TUHIKARAMEA.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 210, 16 November 1897, Page 3

TUHIKARAMEA.

Weather, Etc.—The miserable weather we have experienced for so long seems at last to be leaving us, the past few days showing a decided improvement, and certainly not before it was badly needed, the leading features for months having been wind and rain. On Wednesday last a heavy westerly gale with hitter Bhowers swept over the district, and even now, though drier, the same cold wind continues ; in fact, northerly and easterly winds seem to have given this country best. The growth in pastures and crops has beenbutastrugglingand patchy one, goad progress being made iu sheltered localities, but in exposed positions vegetation has had a hard lime of it, and seldom, if ever, has the value of good shelter with a warm aspect been more strikingly illustrated than during the present season. Our roads alto have felt the ill effects of so much rain albeit the traffic on them is never heavy, the river being depended upon for the carriage of most heavy goods, but even here we have had quite enough rain, the late floods having done more damage than was at first anticipated, a good many crops of early potatoes and oats being destroyed, while on the upper flats a considerable proportion of the seed potatoes have rotted in the land. We should at this date be in the midst of shearing, but the continual wet has delayed matters, and unless the present fine Bpell continues for some weeks, shearing will be very much later than usual. What small quantities of wool have been taken off up to date are very deficient in grease, even fat sheep are shearing dry and light, the cold wet weather no doubt being responsible for this. Respecting the late Waikato Agricultural Show, which was attended by almost the whole of our residents, an illustration of the force of my recent remarks regarding the ability of our settlers to show good etock, if they weie only willing to go to a little trouble, was shown in the fat lamb classes, only one pen of crossbred lambs being exhibited ; fat longwool lambs not being represented at all ; yet two days before the Show, Mr A. B. Wheeler, of this dstrict, delivered a draft of longwool lambs to Mr Quultrough, of Hamilton, the dressed weights going from 41 to 401 b. Surely, these lambs were fit for exhibition, and would certainly not have brought discredit on our Tuhikaramea lands, that are fast conrng to the front for the production of good qua'ity sheep. However, next year entries from this neighbourhood will be more numerous ; the success of our old friend, Mr Ramsay, in Shorthorns, against all the big guns, being full of encouragement to the small farmer ; though, of course, it is the big stock-breeders we have to thank for the good b'ood introduced, and disseminated throughout the district, without vhich, no ordinary farmer could show such stock.

I regret to state that a considerable amount of sickness, in the form of colds, bronchitis, etc., is still prevalent, Mr Vickers being yet far from well, and others arc laid up from the same cause, Dr. Brewis (the new one) being a frequent visitor of late. Last Sunday the Rev. Mr Macdonald, Presbyterian minister of Te Awamutu, preached in the schoolroom to a full congregation. Fruit prospects are good in sheltered situations, particularly peaches, plums and apples, but where exposed the winds have done much damage.—(Own Correspondent).