THE SHEEP FARMER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 15

THE SHEEP FARMER.

.CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE \ ; LAND. v ' • • '• ' s ,To the sheep farmer, more particularly 1 \ than to any other 6oction of the commim- , \ ity, tho name of Poverty. Bay is a para- 1 \ -Because of its combined'' advany tflges of soil and climate, it is recognised ■*, ■as being amongst the best- sheep grazing country iu New Zealand. Although there y are small areas where the soil is more, or* \ lesa "patchy," there is scarcely an acre t to' which tho appellation of . "Poverty 1 literally -ipplicd, is not an'absud- ■ ■ jty- The vrinter carrying capacity of - tho phenomenal, and it is in.c'oniiec- . tion. with this fact that the climate plays '6uch an important part. Over the greater

. portion'of the' district there is an ab- : eeno£. of severe frost, and this, together. ■ with a, good sunshine record, causes ; a ; good growth of feed even in mid-winter, i x The equability of the temperature is not i -of value, in • this .respect only—it. means, : also, that tliero are no losses of stock ■ from cold. • ' ■ .. • i A v sheep farmer who. has a holding ; 'within a few miles of Gisborne expressed . the .opinion to a Dominion representative that; land in Poverty Bay-will carry one Bheep to the acre more than the samo quality land in any. other -part 'of NewZealand, because of the superior climate.' This applies .'more particularly to a strip of land about -twenty miles wide, run-, ning as far iiorth as -the -East Gape.-The settler who made, this statement has had considerable experience in various parts of the South' Island and also , Hawke's Bay, and should, therefore, be well qualified to express ; an opinion. Referring to his '.o;vn ,i pro'perty,''lie.«tated;thijt, although •it was npt:by.'any m«ins'[th'e'best land in . the district, ; ,was four sheep to the' acre. '' .. As another;instance] the'property of Mr., F. leaser, sen., of Pouawai,'inay bd quot- . i ed. Mr^';•Eraser-/has fourteenv.hundred acres of improved land of first-class qual-• , i.ty. On: this he wintered four, breeding cwe9 ;to ; ; the; acre, maintaining ;.'them. in . splendi&liQliflitiini^M'hs/^rtpfliiigeV.of . lambsJ.'wasliSiTi, v an.d;;-the riitiortafity, only • one per ;cent. ' Tlh. : whole '; of '.the. lamb 3 . (with i the exception 'of one. small .-lot of 150).' were sold , lat off the grass, noVartificial''feed .of .any kind'befng'given;' .This is, of course, ■an exceptional , record, but v it is quoted! .to. show what .the district is capable . of, producing. nndci' : favourable circumstances when, the land is fully, im- i proved;. 'y.The major portion of the. land in Pov-. •«rty. Bay.is easy papa; hill couiitry,;;with occasional .limestone areas, practically the only rubble, formation beingi ir, the, vicinity .of 'the; Motu... Althoughvthero are. con- • • , eiderably -iover' ;twb- - million •; sheepin thn, ' district,'- of tho carrying; capacity is "not'; yet evenj apinmclled. -There are very, large areas;of lurid,'still..in: the native' state, - and it ohas;',been;, estimated that wben it is all improved : the;,district • will depasture' at least' four million "sheep, still leaving ..plenty of, .scope in certain, ~ localities :for. : dairying .on a coinprehon-: • , kive scale; ' r ~'Perhaps; the; pick-.of-the'grazing land is along.- the. East- Coast,'particularly:in; the vicinity of- Ilicks's ,Bay.'Y..la ifact,- there is a large-tract here which is claimed to t?» without equal in. New Zealand. Jt is oil easy rolling country, with an ideal eastern aspect. In addition to its quality and situation,, the land' hereabouts has all been iinproved, and it carries On on average three - breeding ewes to the acre. .The, sheep throughout the district are principally. Komney Marsh and ltom-cey-Lincoln cross. • . . 1 -■-• - ' Strange rto say, stud'breeding is practically unknown'in Poverty-.Bay,*-onu-al-most all sires are purchased in outside districts/. -There is'.a great and constant-ly-:indreasing demand for stud sheep, and th«i'district niust present a, grand opportunity" for an enterprising breeder. This . fact is. now being --realised, and inquiries have been/made,, of late. ; for ,easily acces- * sible'properties Suitable for an up-to-date etud farm. I '. Such ,a . venture would'natur- : ally receive-the'support-of flock owners, who, under present conditions, often experience soiiie difficulty in fulfilling their requirements.