SPRINGFIELD STUD FLOCKS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16155, 8 March 1918, Page 3

SPRINGFIELD STUD FLOCKS.

DISPERSAL SALE. One of the most important, dispersal Kile.s ol' stud sheep, purobred shorthorn eattlc, and draught horses, which has ovor takon place in the Ashburton district sinco the historical week's dissolution of partnership sale, "which was held on the Longbeach Estate in November, 1882, was- commenced on Mr Thomas Uowiing's Springfield Estate, near Methven, yesterday, by the Ashburton branch of the Mortgage and Agency Company, and will be . continued vo-day. „ur uowiing, who iias worued moat t-trenuousiy lur tiie past lorty-sevun years without us much, as a single break or spell, is about to J act ou ilic oft-repeated advice ol his i medical man, ana calie a lengthy holiday uy paying a visit 10 vanoas parts u » .vu3u;\.i;i. "1 ne iiomesteau otocii iuu oyi iVitaia it us ituiv uceu ioauccu lu ijuj acres, ptucucatiy eveiy roou or wnicix is at tne present moment imuer lite very mguesi. scale or cultivation. AUuui 2u,u00 busueis or gruin navo alrt auy ueeit thrijsned on the place mis swuswii, ill .auction to grass occd, iue >ei\ct \Juall averaging lrom Hz Up to as flign as uo busueis per acre, ana tne luscau averaging; Hum ■10 to 4-1 busueis per acre, whue uie allround average ol tue oats, Uartons and Algerians, was 45 bushels per acre, the Gartons giving the fxigner average of the two. varieties. Ui the sheep, it is no exaggeration to say mat a better bred any a better brougnt out lot has never come uuder tne auctioneer's hammor in the history of the Ashburton district. Tho southdowns were remarkably good, and there were a lot of very line types of both Lincolns

and iioiilors. With. each of these three breeds Mr Dowling has been a Highly successful oxhibitoi\ both at Metropolitan and other agricultural shows. Practically the entire shepherding and goneral management ol the valuable stud flocks has lor a number of years , been undertaken solely by Mr John Dowling, with tlio ruluuule and lifelong experience of his lather to fall back upon for advice when needed. Mr Dowling, jun., has also had the general supervision of the cattle, as well as the agricultural work on the estate, and everything on the place does so young a farmer credit. The foundation of tho Southdown flock was laid by Mr Thomas Dowling in 1911, 'when he purchased from the

executors of the late Mr GeorgoMcltae close on 200 purebred ewes ot various ages, and the imported ram, Sandringnam 24th, for which he gave the then high figure of 72 guineas. Since then tin? Hock has been gradually improved )>v careful culling each year, and by bleeding from nothing but tho very best blood procurable. Tho Jiorilor i lock was established in 291-1, and here Mr Dowling has kept to the truest and best types of Border Leicester* obtainable. His Lincoln Hock lie founded in 1915, when ho -was fortunate enough to purchase 150 twoshear ewes in lamb from the wellknown flock of tho New Zoaland and Australian Land Company's Moeraki Kstate, near Oamaru. These ewes had been specially selected to go to Australia, but owing to a drought thorn at the time, it was decided at tho last moment not to ship them, and Mr Dowling becamo tho purchaser. There was a verv large gathering of buyers and others from all parts of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. ' lh«> *heep to be sold dui ing the t-.\ <> ! ■lavs number over SUUU, including 30U stud Lincolns, close on 200 stud" Border Leicester*, over 400 stud Southdowns 1-100 fat wethers and lambs, unci close on 4000 store sheep. .(he sluop first offered were the Lincolns, anci competition at once became exceedingly brisk. I'Jte first lot oft'eii>d was a one-shear ram, which was speedily knocked down to the Australian Land Company at 42 guineas, l'wo ither one-slear ran.s brought respec-1 lively 30 and :!3 guineas, wiiile other' atr.s ot thr- siime .ige brought BJ"n--LOJgn.s. and llgns. Other stud rams nado ogns. Ggns, 18gns. and up '.*> io,l;iis. Jhe ewes were eagerly bought, up at the following prices: 2Sgns, 20g»s, lOgns. llgns. lUgns, 7! gas. 4gns. SJgns.' and Ham lambs made 20gus, 7gns, GJgus, ojgns, 4igns. and 3'gns. Tne prices paid for ewe lambs were llgiis, lOgns, Sign;), -jjgns. 3tgns, and 2jgns. lhe bidding for the Border Leicesters was very keen, and the price.? paiV lor rams were, logns, 13Jgns, '■'igns, 'JJgns, lOgns, 7gns, oigns. 4|gus, and 3Jgns. The ewes brought logns. 9Jgns, Bgns, jgtia, 4gns, 3gns, 2£gns, and 2igns. A number of ewe lambs were sold at 4gns 4tgns. 4£gns, and ogns. Ihe top price paid for Southdowns vtes 3o£gns for a one-shear ram, while other rams sold at logns. 14gns, ogns, 4-Igns, 4gns, 3gns, 2jgns. and 2gns. Ewes brought "JOgns. logns, lOgnsj ! ogns, Oigns,' 6Jgns,' -Bgris. Ggns, ll'igns. lOgns. 3gns, and down t.i 2gns. Ram lambs brought 4gns down to 2gns. Ewe lambs made 4gns, 2Jgns, 2Jgns. 2gns, l-Jgns, and 1-ig 13. Bids right throughout the sheep sale were very rapid, and every animal on the catalogue was sold. The sale will be continued to-dtty. when the fat aheup and lambs 1 store sheep and fat and store cattle will be disposed of.