CHATS WITH OUR FARMERS.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 305, 13 November 1883, Page 3

CHATS WITH OUR FARMERS.

. .. ■: ... .» ' . Greenbttsh— Mi- Kenneth M'Kenzie. The agricultural wealth that lies along the coast to the north, p£ Fortrose would be totally incredible from a mere description. The rolling meadows that lie exposed in all their velvety greenness, and almost crowded with cattle and sheep, attest to the spectator's mind-alik« the fertility of the soil and the ?BkiU pf its owners. One of the most pleasing of the many farms in, the locality is Greenbush, the property of Mr X, W'Kenjsie. It lies on both sides of the main road at a dis» : tance of about a mile and a half from the township. It of nearly 700 acres, and is stocked with 150 head of cattle and 600 sheep. The sheep are isolated from the catfle, bejng kept in paddocks on the left or; opposite side fr-om-tjifl homestead. Mr' M'Kenzio doe 3 not approve o| running hoth sheep and cattle on the same pasture, believing''that they do not thrive well'together. Taking the improvements in the orders in which they were seen, it should first be mentioned that the house itself is of the most unprefisntfgus character. It was, it appears, formerly a men-a dwelling, bait the (otal demolition by fire of a more com- , modious dwelling house about a year and a , half ago left the family without any portable effects oihgv form jfhtd, thay stood up in, and these of the most plain an. a wosk|n§ ohai l |vp» ter. Mr M'Kensie uniquely described. -tyhe shifts they were put to without even so much as a blanket, and.put on record his obligation to bis neighbors,, who promptly came ! with assistance. After a short rest aft 3r our i somewhat warm walk, we started upon a i survey of lh.e farm. The most noticeable object at first was a slaughtered beast suspended from the gallows. Vlr M'Kengie kills his own beef, and as he.has five bands besides his numerous family a bullock • does not go far. Pigs are not largely patronised, but we,were, shownja fine young Berkshire boar about ' eight months old,which should leave his mark upon his progeny. The garden was next visited. , It is about half an acre in extent, ■ and is like all else about the farm— severely | plain. The cattle were next exhibitedto'us. j They are as before-mentioned about 150 in < number, and are crossbred between Ayrshire j and shorthorn. This does not give an «x---•t treraely large frame, but they arc easily fat- ! tened to. about 70Qlbs and their flesh is very i. fine quality. The beast we saw killed fully i confirmed the theory. Of the cattle a large ', number are already fit for the butcher. The padI dock in which they were slopes down on the i a«uth tide to a beautiful sheet of water called '. Lake Vincent. This, lake is abonthall a mil* ! ipj|g and about half that distance in' width. ') It Is a most charming piece of water, and .' adds considerably to the. value of GrMnbuih, There are numbers of wild fowl on it, . a,nd ■ th.at- they are confident of immunity from < danger from man was evinced by their tame- ■ ness. It would be difficult to conceive a i more suitable spot, for the, exercise of sport : in the open season aijd' wifch a good boat. *■ As it is it is surprising that * boat has nht , been Dut upon it. The luxuriance of the \ grass in the paddocks was matter for much congratulation. Mr M'Kenrie attributes ■ the dense sole, to the fact that he always uses f plenty of seed. The following weights per \ aereof wed justify his assertion ;■— Rye grass, t 2;bufl>els ; cocksfoot, ?lbar jr Timothy, 3lbs { i red clover, 41bs ; and cowgrasa, lib.; ' Certainly the sward on Greenbush is more j likfl Ji carpet! than. anything else. At some L distance to the eastward-rt Jiat is, towards the ! 'B.eV— another "paddock has recently been i taken up. Men were here -busy ploughing, !. but. time :di<i not admit pf, a, visit there s The sheep in the oppesite paddook were look--8 ing well, but the proportion of lambs this • season was BmallOT thai. usual, being only 80

that a Jarg« number of Jnaiden ewes, were inclnded-.-' .Upon the whole, Mr M'Kenzie can felicitate himself upon the result of his ten years labw on He came there totally, without any experience in farming, having been a shepherd, and fold several amusing stories about his grappling with horses aud implements in the early days.' He states that he did not know- -how .even to harness ahorse, and it'toofc the v umte'd exertions of, himself and a professedly skilled.'' ploughman teitf days to put together a double furrow ploughs However/ :iie i soon..learnecl, and rendered himself, independent of help oh emergency. The result of f < this faculty of observation is, now - apparent. . Instead , m toiling unremittingly he can now supervise | and walk about, complacently viewing his substance increasing every ct»y, arid his flock' and herds ".waxing fat and kicking." He can most certainly, .be classed among the prosperous fanners' of. Southland.