THE APERIMA OR JACOB'S RIVER DISTRICT.

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

THE APERIMA OR JACOB'S RIVER DISTRICT.

To return to the legitimate part of my mission —the agricultural. This district is the most extensive, and unquestionably the most noteworthy of any I have yet Visited, both for the fertility of the soil, and the amount of land cccupied. Continuing a course North from Riverton to, the Aperima Bridge, an excellent structure, no veryperceptible alterations in the feature of the country, from that previously passed over are to be found, but as soon as the river is crossed the ground becomes more uneven or undulating. The flats display a power of vegetation in there native state, in excess of all others, and the grassy ridges, and sloping valley's present a picture of luxuriant verdure the most complete. Prom the Bridge to dummy's Bush is a gradual ascent, the flats narrowing in and the ridges assuming more of the appearance of table land. Oh this line ot road several farms are met with of considerable t , dimensions, among which may be mentioned that ' of Mr W.I). Wood, In-as-much as it is the first in this district that represents agricultural and pastoral industry. It is a fine farm soientificly worked, and although it is the first years crop the the grain produced is heavy, and the English grass thick and healthy. From hence to Gummy's Bush. there is much land of a very superior description uncultivated, but upon reaching this point, agricultural activity is most observable. Farms fringe thebushbeltsinevery direction,ploughingandother farming operations are going on, and all that can give life and animation'to an agricultural district is here. One of the most conspicuous homesteads sighted from the road is that of W. Cameron, Esq. It is situated on the high table land> aud. commands a .magnificent' rrie'w. - -lioolc-^j ing towards the town, the estuary, the Waianiwa plains, the South Biverton Range, the Longwood mountains, with the distant TaMtimos, are distinctly visible at a glance. Here the country appears to be almost perfection, the river fiats, selfdrained, teem with native vegetation, while the grass and clover fields are covered as with a car« pet, with fresh green herbage. This locality dis. plays the Btamp of. energy and perseverance. There is an excellent school-house with a reserve of most valuable land, but from want of support or from other causes no school is held. About a mile from Gummy's Bush there is an excellent flour-mill erected by Messrs Grant and Reid. It s worked by water power, there are two pair of stones, and it is estimated that when in full work it could grind from 300 to 400 bushels of grain per day. There is also a malting and brewery establishment in the locality, erected by Me3sra Scully and Densham. Aa yet but little work, has been done owing to the difficulty of procuring barley for malting purposes, but it is believed that in a Bhort time a first-clas^ colonial beer will be produced sufficient to, supply Uiverton and the district. To return to figures. Carrying out the same plan adopted in my previous letters, the subjoined table will represeat twenty returns of farms in the district. I may mention that a large quantity of land has been sold, and is being occupied for sheep grazing, which does not appear, no cultivation being carried on beyond that required for domestic use : — . Land occupied 10,490Under Crop :— Wheat ... ... ... 270 acres Oats... - ... 555 „ Barley ... , 60 „ Potatoes 40 „ Turnips » ... 41 „ English grass, clover, &o. ... 1705 „ Garden — Fruit, vegetables, &c . 60 „ Total cultivated 2731 „ nofc „ ... ,„ ... 7759 10,490 The returns for this district show the highest average yet obtained, being within a fraction of 40 bushels of wheat, and 46 for oats. Four calculate upon 65 bushels to the acre of wheat, and. 65 for oats } six, 42, and 45 ; five at 40, and 45 ; four at 35 and 42 ; and only one as low as 30, and 35. The potatoe and turnip crops are heavy, and an average of 12 tons to the acre, is, I think,, within the mark. Barley it is thought, will run fully 43 to 44 bushels to the acre. This is a very high average, but when the nature of the soil is taken into account, it ceases to bo surprising, notwithstanding are first years crops, from Gummy's Bush, to some miles beyond Mount Fairfax, the residence of Dr Hodgkinson, the land iB indescribably rich, being on the river flats fine Jblaok loam to the depth of five or six feet. The English grass paddooka are fertile ia the highest degree. The following will show the probable produce" of the farms included in these returns. The produce for the whole district will amount to, three times the amount set down : — Wheat ... ... 10,800 busjaol*, Oata ... 26,630. ,», Barley „. ... 2,440. „. Potatoes ... ... 240 tonfc . Turnips ... .. M 1,846 tfc The farmers in this district aw gltinff great attention to thg growth of English grasses, evidently under the belief that sheep ate. quite as profitable as Dropping, and onmesi of th& fasmt; % number are kept, Somj* of the finest Jjeioester sheep I hate yet !€«>,' wo to be found, in this District I especially aUwte to the splendid fioels Of B* Hod^i'da, &• Cfcmpaaj't Station, SJfe th & e^££ dMs Kwintwh, and thoi© of I=& ■«*•■ W«W» toM'fcow Tajmaaiau sheep, . W vdsiaet U'OiM^ tfce cwwa of SQutMjwxa, L *ad Ithittls t »}gb* My .of Sfow Zealand* widfrora [flfcrt tMHWWt-infcwftiai «**»&• quantity of 1 6&« to tet \M dowa tbii pm i?j» fc% *m m*