FIFTY-FIVE YEAR AFTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 15

FIFTY-FIVE YEAR AFTER.

A'VISIT TO'KOURARAU.

Aγ, PIONEER STILL WITH HIS HAND

1L W. BEETHAfI'S HEW ENTERPRISE.

•Up in. tho Maungaraki ranges, some fourteen miles south-cast of Masterton, Mr. W. H. Beetham has lately been busy' breaking in""his Kdurarau property. Kourarau 'is a portion of tho

Kour.irau is admirable sheep country, tlio formation ..being of . dcconiposodlimestono..' It winters over two good sheep to the 'acre, 'which; is "saying • a good deal, for the three and four-sheep country one hoars of occasionally is. mostly hypothetical when if comes down' .to. practical ; business.. '. Mr.. Bcethimv. is not rtinnins any stud flocks or herds on the property as, yet—doubtless this will.come later—and tho stock at present'carried aro "liomney-cfoss sheep'and Hereford cattle. " •''■■'' ' It says something for the vigour of the early pioneers that Mr. Beetham, wlio fifty-five years ago, tramped, up from the'Hutt Valley ■to'Brancepeth;' and passed by: Maatcrton when it contained about a couple of houses, should to-day sbe actively supervising the building, of. a new homestead, and .tho breaking.in. of anew property.

comes- plentiful, slio comes back to full ; ; profit, and will milk on to the end of ; the season, a period of'twelvo or four- '; teen months." By followiri2 this plan • during .tho first milking period, you i educate the future cow to her business :< ii\ lifo, and establish or fix the habit .> of milking as long-as you like. If they i are.allowed to'go dry too early.in.the.j first year of milking, they will do; it j the second year, and so form the habit. J \Ve want-.a' class" of cow that will not-j -only give a good record of herself in i December, but will do so,for five.or sis j months afte-rwards, and if •tho plan sug-v.j gestod. is. followed, it will develop the j ■ milking habit,-and johder.it.practicable j to secure in a season that.large yield,.] of butter-fat which alone should; give i satisfaction. By lengthening the period i .of .lactation, it will-be found a great ! .help, in realising .'the .object, in ; view."-.,-' j