FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11481, 14 January 1903, Page 9

FARM NOTES.

"Weekly Presa and Referee."

Cattle-stealinp is said xo be very prevalent in parts of Queensland. A meeting of pastorafete was held lately at Gayndah with the object of forming a cattle-stealing prevention associatipn. Cows, calves, or •bullocks, it is all the same to these robbers; they catch, kill, and sell anything, and the Government look on and do nothing. Orders for South Australian rams continue to come to hand, and recently Mr T. Hope, Murray, of Mount Beevor, was paid a very 'big price for a high quality ram, which goes forward to the Cooma district of New South Wales. The same breeder has also shipped to order a number of flock rams to New South Wales and Western Australia. Splendid orders have also been received by Mr J. H. Angas, for Hill River rains, and following upon a shipment of 250 to supply orders, further orders were received from New Zealand for another lot of 250 Hill River rams. Mr A. J. Murray, of Mount Crawford, bos also supplied orders for liigh quality ram» for 'South Africa.

At a recent sale of cheep at Epping, in Tasmania, and ait an outcome of South African enquiry for merino sheep, an informal meeting of breeders was held. The majority of those present were of the opinion that, the class of shtep produced by Tasmania woa of a higher standard than •what would, be needed for some years in the country referred to; but it was also felt that the opportunity of bringing the merits of the Tasmanian studs under the notice of the authorities of a. country destined soon to take its stand amonj the wool-growing areas of the world should not be lost. _ One result of the meeting was that the Woolgrowers' Agency is now issuing a circular to the merino breeders of the State, asking for numbers of two or three-year-old rams and ewes which they are prepared to supply at low price (to be quoted), with sufficient fodder to carry them to South Africa. It is intended on receipt of replies to ask the Premier (Sir Elliott Lewis) to cable to South Africa submitting the offer, and inviting the authorities to send an expert for the purpose of select-inghigher-priced sheep. t The following paragraphs are taken from the letter of the London correspondent of the "Pastoraliste" Review" : —

"Some natural excitement is felt ai the purchase by two of our large operators of 500 American ewes, c.i.f. Ad per lb, London. The sheep will arrive this week. I see that New York and Honolulu are 'likely markets for the future lor New Zealand mutton,' so the item above looks like reciprocity in kind with a vengeance. This is the first time that frozen sheep have arrived from the JStates."

"Mr E. Smethurst (of Chmtchurch) has been showing his defrosting system near the market; I had a. look at the plant the other day. Mr Smethurst claims to defrost a sheep in eight to nine hours at a cost of Id per sheep, that .is, when the business is in full swing. But however clever these notions may be, the fact remains that our people here don't want defrosting ; there is no call for it except for a limited amount of contract work, so it is no good for New Zealanders to send over their plants. Mr Smethurst has found this out. and has departed for the provinces, before leaving for home."