FROM OHAUPO TO PATERANGI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2891, 24 January 1891, Page 4

FROM OHAUPO TO PATERANGI.

(by ocit tkavei.i.ini; roiißhsroNhiKNT.) Tin: lust time your correspondent went abroad, it was through a class of country moro noted for its pretty mouuiin iiiid woodland scenery, than lor lliu number of its cultivated farms. In thi' present notes perhaps the readers will uccompany me through it district much more likely to gludduu the pruutio-il Uruwr'seye, and a» ii starting point perhaps I may be permitted to uolico the irreat improvements upon the Innisfullcn estate, better known us dubbin*. To old Waikato hittlei'H wliu remember thin farinas being i oatod with rich sward uf (rrasn and clover, and stocked willi the choicest cattle, the nde through it uf Into years lias Ix-on a liiotirnful one. The place bad metaphorically speaking, jroni! to the dosrs, but tbu judicious expenditure of labour and eupitul by >Ir K. N. Buttle, bids fair to bring the farm back to its former tirat class condition. I noticed in passing through, that Mr Buttle bad a large twirl of oats in stock. On the road to Obaupo, I was surprised to see so good n crop of oats, on the crown of the hill overlooking the township, l'rom here a frond view of Ohauoij can be obtained. This little place which gains its importance chiefly fnum its contral position, ia steadily increasing in size, but there is no doubt that one of its prettiest features, tlio natural bush on its eastern side, will Ajonbegone. Between their natural (or rather UDatural) enemies, tho drain*, fires, and sawmills, there will ero long bo fow bushes Joft in Waikato, and whatever may be its ott'oct upon Ohaupo, in a practical .sense, there can be no question us to the loss to tho appearance of the Lownship. But oven from its most practical standpoint, no district can afford to loso tho naturul bush and vegetation, so fast as Waikato is doing. Tho time is not far distant, when settlers will sec the advantage of replacing—by planting on a lirgo scale—tho natural bushes which havo been for so many years, both a tit and an ornament to Waikato. fussing through Ohaupo, where, being sale duy, a large number of its usual frequenters arc met with, well known faces are seen on all sides, only perhaps a ti-itlo moro grey and grizzled by Father Time, who in this respect treats us pretty fit 11 c 11 all alike. The first crop met with on the road to 'le Awamutu is a yood lield of wheat belonging to Mi Cassidy. Next to this, and on the opposise side of i,lie road is Mr Hunter's, senr, farm. This is unquestionably a very pretty place, sloping to tho morning sun, with a beautiful lake at its foot, and from the bouse commanding a fino view of the surrounding country. The owner ought Lj be satisfied with his pleasant linos. I hiw a lino field of oats on this farm. From here the road, which is a good one though rather hilly, winds aloug following tho ridge that divides tlis country, one side sloping down to Lake Ngaroto, which is always in viow on our right hand as we drive along, the other sloping down to what appears to bo intermiilable swamps stretching far away to the left. There are some very pretty homesteads and farms along this road, the grounds and gardens being particularly well laid out. About a mile from the township wo pass a pretty littlo church, which I suppose is the one Mr Cassidy was alluding to in his letter to the Times, aud which perhaps I may be permitted 1,0 hope ho attends regularly himself. Somo distanoo further on, there were some nice crops of wheat and oats belonging to Messrs Turnwald and Corrigan. A noticeable feature in this neighbourhood is the number of small lakes, and very pretty thoy appear, bordered by small clumps of the natural bush, and as tho main roads keeps the top ef the ridge the farms on both sides stretch far below it. No laryo crops are met with until wo leach Mr Dcavill's, where tliero is a piece of good wheat. We are now near the Cross Roads, and large areas of fastripening (Train can be seen in all directions. Oil tho loft Mr Thompson has Kjveral paddocks of line wheat ; this seems to be a good farm and well cared for. On tho right hand Mr Burke has about -JO acres of wheat, and a splendid piece of cats, almost it blaek-irieen in <;■ ilouf. Across the Niraroto road Mi-Taylor has about :I0 acres of wheat, and away in the Te Kaliu direction arc some large areas of grain, Mr Storey alone having aliout 100 acres. In this neighbourhood, a large area of land is also being put in turnips, Mr Taylor having about 100 acres. As we drive along the Ngaroto road, a good view of the surrounding country man be obtained. Away in the distance, to the left, is .seen the beautiful estate of Mesers 11. and T. Goodfellow, with its large paddocks, one of them over 100 acres, just sown in turnips. Messrs (loodfeliow are gnawing vc.iy little grain t'ds season. After purchasing a complete cutting and thrashing plant, and erecting a granary, the low prices forgrain proved too much for them, and they arc now disposing of the plant. Speaking generally, not so much grain is being grown in the district thin season, as last, but the crops are almost invariably good, and free Irom rust and ymut. Some very heavy yields will doubtless he recorded from the Ngaroto and Te Awamutu di:-l l icls, when the thrasher comes round. At tho Ngaroto railway st.-ili-iii, which is hidden almost out "f i-.-h: in adecp cutting, Mr Krv has a lin.- i;i ■ of wheat:, about the I i;a\v during the day. This gentle(■■'•ii has also another block of wheat and outs further along the road, and sonic I'O acres of ti mips. Mr Fry is about to add .mot hci strine to his bow, by starting a His mill. With 1100 acres of good flax in the upper end of the Ngaroto swainps, Mr Fry reckons that even by usiug steam, it can he made to pay. The next farm to this belongs to an old friend, Mill. Koehe, who I was sorry to line! uot at home, but I was none the less treated with great hospitality aud kindness. The opposite farm is Mr Foster's, who—as becomes a great grazier—has a fine field of early swedes, and a large block of land just sown in turnips. The farm next to this, Mr <J. H. Scott's, has also some large plots in turnips, and across the road is the property formerly owned by Mr Newland, where I saw some fine crops of both wheat and oats. On Mr Finch's nice farm adjoining: there is .-» good crop of potatoes near the road. Speaking of those roots, I saw a very small quantity of potatoes, and it would seem as if a very small quantity were being grown this year. Next to Finch's is Mr Germann's property, the homestead being completely screened from passing observation, by dense plantations of pines and firs. This farm was well grassed. Across the road Mr Mackay has sonic fine crops of wheat and oats, the wheat jast turning yellow. Before reaching the junction of the three roads, wc pass the I'atcrangi school, its well woru play-grounds, conjuring up to the mind's eyes, visions of school days long ago, where the most memorable feature, was a deep and deadly hatred, oil the part of the average hoy, towards schools and ;;rhonliru'.sti'i3, raid though the old tune boys, might play about the schoolyard during the hours of their daily captivity, nothing would induce them to do so. once school was out. At the junction wc reach tint important institution. tho i'atcrangi Cheese and Bacon Factory, now being worked byMessrs Reynolds and Co., as a butter U.itory, under tin; management of Mr .lohn Hell. I found Mr I tell making his butter, and beautiful butter it was, though the manager labours under great disadvantages, the budding being most unsuitable for the purpose. However Mr Bell rubs along, sending his bin tor down fortnightly to Auckland. Their milk supply, like that of the other branches, has shrunk considerably, from SfiO to 660 galls per day. Mr Bell makes 300 lbs of butter daily. After leaving the factory and its courteous manager (who, I need scarcely add, after stating his name, is an old Wairoa man) we pass the old established farm known as Mcfarlanc's, the fame of whose orchard in tho early days, was so wide spread. However its younger rivals are passing

it ; n jtoorl orchard now-a-days is no rarity, though it is not uncommon even yet, to conic across farms, where 110 fruit trees lmve found a borne. Opposite Mcfarlane's, is Mr Pybnrn's line farm, I saw no large amount of cmps, but the inevitable ' block of turnip land. There is nothing morn noticeable about Waikato farming at present, than the universal manner, in which turnips are being grown. Every year a larger area is sown ; and should the present season be a favourable one for the erop. there will require to be a largo importation of stock from somewhere, to eat the off turnips that have already been putin.