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Photo of tree; CT79.1063B
Name/Title
Photo of tree
Photo of tree
About this object
This black and white photo depicts a red pine tree, rimu, being bown up in a paddock, on Osbornes Hill near Owaka, the Catlins.
Life on a bush farm involved felling the bush then months later, dry burning it. To clear an acre was a monumental task. Axe, spade, mattock all did their bit. The crosscut saw cut the logs into lengths and horses or bullocks pulled them into heaps. The stumps were a bigger problem. All this effort was needed to clear the land for crops and to establish pasture for dairy cows.
For about six years from 1880 there was a gunpowder factory in Owaka, Mackley & Leijohns, which claimed to be the first in New Zealand and like many others, eventually blew up.
Whitey wood, hinahina, was burnt to obtain charcoal, the main ingredient of gunpowder. The blasting powder was widely used. It took the backache out of the job and made short work of the biggest stumps but it cost ten pence a pound. In keeping with the typical Catlins character, there were some who made their own at a cost of fourpence a pound.
This black and white photo depicts a red pine tree, rimu, being bown up in a paddock, on Osbornes Hill near Owaka, the Catlins.
Life on a bush farm involved felling the bush then months later, dry burning it. To clear an acre was a monumental task. Axe, spade, mattock all did their bit. The crosscut saw cut the logs into lengths and horses or bullocks pulled them into heaps. The stumps were a bigger problem. All this effort was needed to clear the land for crops and to establish pasture for dairy cows.
For about six years from 1880 there was a gunpowder factory in Owaka, Mackley & Leijohns, which claimed to be the first in New Zealand and like many others, eventually blew up.
Whitey wood, hinahina, was burnt to obtain charcoal, the main ingredient of gunpowder. The blasting powder was widely used. It took the backache out of the job and made short work of the biggest stumps but it cost ten pence a pound. In keeping with the typical Catlins character, there were some who made their own at a cost of fourpence a pound.
Object Type
Black and white photo
Black and white photo
Object number
CT79.1063B
CT79.1063B
Tags
Copyright Licence 
All rights reserved+ Add Comment
Paul13 Jan 2009 03:50 AM,UTC
A mattock is a kind of pick especially used for digging. It has a broad chisel-like blade set at right angles to the handle.01 Dec 2008 20:31 PM,UTC
What is a mattock? It is referred to above - 'Axe, spade and mattock...'