"ROMANCE OF BREEDERS.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2018, 1 March 1907, Page 1

"ROMANCE OF BREEDERS.”

Tho Wairarapa Times has an article on Masterton’s recent show, under the above heading, and the articlo contains thoughts and comments that have an interest in any pastoral district. Tho following is tlio main portion of the articles :

“Our Mastorton Show, this week, has boon a very “Romance of Breeders,” the testing ground of clever, earnest, persistent men, who, alter years of labor, have brought; to an all but perfect standard, a horse, a cow, or a sheep. To breed a ram worth fifty guineas is a reward which repays long years or toil and many disappointments. The man who creates such an animal is greater even tliaii Air. McNab. He takes rank throughout tlio colony as an expert, iiis survicos nre besought sis a judge throughout tlio colony, sind it is quite •m honor to be known as his acquaintance. Tlio ordinary mortal who goes to a show, and who cannot perhaps toll a Jjineoln irom a Romnpy docs not understand the Jtoin a nee oi' Breeding,” unless it is applied to a horse, and, of course, everybody knows tho points oi a horse. But tlio points lira sheep are of even major importance, because on them, % and on their adaptability to soil, climate and pasture, depends very much the wealth of the colony. Tlio man who knows all the pointy* of a sheep is all enviable being and a superior person. . One of the heroes of the Wairarapa “Romance of Breeding” has, alas; disappeared -from the. scene of our 'ate show. He has been an ideal breedor, who built up a magnificent herd of cattle, which lias made Mastorton known to fame throughout all Australasia. This one breeder whom we could ill spare, is Mr James Stuckey, of Te Itangitumnu, and lie is leaving New Zealand and breaking up his herd because, in this colony, there is no security of tenure for a rroat breeding farmer. The stupidity if our rulers and legislators is colossal. Any colony would he glad to lecure a breeder like Mr. James Stuckey upon any terms, but our New Zealand Solons display their cleverness in getting rid of him. Even the man in the town, if lie knew it!, and, of course, he does not know it, would feel that the departure of Mr Stuckey was a loss to the community. It is lie who lias mainly contributed towards raising the standard of good hoof in the town of Masterton. We have ourselves heard a butcher proudly boast of the Rangituman carcases in his shop, and the working man who got hold of a piece of one of them secured the right kind of food upon which to maintain muscle and stamina. A great breeder is of more value to'a colony like this than a cart-load of politicians. There is not a farmer in the county of Mastorton who should not, in some way or other, assist in the great work of breeding. The small farmer may say, “What is tho use of competing against the big breeder,” ' hut it is for liis honor to he a soldier in the ranks of the breeders, and unless lie enlists as a private he can never become, a general. Every small farmer should he called upon to make a contribution to our animal show exhibits", for every little helps in the work of raising the standards of cattle and produce. It takes years of thought and care to make a breeder, but this thought and care makes the romance of a farmer’s life, which otherwise is apt to he dull and insipid. Far better to take up the work of breeding, to form an ideal of a certain animal, or plant, and ■ gradually evolve it in the eyes of all men. It is a poor-spirited farmer who docs not care to join the ranks of the breeders.

The new doctrine taught lioiv-a-days is that competition is wrong in principle. Well, our show this week is built entirely upon competitive lines. We can imagine a non-com-petitive show, with a leather medal for every exhibit. It would ho necessary to pay people to go in and see such a show. The average man does not usually yearn for competition, but if lie be a man lie does not run away from it. Even tlio weak mail who faces competition grows strong by it, while the weak man who dodges it always remains a weak man. Keen competition makes men, and noncompetition makes loafers. Wo can almost imagine that there is competition between worlds in the vast realms of space. One world, like our own earth, may bo run in competition, say, with Mars; each world, under some specially appointed director, endeavoring to outstrip the other in development. Worlds, like human beings, differ in size, form and conditions, and, like them, may be made to compete in the amplii-theatre of tlio universe. One star we have beep told “difforotli from another star iji glory.)’• On the 'noh-ccimpetitive principle, all stars should be equal in size, power and glory 1 Competition is a law of lifo. The grand romance of breeding is to be found in breeding worlds through vast stellar spaces—tlio small one in the development of white Orpington chickens, The process in both casps may not he dissimilar. The laiy of life is much tlic same in t-lie infinitely little as it is in the infinitely great.