ON THE LAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2686, 16 December 1909, Page 7

ON THE LAND.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL.

INSPECTOR MILLER’S ANNUAL REPORT.

Following is the continuation from last Tuesday’s issue of the “Times” of tlie annual report for the year ending 31st March, 1909, for the Poverty Bay district supplied to the Government Agricultural Department. by Mr. W. Miller, who was until recently Inspec-tor-m-Charge of the district, and has since been transferred to Dunedin.

Horses. —A large number of various sorts are bred in the district, in the northern portion the Maori weed type predominating. A very fair class of animal is bred on some of the stations, and at show time there are large entries in the saddle and light harness classes. Weight-carriers and hunters are scarce. More attention is being paid to draught stock as cultivation increases, and there are some really good .stallions now in the district of the Shire and Clydesdale breeds. At the stud last season we had stallions of the thoroughbred, Hackney, carriage, hunter, and pony breeds, amongst them being new importations into the district, including the Government stallion Singlestick 11. Prices for horses are regulated by the local demand, there being no outside competition. There are 16,654 horses in the Poverty Bay district. Swine. —A considerable number are bred, the'bulk being reared on separated milk,'and in a few cases on offal from the abattoirs, smaller lots leing fed on hotel and restaurant refuse. The Okitu bacon factory absorbs the surplus pigs. A good many on being killed are found to be infected with tuberculosis, and a new infectious disease, described by Mr. Burton, \ .S., as “pastuerellosis,” has broken out amongst some pigs at- Makauri. There were 6673 pigs in the district in November last.

Crops and Agriculture. —A large area under maize and barley* and both crops arc doing welil. Practically no wheat sown. Fair amount of oats end good crops, nearly all cut into chaff. More general cultivation done this past season than during the last four or five years. Potatoes. —The early crops did Well, being fairly free from blight, but the late crops were badly affected. From previous experience of this trouble the plantings have not been so heavy, especially in the Waiapu districts. ivumeras. —Grown largely in Maori settlements, taking the place of potatoes os an article of diet, good fields anticipated. Rape.—No large areas grown, but stations are going in more for it lor lamb fattening purposes. Turnips —Grown extensively and successfully on newly-burnt bush land, very few on ploughed land. Mangolds.—District favorable for their growth. Not largely grown, but are splendid specimens wherever seen. Pumpkins. —Largely and successfully grown for fattening stock, in many instances taking the place of turnips for that purpose. It is not unusual to see large fields of them on which bullocks are being fattened. Grasses. —Crops good, but not liarvested in very good condition owing to wet weather. Average crops of about 35 bushels of ryegrass per acre. Cocksfoot.—Very little -grown, seed imported from south. Ensilage.—Yery little made. Caterpillars—Not nearly so destructive generally is in past years, but are somewhat troublesome in the Makaraka and Matawhero districts. Noxious Weeds. —Give a considerable amount of trouble to those who have, to clear them and to those responsible for the administration of the Act. The usual difficulty in regard to unindividualised Native lands exists. In the Waiapu district Californian thistle is making its appearance in many places, and has apparently been brought in with imnorted grass seed. In connection with Californian thistle, Mr. Thos. Long, of Gisborne, is experimenting with a weed destroyer which he claims -will eradicate .Oahforhian thistle, and the result will be watched with interest. Notwithstanding the difficulties in the way of dealing with noxious weeds, very fair (progress has been made m the district. , , , Small Birds—Local bodies have not done anything in the way of united action for destroying these pests, which destroy a great deal of fruit as it ripens, and are a nuisance to gram growing farmers. . Slaughtering and Inspection. ‘Slaughter-houses are kept in fairly good condition, and are frequently ; visited by the inspectors. A prosecution was instituted against a butcher for feeding pigs with raw offal on a day \\ hen Inspector Boss happened to visit the piggery. The defendant was convicted antf fined £2 and costs. GENERAL PRGGRESS ANR VAN CEMENT OF DISIRICT. The district fcontiuues prosperous, anu agMn a large area oi land has been reclaimed from the bush and laid down m grass to pasture sheep anci cattle. Owing to the financial tight-, ness not many properties are changing hands at present, but in spite or this values so iar have not depreciated to any extent. Tlie outlook was not encouraging, but the almost unexpected rise in wool had good-effect. 'The last- returns showed that the district carried 1,918,000 sheep, and cattle 1147,374, on increase or rt)8,639 m sheep, and 14,848 in cattle on the former year. Large increases each year in sheep and cattle are recorded from the returns. , Freezing.—The. two Gisborne freezing works have put through a record number of sheep apd cattle this last season, and for a time could not take all stock offering. For the year ending the Gisborne Farmers Company dealt with 218,416 sheep. 98,526 lambs, and 4650 cattle; this shows an increase in. sheep put through these works of 97,851 sheep ,61,993 lambs, and 349 cattle for the same period, on last year s returns; and Nelson Brothers, 173,342 sheep, 89,967 lambs, 5,604 cattle; showing an increase for the same period on last year’s returns of 62,263 sheep, 39,424 lambs, and 1940 cattle. It has been decideiT to establish freezing works at Tokomaru Bay, and an area of 100 acres has- been secured: from the • ‘natives for tlie purpose at , £22;.10s per acre. The. establishment, of freezing works 1 here has been found necessary as the prime- fat sheep that the Waiapu district has had! the reputation of producing, arrive at the Gisborne works in low condition compared .to when they started on the drive, owing to the long distance and the bad roads, unbridged rivers and creeks, with dangerous -fords they have to negotiate en route. Fat lamb producing will, in future, be one of the this district in view of the erection of freezing works, as in the past it was too far to send such stock to Gisborne. v.-V; V V-..-. r.'v; ■ :! ; i*. *''■ • A-rl,*•».' • •!!

Eunholders, realising the great saving and convenience it will be to them, are rapidly buying up shares in the Tokomaru freezing works. Although the railway lias only been running about 20 miles inland advantage lias been taken of it to rail sheep instead of driving, and I find that, during tlie year ending 31st March, 1909, 44,277 sheep have been carried on the Gisborne-Te Karaka line. As the- line progresses to Motu (large gangs of men are at work) it will prove of incalculable value to the farming community, as it runs through highly productive country. Some 17,000 breeding ewes have been shipped to Canterbury from this district within the past few Weeks, each year the, demand increasing for Poverty Bay sheep. Witli a view to improving their Hocks and obtaining fresh blood a larger importation of stud and flock ranis has taken place this season than for some time previously. Several stud flocks of Down breeds are being established, the imjxirtations being principally from Canterbury. Timber. —Proposals are on foot to connect the railway at Rakauroa with tram lines running into the bush area at Tahora. Magnificent timber of great quantity is to be found throughout the Motu district, and the idea is to start mills and export timber from the district on a large scale. Stock Track.—A stock track to facilitate! the moving of sheep from this district to the Waikato is just about to be opened through the Talrora district, by which route, it is anticipated, a saving of ten days’ travelling will be gained, being a direct course compared with the one formerly used round by Petane-Hawkc’s Bay and the Taupo road. Poverty Bay sheep find a good mai'ket in the Waikato. Settlement. —Each year finds the gradual subdivision of large estates and further properties have recently been inspected with a view to Government acquisition. Should negotiations with the Government fall through, I understand it is the intention of the owners to take the initiative and offer their properties privately, in suitably sized areas Two recently-acquired estates by the Government, K-anakania and Te Arai, are proving successful settlements. The former is pastoral country, subdivided into small runs, and the settlers are doing well. . The To Arai settlement has become, in a short time, quite a scene of transformation in which there are now some forty homesteads, estimated to be carrying a population of nearly 200. Mixed farming is carried oh, oats, bar lev, maize, and rape for fattening, being grown. The settlers on the largest sections are engaged principally in sheep farming, but many of the smaller settlers are engaged in dairying, and have installed milking machines. Since the settlement has been thrown open a creamery lias been erected on the property, as well as a cheese factory—the former a company, th© latter a private enterprise. ' The improvements on the whole are of a good and permanent nature, and the buildings are of an admirable class. In November last, distributed amongst tlie settlers the settlement was carrying 26,339 sheep, and 2107 cattle, practically all of the dairying class. This season there is considerable area under crop, and the present prospects of the Te Arai farmers are of the brightest. An additional county, Waikohu, has been, formed, reducing the ext»nsive county of Cook, and is being administered separately. The question for an outor harbor for the port of Gisborne and connection by rail with Napier are matters that have been agitating, the public: mind for some time past, and it is 4 fully expected that these undertakings will take practical shape in th© not- far distant future.

The rapid advancement of the district having added largely to the work of this Department the efforts of the staff have been over-taxed in performing the multifarious duties that come under their supervision. : ■ ■■ '.I- ■■ ... ii . jit