CHATS WITH THE FARMERS. [By our Travelling Reporter.] No. II. Mr Taylor's Estate.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1435, 13 September 1881, Page 3

CHATS WITH THE FARMERS. [By our Travelling Reporter.] No. 11. Mr Taylors Estate.

Close to Te Awamutu, and skirting one * side Of the Triad to Alexandra, on the other , side ef. which Mr Goodfellow's flocks and herds ure rioting in mighty realisation of the word "tucker," there rises a gentle. j?lope of bright green lawns, nevdr uteepY but gradually ' attaining a considerable height, on which stands a handsome ' new d fvellirig-houpe, surrounded., by a -lofty plantation of the choice exotic pines tnafc New Zealanders so much delight in, and that seem themselves ho much to delight in New Zealand, judging by their luxuriant growth. This is Mr Taylors estate, well-named Green Hill, for the green, thick-grown, springy ) lawns, on which one might play a game of bowls, or even billiards, are the distinguishing feature of the place. Green Hill extends over 2500 acres, and looks over to Ohaupo, Te Awamutu just below, and Kihikihi seemingly on tho next range, and down on sweet, rosy Lake Ngaroto in the foreground; and its owner enjoys a charming picture of the gentler sort of New Zealand's rural beauty, and ought to be a happy man when contemplating his thriving and contented flocks and herds, stocking those beautiful green meadows, from which he names it The paddock close to the house includes about 50 acres of grass in splendid condition that has been nine years sown, and is as thick and nourishing as ever now, though it has never'had any artificial manure of any kind applied to it. Mr Taylor, like some of his neighbors, is iDcreasing the extent of his op-'ra-jfnxip,B, in cropping and breaking up new ground and changing the course of crops in regular system, and after the teaching of the scientific farmers of England, so that what one year takes from the ground may be restored to it by the growth of the next and after a few years we may expect to &cc the whole of the district producing regular crops of all kinds in succeasion, in a style and of proportions that will make Canterbury, and some j would-be detrators of the Waikato and Waipa lands in this island, rub their eyes in amazement at the sight of what these poor, and, scoria lands, as they have been pleased to represent them, can be made to do. Eleven acres here arc sown in wheat this spring, the White Tuscan being the variety chosen. The ground was used last reason for a first crop of potatoes, and was not manured for this. The young wheat is springing vigorously, and should the season continue as favourable .is it has hitherto been, there will be a heavy crop. Last year's wheat yielded 37 bushels to the acre, with broadcast bowing. Ten acres are laid down in oats for oaten hay, and 10 acres in potatoes. The return last year of each of these crops, in another piece of precisely the same land, was forty bushels per acre for oats, and nine tons of jjotatoes, without manure Two hundred acres will be .sown with turnips this year, and the drill will be used m the sowing. I may remark here upon the advantages of drill bowing to the farmers. This substitute for the old primitive broadcast, followed by the use of a heavy roller, will be found to prevent much of the loss by small birds and insects, so much complained of. The improved drill, used by Mi Taylor, made by Wallace, of Otahuhu, has a sepai ate scoop for the bonedubt, which is applied at the same time as that for the seed, and effects the purpose without necessitating all the previoustrouble of mixing the seed with the manure. It can be used for wheat, turnips or oats. The use of good implements) by farmers cannot be too frequently advocated, both for the saving of labour and the well doing of the ctops, the complaints made by &o called faimers, who in too many enscs know nothing of their trade, of damage attributed to birds and incect 1 - \ cinq f.ir more justly applicable to their own bad farming and old fashiourd implements. The crop of turnips last season was bad generally throughout the Waikato districts through want of rain, but the year before, Mr Taylor had a famous yield from part of this land, 18 acres having sufficed to what feeders call " top up" 70 head of cattle fur between 2 and 3 months and put them in first-rate condition. About 1600 acres have been sown with grass, including both that ploughed and surface sown, and some that I was taken over exhibited specimens of old and newly sown varieties that I must say I have not seen equalled yet in these parts, and that it would be very hard to match anywhere. One 30 acru paddock about nine years sown particularly attracted my attention, and I was told that it had kept !2 bor.ses and 14 head of cattle all the winter ; another in rye grass and white clover that only three weeks ago was fed close, and is now fit for cattle again, made me inquire the course that had been followed and I was told that it had first been cropped Jhrith potatoes, then oaten hay, followed \ by turnips, before the grass, and that in X the fourth year it had had 4 cwfc of bonedust to the aero applied. Several other paddopk I also s«iw of young grass from 6 to 10 months sown, following turnips and oaten hay, that struck me as the finest I have ever been over for the thickness and the depth of their growth. In some of these splendid paddocks of Green Hill I •was shown the pick of the lucky beefy ones for whom all this good feed is grown. There are 385 head altogether, with the season's calves, mostly of the Shorthorn breed. Mr Taylor favours the Shorthorn more than the Hereford, and some of his cows and the bull would bear comparison ■with any average herds of Shorthorns. They may not perhaps be the highest pitch of perfection, but they are not very far behind, and include as many comely specimens, with as many of the good points required by judges, as could be found in any general herds. The ribs well arched, the back straight, the shoulders fine, the loins wide, the hips welJ formed and rounded, the udder developed with a fine sirin and of equal size both before and behind, the teats not too large aud lax, and equidistant from one another, with the milk vein large, the eyes tranquil and clear as an indication of gentle temper, the skin thin and the hair soft. Thus formed, according to a great farmer's authority, a cow should yield from 20 to 24 quarts of milk daily, and in the 'spring time even &0 quarts aud more. Many »f the Green Hill beauties would, I am sure, pas's an examination for all these good qualites, and the Dull was a particularly nice fellow in his way, who if he had only got a little bat 'farther in his evolutionary course would' make a sensation in a china Bbop. He is a very good shorthorn, bred by Mr Proud, "of R-tzorbaek, by Alarmist a local celebrity. The paddock of nine months old calves by this bull was a Bight worth looking at, and the young grass they have been fed on Has had a most gratifying effect judging by the good spirits and excellent cohditioii thoy were w. They are 1400 sheep of the

Lincoln and Leicester breeds crossed, good both for wool and mutton, and the lambing! IMb season 1 has been unusually good, the percentage of lambs 'beingv estimated at 90. With a' flock like this in which the, fleeces averaged last season 71b, and the price realised averaged lOgd per lb, the item of wool alone would be no inconsiderable addition to the credit side of Mr Taylors account with Green Hill. The horses too form a very important feature in the catalogue of the admirable live Btook of this estate, including 40 first-rate draught horses of a nearly pure Clydesdale breed, anil from eight to ten fine hacks. Among the latter I noticed a mare by Rattan, a near relation therefore of Mr Rutherford's grand fellow Sportsman, and her colt by Kingfisher, a tremendous fellow who will stand over 16 hands if the promises of his youth are fulfilled, and, judging from his present allowance of bone and muscle, will be a clipper who will rival the best doings of Sportsman. There were others worthy of a lengthy notice, to whom space will not allow me to give more than an admit ing pat and a longing wish that I was the owner of them. Some fine brood mares among the draughts, one by Prince Arthur, and one handsome three-year-old were deserving of all the praises that man delights to bestow upon 'good horseflesh. Among the farm, buildings there are several ioomy, substantial barns, stables, a wool-shed, and stockyard, and the dwelJing-house, a handsome, comfortable building on a brick foundation, sheltered by pines and cypresses of nine and len years growth, some of thqm already over GO feet in height, and only yet in their infancy, makes a remarkably appropriate centre and finish to all the solid work and the natural beauties of the picture to he viewed from the bright slopes of Green Hill.