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Early Wellington

[preamble]

“Like rubies set in gold shall blush,
Your vineyards girt with corn,
And oil and wine and gladness gush
From Almathea's horn.
Cheer up! Cheer up! Your course then keep,
With dauntless heart and hand;
And when you've ploughed a stormy deep
Then plough a smiling land.”
Thos. Campbell, 1839.

The whole of January, and the first part of February were remarkable for a long continuance of fine dry weather. During this space, however, light showers at night were frequent, and there was at no time more than nine days and nights entirely without rain. Nothing could be more seasonable for the grain harvest in the Colony; and refreshing rains fell at the end of February to save the pasture on the hills from parching, and to keep the potato crop from injury.

The first Horticultural Show was held on the 24th January, 1842. Two cabbages, grown on mere shingle at Pito-one, within 30 yards of the sea-beach, weighed respectively 21½ and 12lbs. (Hybrid and early Fulham). Some of the kidney potatoes grown at the Hutt, from native seed, measured 9 inches in length. Specimens of the red flat turnip were shown, 19 inches in circumference, and weighing 2½lbs., and of the common white turnip, 21 inches in circumference, and weighing 3lbs. The wheat had full and large ears. Apples, the first fruits of trees imported from England, were exhibited. Every other sort of vegetable figured in the list of prizes, and seedlings geraniums and dahlias represented the flower garden.