleased at the reported good price of seed. Sere again the uncertain weather and winds are against getting this crop in. The grass grub is very prevalent in tho district, and the harm it does is not at. all exaggerated. Bare patches of ground too frequently denote its presence. Potatoes are doing well, although blight is showing in some places, farmers are doing their best to keep down the Californian thistle, hut the pest does not soein to decrease. Neither -will it disappear, adds the correspondent, so long as large areas of Native lands are allowed to foster it and spread it unreproved or unpunished by law. This is a matter which is keenly felt. At one place near Utiku the landowner pays out over ,£2OO a year in wages to cutters of this pest.