OUR LANDS AND STOCK.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4639, 3 February 1894, Page 3

OUR LANDS AND STOCK.

(By A Travelling Corespondent.) BRANCEPETD AMD ANNEDAIE. Br&ncepeth and Annexe consist of some 70.000 aores and is occupied and owned by thope popular gentlemen ' Messrs W, H. ana H. Beetbam. Tbe land is very good-more especially for grazing and fattening, and carries 120,000 sheep, principally Lincoln ewes and Southdown Bams, which first-class cross, both for mutton and wool. Of cattle there are 1200 pure Hereford?, and in some esses they aro being crossed with prize Bborthorn, Polled Angus, and Danish bulls, whioh produce exceptionally nice cattle well adapted to the country. The lime stone, marl and papa toils of 1 which this luVtry consists have been sown at considerable expense, arid the traveller on looking at this beautiful estate that some forty years ago was a vast impenetrable forest can hardly conceive all that bas been done iji Eujjb a short peripd.' Tbe owoers, like many more of our old cojonists, are to lip ppmpli{nenlt(l on their entprprjep and energy, and they are now receiving but a fair reward for their labours in earlier dayß, Tbe ponies, hacks, and stallions are an exceptionally nice lot. Mr Hugh Beetham's children have a rather novel amusement, Two I teams offour sheep each are yoked up I like oxen and attached to two little. four-wheeled drays, in which is carted gravel for putting on a miniature , garden. Tbe sheep aro as tractablo as>apy, horses or cattle, and are at work' daily.' The mansion bouse ji situated op a limestope hit], js | purrpunded with Enghsb and native [ trees, fruit, (lowers and vegetables are grown with much success and a greenhouse contains some rare and valuable plants. Tbe outbuildings are numerous and well situated in various parts of the estate. Tbe wbares for the men are commodious, and include a bathroom and a library of 1500 volumes. TB ORE ORE. In this district tho timber iB fast disappearing before the busbman and saw-miller. K ewers Daniell end Co., as well as many others, are doing good work. The grass is looking well, and carrying large quantities of sheep, cattle, and horses, Many paddockß have had fair crops of oats—about ■ 40 to (0 bushels to tbo acre, though

Wheat is looking well as far as qiial* i ity goes,bnt is light in guantity,about 15 to 25 bushels per, aero. Turnips and rapo are healthy except where the grub has made its appearance. Tbe bot-fly in this district has proved troublesome to horses, and the codlin moth has destroyed large quantities of apples, It is to be hoped that some means will soon be found to destroy these pests. LOWER TAOERU, The saw mill at Messrs William and Beeilwn employs some twenty men, and putß out about 4000 feet of out timber per day, mostly totara, matai, and white pine, Thero are about 8000 aores yet to out, bat at present the mill is at a stand still, owing to a breakdown in the ruaclnnery. The population consists of about 300 souls, und there is an hotel, a post and telegraph office, s'oro, ao- i commodation house, government | school, and a fine town hall. The ;

il gtm is looking very plentiful in thin ir district, owing to the heavy showers of rain during the season, I- IDE PAIY MILLING INDUSTRY, On the cst'ito of Mr Ernest 0. Smith are the Thupni sawmills,which omploy about fourteen ram, and put through about 5000 feet of cut timber per day, mostly totnra and matai. Mr i, Smith has another large sawmill oa the west const of this island at ffair karae. Twenty men are employed, and between GOOO and 7000 feet of f rimu und white pine are cut daily. Planing and moulding machinery are 1 atttched to both these mills, and saws large and small,of the latest invention | cut the enormous trees in an incredibly short space of time. I DLAIRt.OOIE, I Blairlogie estates are looking well " aft-r the wet season, which has brought • forward tin- grass to perfection. This nice sheep nation is tin properly of , Mrs Morrison, and the soil-like , many of the adjacent runs—abounds cub limestone, The mansion house . and out buildings are nicely situated. ' The shearing sheds hold twenty-four . men with night-sheds for sheep,which are cut with hand shears only, and first-class men nuke very large tallies. The cbeep on this station are good, being crossbred Merino and Lincoln. There aro somo 50 acres of oats, and turnipa give good crops. Running springs of mineral oil appear on this estate. LANODALE. The Langdale estate, owned by

Messrs Elder and Co., is situated on a nice flat plain, wiih allurinl hills and rolling downs all over it, It it also well watered, The Boils are limestone, blue papa, and dark loam, and the pastures are exceptionally rich, The sheep are principally crossbred Lincolns. The wool-sheds live very complete, and are fitted up with Wolseley shearing machines. The cattle are chiefly pure-bred polled Angus, and would do credit to tny breeder. The bouse and grounds are trell situated, nud a fine garden is attached to the liou«e. Several varieties of minerals ure to be found on the estate, including quartz anl gold. An exceptionally line crop of oats is just now being harvested. TEKUI, In this district grass is abundant, and shtep and catllo are looking well. Harvesting is in full swing, and the yield of oats is expected to be about SO bushels to tho acre. In some cases the fly baa played havoc with the turnips, but in other paddocks they are not touched at all. Fruit is singularly free from codlin moth, or other blight, aud looks well.