TUAKAU TO WHANGARATA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 191, 1 May 1914, Page 1

TUAKAU TO WHANGARATA.

Notes by the Way. [By Our Travelling Representative.] Abutting on the main road from Tup.kau to Whangaruta there is some very choice land, and the farms of Messrs D. and J. Fulton and W. Smeed are particularly noticeable. On a flying trip over this road on my way to Pokeno last week, I was much impressed with the improved look of the district and the amount of green pasture showing such a remarkable quantity of feed for this season of the year. I was fortunate enough toj meet Mr Smeed on the road. Incidentally

it may he mentioned he was driving home his choice herd of (50 cowa, most of which are still giving an excellent return. They are certainly all in the pink of condition and should, from the look of things, see the winter through without any

tioulle. A few minutes chat with Mr Smeod elicited some interesting facts regarding the splendid feed on his farm. To my enquiry as to how be had such an abundance of grass at this season •" Slag," was the answer, " all slag. The paddock you are lookirjg at has boen laid down for 14 years and has been topdressed oyeiy second year with 3 cwt. to the acre, and how dj you think it looks? - ' "Well," I* replied, "it is like a paddock of young grass." "And that held," said the owner, '' was to be broken up this year, but now that wo have another farm it can stand as it is. But the other paddocks are certainly bettor. The one across there has been down 20 yeais, and all that grass comes from a 3 cwt. dressing of slag every second year. This year," continued Mr Suieed, "all my grass has been put in solely with slag, 5 cwt. to the acre. Oats aod barley are also grown solely with slag, and anyone who has seen the crops know what -i perfect pride they are. Black barley is grown largely and is considered an excellent and useful crop. Giviug a big yield it can be grown very cheaply and even if sown in November gives a splendid return. The straw is preferred by stock to oilier hay and the grain accounts for some remarkable pigs, the merchant who takes them ttating recently that they aro absolutely the best he haudles." The road from here on to "Whangarata is vory good. The county councillor who lives handy evidentaliy keeps a watchful eye on it. 'lhe farms around Whangarata seem all to be well handled. I found Mr Ewing, a piooiinent farmer, busy with the drill on a maguihceut Hat adjoining the station. This tlat has been a very coitly job to Mr Ewing, the roots and logs that had to be blasted out totalling a big bill for gelignite alone. However, some very excellent paddocks will be the result, the soil going to a wonderful depth and the drainage problem not being difficult. An overhead bridge is being erected at the railway crossing and as soon as the trains take to the new track another dangerous levol closing will be wiped out; the new track is 12 feet or 15 feet below the old one. As the creamery is within a few yards and the school only a chain or so away, this should bo a welcome improveun nt to Whanga-rat-i.

From the school, stun ling as it docs in an elevated position on the western tile of the railway, a very

pretty view of the district can be obtaiutd. Mr G. W. Kupson, the headmaster, has be.-n here for the past 15 yeais and speaks very highly of the district. Ihe school roll num-

ber is oO and an assistant is provided. A well-kept ilower garden adds to the look of the tchool playgrounds. About a wile or so across the road towards Pokeno one reaches the hilly country and from there on the clay road is very unpleasant tiavelling in wet weather, the hills being steep and slippery. At different points a view can bo had of the extensive railway alterations that are in progress between Whaugarata and l'okeno, and even a cumlil observer will notice a very marked improvement in the grades aud curves on the new track.

At Whaugarata an agency for the "Times" was established with Mr J. D. Johns, how whom subscribers can rely on getting their paper safely and regularly. As Mr Johns does not care to miss his own paper he knows how it feels to be " left '' so that the very best will be done for subscribers frow this agency