SHEEP ON THE FARM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1526, 23 August 1912, Page 8

SHEEP ON THE FARM.

' RENOVATING. WORN-OUT LANDS. Five delegates from New Zealand were present at the National' Sheepbreeders' Association C'onferenco in England this year. Representatives 'were also present from Tasmania, the Argentine, and - the United States. The principal business was the reading of a paper by Air. Alfred Alansell, of the Shropshire Breeders' Association. The subject of Mr. Mansell's paper was one of world-wide interest, viz., "Sheep in connection with the economy of the farm, as a fertiliser, or a manure distributor, especially on- somewhat poor laud, and its position as a help to successful farming.'* Speaking generally, he said, all light-land arable'farmers were largely dependent on sheep as fertilisers and manure distributors. In. many cases the land was of such a light, sandy nature that it would not pay to cultivate unless roots' and other green crops wore grown, and consumed with sheep folded, assisted by a certain amount of artificial food. The treading consolidated the land, which was -so necessary for plant growth on some land, the expense of carting and spreading , the manure was done away with, and the full tnanurial value was obtained. . In one poor district of Somerset most farmers looked for two-thirds of their returns from sheep and wool, without taking into consideration the mammal value 01 residual. It was, he thought, self-evident to anyone "who had carefully considered the subject that without the aid of sheep the economic and profitable working oi most farms would be seriously jeopardised, and-in some cases profitable farming would not bo possible. Where u large nock of sheep was kept, no waste occur-' red, and if they were liberally treated the farm was being kept up to a high standard of fertility, ensuring good crops. Inaccessible, and distant- fields were readily and effectively .fertilised, a considerable saving in labour- was -the result; and a portion of the farmyard manure "T 5 ? - * or ff™ ss ' an( l if required. ATI things considered, there was much to -recommend the sheep. They constitute ed the.best manure distributor; the finishe,v article known as mutton was,the most digestible of all meats; the wool clip n '°,"!- - a long way towards tho cost oi artificial food for the flock, and in the case of a. hill flock the entire cost of upkeep would bo met. ■ va 'ue of sheep on the high mountain and hill ranges of Great Britain was a considerable A 55 6' to farming, as mucn of this land had no value (not even foi potiso or deer), except as runs for mountain sheep, which on the average years had proved a source of considerable wealth. • Y-, ns estimated that in many hill farms in the North of England a holding that would carry 1000 sheep (Cheviot or Bkcktaced) could only maintain 30 or 40 cattle, on account of the difficulty of getting hay, and on many thousands of acres, owing to scarcity and want of shelter, cattle could not be kept at all. It was, therefore, quite evident that without sheep a large area of the hill land in Great Britain would be of no agricultural value. It should not be overlooked that under tlio intensive system of farming now obtaining on the best turnip and barley soils, the great majority of the young sheep were sold fat before they were 14 months old. This meant a liberal allowance of cake and corn, greatly increasing the productive character of the soil, and also greatly adding to the. weight of the annual clip. In extending his inquiries from agriculturists in all parts of the United Kingdom, he had been greatly impressed by tho unanimity among all classes of farmers as to the value of a flock of sheep as an adjunct to 'successful farming operations. In practically all cases a direct profit had been looked for and obtained from the sale of mutton and wool, but at the same time the main reason underlying the necessity of carrying a good sheep stock was that remunerative cereal crops could only be obtained on certain lands by the fertilising and consolidating 'effect of "the golden hoof." Under tho same conditions tho sheep had proved equally necessary to the farmer in all parts of the world, and for some I years past, m the earlier settled portion of America and .Canada, the aid

of tlio.sheop hart been requisitioned to restore the fertility to farms worn out by continuous corn cropping. As the world bccame older, and virgin fertility exhausted, farmers in all now countries would realise the necessity of restoring fertility to worn-out farms,' and would make use of the sheep for that purpose. But it was, of course, a sine qua non that the breed selected must bo suitablo for its environment,'and receive tho necessary caro and attention to ensuro success.Several of the New Zealand representatives agreed with Mr. Mansell as to the value of the sheer) as an adjunct to successful farming. The United States delegate- said he lived in a part from which they had exhausted the original fertility from the soil until their crops were practically failures. Sheep-husbardry had dono all the things for them 'that Mr. Mansell had mentioned, and it had helped them to pay for and improve wornout lands, i