A VISIT TO STONE'S FARM. [By Cincinnatus.]

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1371, 14 April 1881, Page 3

A VISIT TO STONE'S FARM. [By Cincinnatus.]

A short time ago I paid a hurried visit to the valuable estate of the Messrs Stone, Avondale, on the Lower Waipa. The brief nature of my inspection precludes the possibility of my giving anything like a detailed account of the property and the methods of cultivation followed, but I hope to supply the deficiency at no distant date. The object in writing at all now is that I am anxious lo give expression to the good opinion I have formed of the land on the lower Waipa. Never having been in the locality before, I must confess to having entertained a suspicion, based upon the reports of others, that the quality of the soil in that district was none of the best. The appearance of much of the country between Hamilton and Ngaruawahia, and between the former place and Whatawhata is certainly calculated to give colour to such a belief, but in matters of this kind it is well to avoid forming hasty judgments from mere inferences. The Valley of the Waipa contains some of the best land in Waikato, undoubtedly, and little that is better than that contained in the estate of Messrs E. and A. Stone. The Avondale property, which is some 1, 200 acres in extent, . lies about five or six miles from Ngarua wahia, and has a considerable frontage to the Waipa, which affords a never-fajl. ing water fmpply, a circumstance of vury considerable importance. Leaving Ngaruawahia in one of tho W.S.N Company steamers I was immediately struck with the fertilityofthelowalluvialmsadowlandbordering in the river, but the comparatively sterile aspect of the higher lands would hardly lead tho stranger to expect such a change in the quality of the land a few miles further upstream. If further evidence of the good quality of the land were wanting, beyond what is to be seen in the shape of grass and well-conditioned cattle, and wide patches of potatoes and maize, it would be found in the fact that the natives in days gone by h/id here extensive cultivations. Land was too plentiful and the natives were to much inclined to exerciso their innate habits of indolence, to allow of any but good land beiDg utilised in the growth of the grain and vegetables which were necessary to sustain life in those days. The sites of the native settlements can be easily enough traced by the groves of peach trees, abundantly fiuitful a few years ago, but sadly deteriorated of late in common with all of their fellows in this district. The country in and around the property of tho Messrs. Stone is nearly level and lies at a considerable ' height above the river. The Avondale Estato is intersected by a deep wide gully with a sluggish creek at Ihe bottom and containing a few timber tiees. The farm has been in occupation for home twelve years, a brother of the Messrs Stone residing in one part, the remainder being occupied by Mr Bycroft, but little progress can be said to have been made towards developing the resourses of the hind until within the last two years. The quality of the soil appears, speaking generally, to be a light loam, very closely resembling the laud in the Tamahere and Hautapu districts and possessing 1 tho same partiality for clover. The natural production, as in the places named is fern, with titree on the low-lying portions. The number of acres in grass is 300, 200 being old pasture. A further area of 60 acres is being Bown down this autumn after a veiy good crop of oaten hay. Upon the pasture there have been grazing 190 head store cattle, all ages, 40 milch cows, 35 horses and 120 sheep. The provision for the winter consists of the oaten hay off 70 acres and 100 acres of turnips, which con sideling the unfavourable nature of the season are looking remarkably well. The other crops con^st of 35 acres of potatoes, 10 acres of maize, carrots, &c. From the Dumber of cows kept it will be seen that dairying is one of the principal industries on the farm. The Messrs. Stone estimate that besides rearing calves and supplying the homestead with butter, milk, &o, they realise fully £250 a year on the sale of their dairy produce. The skimmed milk &c, is also very profitably utilised in the fattening of some 40 pigs, the bacon f etching the highest market rates. In order to the more efficient carrying 1 on of the dairying operations a large new cow shed 115 feet long by 19 feet wide, together with calf houses and extensive piggeries is being erected. The cow 3 are nearly all well bred shorthorns, and are kept in excellent condition. The proprietors are evidently possessed with a determination to solve the problem " will farming pay," not theoretically, but practically. If order and method will in any way assist in the solution of the problem, the Messrs. Stone ought to arrive at a conclusion. I ought to mention that there is a ten-acre orchard containing 1000 selected fruit trees— all looking healthy — but as yet too young to bear. But this and other matters I must leave for a future visit, whioh I hope, to make to this and other equally valuable properties on the Waipa at no distant date.