Bush-Farming in the North Island

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 25, 27 August 1891, Page 4

Bush-Farming in the North Island

1 (Dunedin .Star.) {Continued ) The ground after the hum, is covered wii,u r a thick layer of ashws, j which acts as a tuauuie to the grass Bded. The seed, which is usually mixed with either rape or turnip seed, ia simply scutteied over the ashes, and, should the season be a^good oue, tiie youug grass can be seen shooting within a tortnighfc. The usual cost of Bowiug is leukoned at between 10s to 12s 6d, per acre, but sometimes it is more, the prices varying according to whether the grass seed season, is a I good -one or a bad oue. This year j would have been a very expeu^ive one had all the bu.«h that was felled been burnt, grass; being dearer thau usual. At.out August the farmer puts his cheep on the young- grao&, aud, it the reason has been favorable, he is able to run about ten to the acre, but to do •that necessitates the place being 'divided into paddocks; but he .\ould only .run that number of sheep for 'about four months. The year following the first year of the grass is generally the worst, two and a-half -sheep being as much as can be possibly carried. Then the bush-felling starts again, and so on. The same thing is done year after year until the bush is all down. , The laud in the Manawatu is not only fit for grazing purposes, but is also splendid for •cropping in the low lying land. It is geuerally about twelve years after the bushi has been felled ;bef ore a farmer j -can think of ploughing, as there are so many stumps about.. The great H disadvantage of bush/: fanning is the -amount ot-money that has. to be laid -out at first, such as bu3h-felliug, 'fencing, grazing, stocking, etc. ; the •'return being the wool and increase of. -stock.'. As a rule, the wool for the 'first year or, so is slightly depreciated on account of the amount of charcoal iin it.. What I have seen in my twelve months?' residence ini.the^ Manawatu -convinces me that Wellington will not •only He one of the best cropping districts in New -Zealand; but w-itl be -one of the .best stotfk-raising countries 4n the world.