PROGRESSIVE FARMING.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 903, 6 April 1878, Page 2

PROGRESSIVE FARMING.

Progressive as farming lias boen the last five" "years in Waikato, rainy great, mistakes have been made outside the want of capital by men; with an unlimited supply of- this very essential article, simply from want of knowledge, and, too often for want of ' brain' power. Perhaps in the whole colony, certainly in this district, the possession of all those, intellect, energy, and thorough knowledge of what he is doing were never shewn to greater advantage than by the present manager ot Mr J. C. Firth's magnificent estate at MataMata, Mr Thomas Cawkwell. Under a different mode of treatment, and in other hands, the result in a pecuniary point of view has hitherto been very disheartening and the appearance of the limited amount of land; brought into cultivation anything but encouraging. But what is the stafe 1 of affairs -now'? Iu the short space of twelve months — hardly that I am informed—everything is; changed as though by the hand of the Magician ,1 Instead of a few almost barren aces of broken up land, and wretcherl looking grass, I saw anil rode over the, other day nearly three thousand acres looking really grand, two thousand acres of turnips included. The first crop of them, sewn j I believo in September last," sweedes, purple-, top, and yellow globe, are large, soundande good. Then follow a gradation acalt oiP'shiJiller ones for each subsoquen, months sowing, until they appear in double leaf only as the result of last months sewing. I must confess to my utter astonishmetit at the sight I saw, and the thoaght came into my mind, as I rode over this grand looking scene, how unmistakably the " master miud " was shown. Let no one after this exhibition of skill, forethought, and intelligence, say that the Piako is capable of little and can only grow indifferent grasses. It must be borne in mind, too, that these turnips are grown upon fern land never before broken up. A fine apeoiinen of each sort may be seen at the slope of Mr Buckland, Hamilton West,— Wanderer.