FARMS OF THE DISTRICT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 July 1910, Page 4

FARMS OF THE DISTRICT.

HOW THEY WERE MADE.

A HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT.

The country newspaper should be wide in its treatment of news and cognisant of the developments outside of the particular centre of population in which its office stands. There is news and general interest to be found and felt in the farms and the settlements of "further back" just as much as in the doings of the town. It has be en recognised everywhere that the fanner takes interest in the town events, but not so much recognition iai the doings and experiences of the farmer: in his history and his experiments ,his ventures and his results. It is in recognition of this fact that the " Horowheania Chronicle." has begun its present series of articles, descriptive of the leading farms and farmers of tho country.

A »SHAXXON FARM. CHAT ABOUT THE FARMERS' CLUB. Situated on the crest of a bill at the corner of the County road and Buckley road, Shannon, lies the pretty residence of Mr C. B. Robinson, a well-known farmer in the district, and whose position as chairman of the Shannon branch of the Farmei-s' Union, invests his views 011 agricultural matters 111 general with more than usual interest. The name of the homestead "Tirohanga" was well chosen. It moans "a good outlook," and*ns one stands 011 tho lawns or further afield 011 the paddocks a swooping panorama of velley and plain, with woods and water courses dotted hero and there, unfolds itself. The land is of an undulating character. Portion of it takes the form of terrace land, while in the valleys there is some amount of marsh w.hick carries very heavy crops, and is most suitable for cattle. There may l>o some. 50 acres of terrace land, and as Mr Robinson has stumped and ploughed it and got it into first-class order a it is repaying him with abundant feed. It is some eleven years since lie first came to Shannon, having previously been tin business rim WcilWngton. He took over the present residence and a farm hard by. Eventually he disposed of one to fche_ late Mr .Tones and went in for dairying at "Tiro-lwin-ga." But be now devotes himself almost exclusively to sheep fattening. The preliminary work of stumping cost Mr Robinson, as it has cost so many other farmers in New Zealand, money and bard, persistent toil. But stumping finished 011 different plots. he was enabled to crop the land in some case* with oats, in others with rape and swedes. The disease which has appeared among swedes has caused Mi Robinson considerable anxiety, and even now he is hesitating whether to put a plot of them down or not. What- the origin of the blight h, is a question that has baffled farmers generally, but Mr Robinson suggests that it is possibly due to the muggy weather of December and January. Oat crops have been prolific, and no less than three tons of chaff have been obtained from an acre. » In regard to sheep, Mr Robinson has some interesting items to record. His class of sheep is Romney cross mated to black-faced rams, the idea being to obtain early lambs in the spring. They can then be got off when the prlicei 'is good. Tho writer on Wednesday saw some excellent 2-tooth ewes, which were mated to black-faced rams. They were a fine mob, and looked verv ireatv. " Taking this Coast as a whole," said Mr Robinson, "it is too wet lor certain classes of sheep. The sheep that do well 'here have to be acclimatised. That is to say, they should be lambed 011 the Coast. Merino sheep will not do well here, and the " CLASS OF SHEEP "that they got in Canterbury, whore t they get lGs for lambs, is black-faced with a strain of Merino in it very often." Mir Robinson added that the sheep which thrive in this district are Romneys, and these give good, big fleeces. With reference to cattle, Mr Robinson has a number of Shorthorns. He (generally keeps them till they are about two or three years old, and then sells them to another person, who fattens theni. Possibly in the not distant future he will take to keeping them longer and do the fattening iluimsclf. In the poultry lino quite a brisk business is done. The class _of fowl kept is White ' and Brown Leghorns, and the farm contains some of the very best strain of White Leghorns that can possibly be secured. The eggs are despatched to Wellington, and thither 100 dozen were sent a few days ago. The Wellington market is found to bo a very good one, and prions are more than satisfactory in winter. As has already been said, the house is prettily situated. It is well protected .by macrocarpa, and in summer time the garden rejoices in a wealth of bloom and foliage. The estate is thoroughly up to date in all respects. The buildings include a trapshed, a carpenter's shed, where all kinds of repairs are _ carried out. and where Mr Robinson makes his substantial gates. Thene is a4so a loose-box .for horses, a spacious barn built of r.imu wood, and a night pen for sheep. No lees than 1100 sheep and lambs have been put through tho pein during a shearing season. The cowshed is a credit to any farm, and boasts of a solid concrete floor. Mr Robinson is carrying out invporimprovements every year, and within recent years has accomplished a great deal of draining. He has got his land into tip top order, the paddocks are divided by substantial fences, and a visit to this farm will be found to be full of interest to tho town man or the country settler. THE FARMERS' UNION.

On the question of the Shannon branch of the Farmers' Union, Mr Robinson says lie regrets to think it has done very little. At all events ite efforts have-not resulted in any very tangible successes. Motions were brought forward and carried to the Provincial Conference and from there the.v went to the Colonial conference. By the time that conference dealt with them they were strangled or Tnutilated. It was no good going on year after year like tlnis. "We want some finality in matters. It is no good passing resolutions arid gaining nothing from them. Of course, one or bw<o things have been done for lis. As the result of the efforts of the Farmers' Union of New Zealand the Government has taken off the sheep tax, and merchants have given us a 10 per cent, reduction on manures. ut the whole trouble with the Farmers' Union is this:— Take Shannon, for instance. The

formers don't take the interest in the matters that they ought t<, There are 50,000 farmers in New 15 > m are on tlio roill or the (Formers' Union. If they would only become .members, pay up subscriptions and help us we Vm 7 i 7° -union in New Zealand We have thb money, the land, and the capi'tal." FUTURE OF SHANNON. *«*«*> of Shannon, Mr Robinson thought the prospects were vary good. One thine would benefit Shannon, and tint iC M VJ' floodin cr If '11 a iIM bhto Man-wuvtu river should be prevented. "There i<? q

tremendous lot of land," observed Mr Robinson, "round Shannon that suffers from flooding, and if this could be dealt with it- would be a splendid thing for the district. A commission ha»s sat in different districts and taken eviderlce 011 the question, but the financial aspect interfered with a settlement of the matter. It would cost almost £100,000. 1 was examined 'by the commission, and I was asked how much I thought it would benefit tho land if an. overflow were made. I answered: £10 an acre. At 'all events something should be done, as thousands of pounds aro being lost to tho district." -\fr Robinson Intends to call a meeting of the local 'branch of the Fanners' Union at an early date and under h'is chairmanship .something may yet be done to rem (id y this unfortunate state of thinirs, while it is not too much to that (if only the farmers will support .him loyally, Government may cany out a number of useful reforms for local agriculturists.