Windsor & Richmond Gazette, Saturday, March 10, 1900 - page 5 Sackville As you have not heard from me for some time, I might inform you that farming operations are pretty well at a standstill for want of rain. The operations of most of the settlers are confined to a narrow stretch of country along the river banks, where choice fruits grow in dry seasons. Further inland are to be seen a few struggling settlers improving the country on the ridges and valleys below, making a living by growing passion and other kinds of fruit, and getting honey about the bush, which is very good this time of the year. A stranger, a close observer, riding along the road would say the country was in a prosperous condition to see such a lot of fine growing crops exposed to view. By way of progress we are moving on. Two additional dwelling-houses will shortly be added to the number about the village, and as time advances the population about the river will become more numerous. I would advise the married folk to apprentice their sons to some good tradesman to learn a trade to enable them to strike out in the country and do for themselves when they arrive at manhood. There is nothing in farming these days but a bare living - and plenty of hard work to get that. All the available land for agriculture is occupied and young people growing up will have a poor show indeed in getting a bit of good country to settle down upon. I am of the opinion a good blacksmith about Sackville would find plenty to do. Fifty years ago we had a tradesman of that sort, and he always had plenty of shoeing and other work to occupy his time. I bought potatoes this season down here at one shilling a bag, good eating potatoes. I never heard of potatoes selling so cheaply about here before. We have had a plentiful supply of peaches and tomatoes all the summer. Work will always be plentiful in this neighbourhood simply for the reason that were we idlers the country we cultivate would soon run wild. The long spell of dry weather has broken up at last. A nice drop of rain fell here this week, which will do an immense amount of good in many ways. It is rumoured that we are to have another steamer excursion shortly, this time to Newport or thereabouts, and lasting a couple of days. It will probably be well patronized in spite of the fact that there are short trips on the river by way of excursions nearly every week. The bulk of the summer fruit along the river has been sent away, that is if we except the large quantity that has gone to waste on the ground in orchards. The little fresh in the river a week or two back has driven all the fish away, down to somewhere near the Ferry, much to the disappointment of our local fishermen, who making nice hauls occasionally in the Reach. The vintage at Tizzana is in full swing, but although the crop is considered to be a very fair one, it does not take Mr. Laraghy long with his big staff of men to get it into the cellars. The Kurrajong cricketers did not turn up on Saturday to keep their engagement with the "Parks." Perhaps they thought the game wasn't worth a candle. The Park Villa Boys intend making a big try to bring off their big match, against the College, which starts on Saturday next. Let us hope there will be no unpleasantness engendered over the match, as it is this kind of thing which kills the noble game. General satisfaction was expressed here when word was received of Cronje's surrender. It is to be hoped that this blow to the Boers is the beginning of the end, as war in its brightest garb is neither more nor less than wholesale murder.