NO. III. THE NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

Southland Times, Issue 672, 20 May 1867, Page 3

NO. 111. THE NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

In continuation of my mp>tt\ mi tnloring j upon a new di«fcr3efe, & mftgm w v«U- to net I fos?th tUa feauVjd&jf • Xtx %hk l^t letter I eftme to ' Ui.s oo\\Tijey tl^ugh jaiush ih«>

ridges being more marked, and the depression in the flats more conspicuous. The belts of bush also increase in number and extent ; the land for the most part is better the further we go ; and paddocks of English grass, well stocked with superior bred 6heep, become a feature. Here we found farming on a large scale being carried out with energy — farming of the best best description, the combination of agricultural with pastoral operations. Most of the farms- ranked among the list of cultivation English grass and turnips, intended for winter feed for sheep, and although the stock at present depastured is not sufficiently extensive to call for special notice, it is worthy of note that a strong disposition is being evinced by the settlers in this district to breed first class Leicester sheep in connection with agriculture. The holdings here are larger than in the Waikivi, the land under cultivation greater in proportion to the number of holders, and the average slightly in excess of the adjoining district. To continue the course adopted in my last letter, I have taken twenty returns out of the number obtained in the order in whi^h they were col- ; lected, from which I have compiled the subjoined j table. In considering these approximate returns, j the reader must be careful not to take them as representing the whole of the land under cultivation, or the produce raised. These letters are intended to show the description of the country, the nature of the crops raised, and the estimated quantities of each article produced. The number of farms in this district is far in excess of the figures worked from, and I think that the actual produce of the district is double what the table gives. The land throughout" the whole district is of a like character, being rich undulating .flats and fine dry ridges. There is a considerable quantity of land that is not under cultivation ; there is, however, a large amount of preparatory work going on — fencing, &c, — and most of the present residents express a desire to enlarge their holdings upon the sale of the season's crop. The returns show : — Land occupied ,„ „. »-. r» 4457 Under Crop : — Wheat ... ... 305 acres Oats... „. ... 705 „ Barley ... ... 19 „ Potatoes 75 „ Turnips ... ... 65 w English grass, clover &c, ... ... 482 „ Garden — Fruit, vegetables, &o, ... 60 „ Total cultivated ... ... 1911 „ not „ ... ... 2546 4457 The average yield in these returns show nearly 37 bushels of wheat to the acre ; there is one 55, two at 50, one at 45, nine from 33 to 35, three at 30, and five at from 25 to 30. The average of oats to the aero is 43 bushels, two expect 60, three 45, ten 40, and five from 33 to 35. I believe that this is a fair estimate, the high figure of 60 may be a little above the mark, but they are from farms in a high state of scientific cultivation. The potatoe crop appears to have varied considerably in the district, the estimates oscillating between 16 and 8 tons to the acre, the general average is 10£ tons. The English grass is remarkably fine, and the turnip crop excellent, 40 tons to the acre. I could not obtain a decided opinion as to the number of bushels of barley likely to be thrashed out, but the opinion was more than once given that 40 bushels might be expected. The following will show the probable produce of the farms alluded to : — Wheat 12,285 busliela Oata ... 80,315 „ Barley 760 „ Potatoes 787 tons Turnips 2400 „ The planting of English Grass, will enhance the productiveness of this district. It is a low estimate to allow three sheep to the acre, with a very few exceptions. It may here be mentioned that one item though not exactly correct to be classed as agricultural produce, should be noticed. I allude to pigs. It may be estimated that taking the whole number of farms there will be an average of five pigs, besides other farm stock. The district of which the above is a notice terminates at the Waianiwai, the boundary of the New River Hundreds. THE WAIANIWA. The portion of country which I hare classed under this head extends from the above mentioned creek to the Jacob's River Estuary (Riverton.) The amount of cultivation on this part of the country is not large, although the land is in no way inferior to that I have already noticed. The road passes over the Waianiwa plain, and for some six or seven miles no homesteads are met with near the road, but to the north and west, fine long belts of bush are seen, under the shelter of which many comfortable homes have been erected. The flats or plains are beautiful and undulating, the soil is deep rich dark loam, and the native vegetation most luxuriant. The farms I visited were in a healthy condition, and the crops equal to the general average of the New River flats, the terraces become high ; in fact, the further north I went, the richer the soil appeared to become, and undulation more marked. After orossing the plain towards Riverton, the farms again become more frequent. The returns obtained for this portion of the country were few, but those few gave an average of 36 bushels wheat, 40 do oats, 12 tons potatoes, 40 tons turnips to the acre. But this cannot be considered a full average, inasmuch as Mint's, Ryal and other localities adjacent even exceed this. This is a splendid grazing country, and, from the extent unoccupied, offers a splendid field for the carrying out of Farming — Agricultural and Pastoral — on a large scale. lam compelled to reiterate what I have said before, that all the producers are more than satisfied with the year's crops, and all unite in affirming that if labor was more plentiful, and a foreign market found for the produce, Southland would be the most desirable of all the New Zealand Provinces for industrious tillers of the soil to settle in — in short, that farming would be a paying and rapidly increasing stimulant to material progress throughout the Province. Having noted my observations of the country passed through in going from Invercargill to Riverton, my following communications will embrace a sketch of Riverton and its suburbs j the Aparima district, and Winton. This done it will not be a difficult task to show by comparison that Southland is the most productive Province in New Zealand, its crops surpassing in quantity all others, exceeding largely most of the Australian colonies j and its produce not inferior in quality to any—that much industry and enterprise is being displayed, and that a solid foundation for future greatness has been laid. . ''' _ ■ ♦