HAURAKI PLAINS FARMS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5232, 27 January 1928, Page 2

HAURAKI PLAINS FARMS.

THE ENVY OF OTHER. DISTRICTS;

A SPLENDID SEASON.

The Hauraki Plains iso-experiencing an exceptionally good season at the present time, and by comparison with thq drought-sitricken province is verily a land .flowing with milk and honey. On much of. the Hauraki Plains proper there is more grass than is desirable for proper farm, management, and those farms which have been systematically top; dressed a;rq n«w sho.wing the benefit, and though carrying a cow to the acre could easily feed twice the quantity of sjtock. The country is not nearly so dry as it was two summers, ago, when hot, dry weather was accompanied by hot, drying winds, and therefore the statements appearing in some newspapers about the need for rain and the parched state of the land are greatly resented. Rain has, not fallen since Christmas Eve, but many farmers, are hoping that it will not rain for a month, by which time the sun will ’have lost much of its heat and the grass will not be scorched. A lot of rain and cool weather or no rain at all is what is desired, for showers during the present hot weather would do harm.

The .milk returns for the present month are very pleasing, and. the amount of dairy produce manufactured at the various Plains factories is normal for this time of the year, dqspite the fall in production of the drought-affected hill lands, and from those farms which have been badly worked anid not top-dressed. The benefits of top-dressing are no.w’ very apparent, and, incidentally, the host results seem to be obtained by the use of slag. The luxuriant state of the farms (Mi the Hauraki Plains has conie to the notice of, farmers in less fortunate districts* and many inquiries have been received for supplies of hay, for grazing for cattle, including cows in milk, .and for sites for colonies of bees. Already some hundreds of li'vos have been brought from the. Waikato, where the bees have commenced eating their winter stores of, honey. The white clover is now in flower all over the Plains, so the bees shoiildl do well-