UGBROOKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1246, 30 September 1911, Page 18

UGBROOKE.

WELL=MANAGED MARLBOROUGH ESTATE. BIG WOOL CLIPS AND HIGH PRICES. SPLENDID BARLEY LAND.

Vgbrooke—remarkable for tho beauty of its situation ami for the quality of its lands—is the property of 51 r. 11 enrv Dunstan Vavasour, a vettler who is well known, not only in Marlborough, but throughout New Zealand. The situation of 1. [zbrooko is in many respects rjuitn romantic. The waters of Cook Strait lap its borders for several miles on the northern side, vhilo the Awatero Liver bounds it on the southeast from n point near the township of Seddon till its snow-chilled and swiftlyflowing waters mingle with, the ocean. The homestead, which is a magnificent brick structure, with ivy-grown walls, is tituatcd on a knob running out into the Awatero Plain. It stands about two hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea, not more than three miles distant. Across (ho Straits, in favourable weather, the brilliant light at I'cncarrow, at the entrance to Port Nicholson, can be distinctly seen, while the lights at the masthead of passing vessels appear like so many will-o'-the-wisps. To the southward tho Serpentine Awatero Valley can be followed with the eye for many miles, till tho view is cut off by tho spurs which jut out from tho range of hills on cither side. Looming sheer above the intervening hills is the giant Tapunenukn, whose rugged snow-capped peak towers to a height cf well over 9000 feet. This majestic cone claimed the attention of Captain Cook on tho occasion of one of his visits to New Zealand, and ho argued with the officer's of his vessel that it was not so high as Mount Eginont. Science has since proved Cook to have been wrong, for Tapuaenulcu is considerably tho loftier of the two steeples. Straight acrovss tho Awatero Valley from tho Ugbrooke homestead uro tho picturesque downs of tho Starborongh fettlemonts, with the plantations which surround the settlers' homes dotted here and there on the sunny slopes. A littlo to tho right is tho prosperous town of Seddon. At the foot of tho Stnrborough Hills flows tho dangerous Awatero River, which at somo period of history has washed the wholo of tho Awatero Valley, depositing the rich soil which grows tho magnificent crops and fattens tho lambs for which Ugbrooke is famed. In many respects Ugbrooke may bo re-' garded as a model farm. It is managed on scientific lines, and tho keynote of every detail in connection with it is "thoroughness." There aro no makeshifts on tho property. When any work

is found necessary it is at onco put in hand, and carried out in a thorough and finished manner, which makes patching and repairs a matter of rare occurrence. The result is a neat and tidy appearanco in all surroundings, as well as lucrative returns from well-tilled fields. HISTORY OF UGBROOKE. Tho property was first taken up in tho latter 'forties by the late Mr. Henry Redwood, together with Wither Hills and tho present Vernon Estate. The total area was about forty thousand acres, and tho estate was known as Vernon. Tho late Mr. Henry Redwood (better known as "tho father of the turf") and Mr. T. Redwood are sous of tho first owner of Vernon, and Mrs. H. D. Vavasour is the daughter of Mr. T. Redwood. For maty years tho property was managed by Mr. T. Redwood for his father, who then lived in Nelson, and the remains of tho old mud wharo in which ho spent his pioneer days still exist, though in a crumbling condition, about a milo distant from tho present homestead. About 18S0 tho property was cut up, and tho Ugbrooko portion purchased by tho Hon. William Clifford. Tho Withers portion, higher up the valley, was purchased by tho lato Thomas Carter, and Bell Bros, bought a portion of tho hills which lie between Ugbrooko and Blenheim. Tho freehold of Ugbrooko, together with 5100 acres now known as Vernon, was purchased by Mr. Vavasour in January, 1597, from the Hon. W. Clifford. At a later period Mt. Vavasour sold the Vernon portion of the estate. When Ugbrooko was purchased by Mr. Vavasour it was overrun with rabbits— there was no estato in Marlborough in a worse condition than this one. Tho fight against the pest was a costly one, but it was tho first step towards making tlifl estate profitable, and Mr. Vavasour immediately turned his attention to it with his accustomed thoroughness. In a comparatively short period they wore thinned down to such an extent that the property carried a largely increased number of sheep, and at tho present time a rabbit on Ugbrooko is quite a rare sight. ■ QUALITY OF THE LAND. The Awatero portion of the estate is composed of good, light turnip aud barley land. The rest of the agricultural land is a rich friable loam, with a splendid friable clay subsoil. It grows -big crops of mangels and turnips, and as much as seventy bushels of barley and eighty bushels of oats to the acre. For barley-growing the Ugbrooko lands may be said to bo world famous, and .Mi'. Vavasour makes a speciality of tho cultivation of this cereal. At tho Christchurch Exhibition in 1007 ho secured four gold medals. Tho following year (IMS) Mr. Vavasour visited England ami Europe, and took with him a sample of malting barley, which ho exhibited at tho FrancoBritish Exhibition. The exhibit was awarded the gold medal. It is, therefore, safo to claim that tho barley grown on tJgbiooko i 6 equal, if act superior, to

any produced ill any part of tlio world. Tlio total area of the estate is thirteen thousand acres—Booo acres of low hills, and 5000 acres of iirst-elass arablo land. All the ploughablo land is in English grasses, and an area of about twolvo hundred acres is ploughed and eropped each year. A WELL-EQUIPPED STATION. Tlio homestead is provided with many conveniences seldom enjoyed by dwellers beyond the limits of a city. It has its own high-pressure water supply, electric

light, and drainage schome. Tho water is obtained from a spring high up in tho hills, a milo pray from tho homestead. Tho supply is plentiful, and tho quality excellent. Tho main concreto reservoir has a holding capacity of sixtyfive thousand gallons, while other tanks nearer the homestead bring the total reservo supply up to 110,000 gallons. A "Hornsby" oil-engino provides tho power for generating tho electricity, with which tho liouso and outbuildings aio lighted. The' welfare of the station-hands has not been overlooked, and their quarters aro fitted up with hot and cold water, bath, and .shower, and other comforts which tend to make them contented and loyal to their employer.

There is a smithy on the station, and a competent blacksmith is permanently employed. Tho shop is fitted with the necessary appliances for doing every kind of ironwork that may be wanted on tho station. A largo wool-shod has been erected within recent years to n design prepared by Mr. Vavasour. This design evidences a combination of architectural, skill and an exact knowledge, gained during many years' practical experience, of all tho details in construction neccssary to facilitate shearing operations and lighten tho toil of the men. There aro many laboursaving devices, and tho construction has been so planned that'it is possible for 0110 man 1 to load tho wool bales on to tho wagons without any lifting whatever. Host of tho yards surrounding tho woolshed havo been concreted, and, with tho amplo supply of water available, it is an easy matter to hoso them down, thus keeping them perfectly clean during shearing time. A MODEL ORCHARD. Pardonable pride is exhibited by ilr. Vavasour in tho orchard at Ugbrooko. It is indeed a fruit garden which any professional orchardist might feel proud of—it certainly is tho envy of all fruitgrowers who visit it. One of the most striking features is the fine, healthy appearauco of the bark of the trees, and even under a microscopic' inspection not tho slightest trace of blight of any description can be found. Mr. Vavasour pins his faith to limo aud sulphur, and uses this specific for all pests nt all seasons of tho year. A portion of tho or-

chard was plantod heforo Mr. Vavasour purchased the property, and this was in an apparently hopeless condition with almost every kind of blight in existence— scale, pear blight, woolly aphis, red spider, curly leaf, borer in currants, and blighted gooseberries. Mr. Vavasour had unbounded faith in the efficacy of limo and sulphur properly used, and instead of laying tlio axo unto lUo root of tho trees, as most persons would have done, commenced to dress tlicm at regular intervals with his favourito specific. In a comparatively short 6paco of time th» blight was conquered, and the trees commenced to bear plentifully. This portion of the orchard is now as clean and healthy as tlio newer area planted by Mr. Vavasour within tho past few years. In tho spring of 1!)0!I, Mr. Boucher, Government expert, visited the orchard, and pronounced it to bo perfectly free from all pests, except tho borer in the currants. -Mr. Vavasour lmd not previously treated the currants with limo and sulphur, but ho did so during tho following winter, with tlio result that in tho spring of last year there was no 6ign of th# borer, and tho growth of new wood wa« enormous. 1 Such romarkablo results havo been achieved at tho Ugbrooko orchard fhat wo publish, with Mr. Vavasour's pormis6ion, particulars regarding tho method cm*

'ployed of preparing and applying th 4 specific which is used for dressing th« trees: ' | Limo and Sulphur Blight Specific: 601b; limo (good fresh quiuk lime), 1001b. of sulphur (flour of), 400 gallons of water. Tho way to treat it: Boil (ho water, rub the sulphur dry through a Qno sicvo to break tlio lumps, then mix dry with tho 1 lime in a sufficiently, largo tub, then pour some hot wator on it, and stir up and add hot water until it is about as thick as cream. Then pour tho mixture through, say, an {-inch sieve into your boiling water, and keep well stirred and boiling for an hour, when it should b# the colour of ruin. Uso when cold. - Apple and Pear Trees: Spray thoroughly in tho winter onco after tho leave#

are well off, and again iust before tho buds begin, to coiuo out, und uso tho specific full strength. This will kill nil scalo or any other blight alivo in tho R'inter. For codlin moth, spray tho fruit when, it is about tile size of a hazel nut, lint dilute tho specific with threo parts of cold water to one of the mixture. Begin spraying when tho fruit is about tho sizo of a small hazel uut, and continue every fortnight till tho fruit ia full grown. UGBROOKE STUD FLOCK. Ugbrooko boasts a very fine stud floclc of Shropshire?. Tho flock has not an extensive record in tho show ring, for tho simple reason that Air. Vavasour has not shown outside Marlborough., except on two occasions. The two oxccptions were at tho Palinerston and Christchurch Shows, and at tli>3 former tho Ugbrooko sheep "scooped tho pool'* in the classes in which they were entered. Tho (lock has always been well represented at the Blonhoiru shows, and has nil unbeaten record. It is Mr. Vavasour's intention to show largely in future, aud the writer recently had the pleasure of seeing tho animals which have been chosen to represent the' Ugbrooko Stud in the show ring during tho approaching season. They aro remarkably fine animals, and will take somo beating. The ilocl' was started in 15)00 with fifteen two-tooth ewes purchased from tho dispersal of Mr. Stead's celebrated flock at Crown's farm, Canterbury. These owes were by the famous rams Gobi Medallist ond Conqueror. Since then the following sires havo been used:—

Hatton's Reserve 2nd, bred by- Messrs. Cooper and Nephews, Berkhampstead, England. Royal Crest, from the same breeders. Fat'Thuinb, purchased from Mr. Rupert Parry, and by the celebraied imported ram Tom Thumb. Cardiff I'rince (imp.), bred by Mr. Mantell, Tasmania. Royal Picture (imp.), bred by Mrs. Inge, Thorpe, Shropshire, England. Royal Ficturo was tho winner of tho prize at the Royal Show, Newcastle, England, (90S. Heredity 2nd (imp.), bred by Mr. _T. S. Minton, Muntford Brfdgo, ' Shropshire, England, and personally selected from the breeder's colebrated flock by Mr. H. D. Vavasour, when visiting England. In 11)08 Mr. Vavasour secured tho unusual privilege of choosing four ewe lambs from the wiiolo of Mr. T. S. Minion's flock of that year. . So' keen was the selection that he picked two out of three ewes which were prize-winners at the Royal Show, and which had been reserved by Mr. Minton for his own stud. These ewes have come fully up to expectations, and the progeny aro turning out in every vr°.y equal to the imported ewes. PROFITABLE SHEEP. Tho main flock consists of what Mr. Vavasour calls "halfbred halfbreds." The fleck was started with a Lincoln-merino cross, and was continued by using first- . cross Lincoln-merino tams with successive generations. • Mr. Vavasour was tho first flock-ownor to breed in this way in preference to Corriedales, his reason being that he always considered that the latter 6yst«m in a largo> Quel: to bo conducive of- loss by 6tamina and unevenn'ess of type. Sheepbrceders at first, strongly condemned this system of breeding, and predicted nothing bnt failure for it. But it has stood the test over a long period of years, and those who nt first freely condemned it, now frankly acknowledge that it has-been-an' absolute success, It is the quantity and quality of the wool which tell, and in both tho Ugbrooko flock oxcels.- The average weight of the clip now is from 101b. to lOJlb., and tho evenness of the quality is shown by the prices realised in tho IlOme market. In 1907 the highest price was Is. 31d. and the averago prico for tho whole clip (including locks, pieces, crutchings, and everything in the grease), Is. 2sd. This prico Mr. Vavasour claims has never been beaten by a New Zealand clip. Tho quality of tho wool runs as high as SB's emmt. In breeding for a heavy clip, tho carcass has not been neglected, and the Ugbrooko lambs are recognised as being Becond to none for freezing purposes. THE OWNER OF UGBROOKE. Mr. Vavasour, owner of Ugbrooke, is tho descondant of a very old Saxon family whose estates aro in Yorkshire, England, and tho present baronet, Sir William Vavasour, is his brother. Mr. Vavasour was educated at Oscott College, Birmingham, and afterwards spent Some years in gaining practical - experience of farming on the borders 'of Scotland, and the Midland counties, with the idea of coming out to New Zealand to take up land. In 1871 he came out to the colony, and his first experience of farming life hero was as a shepherd at Flaxbourne Station, which was then managed by Mr. H. Westmacott. In 1873-4 Mr. Vavasour managed the Flaxbourne Estate for eighteen months, during the . absence .of Mr..Westmacott in England. On tho return of the latter gentleman, he went to Taradale, where he engaged in farming till 1881, and as a breeder of pedigree Shorthorn cattle met with much success. ..After leaving Taranaki he'temporarily managed estates in various par(s of New Zealand for two years, and in 1883 took up the permanent management of Flaxbourne. The estate

was then teaming with rabbits, and the sheep wero scabby. Mr. Vavasour fared the situation with courage and confidence, and in twelve months obtained a

clean certificate for the eradication of scab. In a comparatively short space of time the rabbits wero practically exterminated, and the carrying capacity of

the land greatly increased. When Mr. Vavasour took charge of the estato the wool clip was 450 bales, bu 1 - ;?hen he reliquished the position CJ purchasing

Ugbrooko in 1897, it wa9 over 1200 bales— certainly, a remarkable achievement. Mr. Vavasour is a keen politician, and has always taken an active interest in local government. During his residenco in Taranaki lie was elected a member of the first County Council, and was also a member of the first Harbour Board. On his return to Marlborough ho was elected to tbo Aivatere Road Board, and for a number of years filled the important position of chairman of that institution. lie was also a member of the Babbit Board during tho whole of the period during which the depredations of bunny justified tho existence of that body. At the present time ho .holds the following public positions:— President of tho Marlborough Racing Club. President of tho Marlborough Sheepowners Union of Employers. Momber of tho executive committee of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union. Member of the Executive of tho New Zealand Producers' Association. Member of the Racing Conference of tho Canterbury North County Clubs. Member of the Council of tho New Zealand Sporting Federation. And various other positions of a moro or less important character. When Mr. Vavasour was elected to the

presidency of the Marlborough Racing Club in 1002 the affairs of that institution wero at a rather low ebb, but it has since made quite remarkable progress, and at the present time occupies an enviable position in the sporting world. The last meeting of the club was patronised by his Excellency Lord Islington, who, during his stay in Marlborough, was 'the guest of Mr. Vavasour, at Ugbrocke. As ovidence of the progress made by the club, it might be mentioned that in 1902 tho staltes for the season amounted to only ,£1220, while in 1911 they had increased to ,C2ons. During tho period under review, buildings have been erected and other improvements effected to the valno of over throe thousand pounds. The tnana of the club is still increasing, and i even greater accomplishments are looked ' forward Jo in the future.

Mike: "Pat, there onlv wan thina will cure malaria—that's whisky and quinine." Pat (anxiously): "Whero kin ye get it?" Mike: "'i'h' whisky and qninine?" Pat: "No, malaria."