PATERANGI.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 245, 8 February 1898, Page 3

PATERANGI.

Frost.—The frost on Wednesday night last ciid some harm in this district, cutting off potatoes and maize : the former are qutto black, and the Jatter white. It is seldom we have such a severe summer The early potatoes which were planted in July and August, and are already taken out of the ground, had not sufficient frost to injure them in any way. The high winds blowing during the list few days, although coming from the north west, seem to be comirg from some icy region, and the sudden changes from heat to cb:d are not at all conducive to health. lam glad to be able to say that la grippe, wh.ch has been preva ent here for some weeks, has nearly disapptatea. Harvest. During the last month farmers have teen very busy with the harvesting of their gra n. This work is with one or two exceptions now completed in this district. Thanks to the favourable weather, the crops were all got into stack in good condition, and the samples of gra : n and chaff should be first-class. The yield will to all appe franca be good, some of the wheat going as high as 35 to 49 bushels »o the acre. The cateipillars caused some of the oats to be cut on the green side, but in all such cases it will make excellent chaff. There was a large area under crop here this eeasou, several settlers having as much as 90 acres each, so that threshing machines and chaff-cutters will be kept going for some time. , Fruit.—The peach crop was light, plums more abundant and apples'very plentiful, trees almost breaking down. I notice that there is noi so much codlin mcth thi3 year as usual. Is thsie a natural enemy at work, or did Armstrong's specific do tome good ? l'ROi'GUT.—The long continued dry spell has of course burnt up the grass and caused feed to become scarce, and consequent'y the supply of mi k at the local creamery has fallen off considerably, in some cases supp'iers are only able to bend half the quantity they usually send, and naturally there is dissatisfaction. We may imagine that we have reason for it, but we ought to be thankful that we are as well off, for in other par's of the colory we lead that our Mlow settlers have to fight fire and water, loeing their all and frequ nlly their lives. Sorreof the turnips sown early are doing well, oth rs ore being taken by the ily and will have to be sown over again.—(Own Correspondent).