A VISIT TO BAINESSE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 68, 22 April 1879, Page 2

A VISIT TO BAINESSE.

i (By our Rambling Reporter.) ' So much hus been written and said during ; the last few mouths about Bainesse Farm ' or (to be ar'atooratio) Station, that I felt v ' strong desire to go over it, and view it: ' valuable atojk, extensive paddocks, and 1 wealthy soil. Having received a cordial invitation from its hospitable proprietor * (Mr Chriatopher Simpson), to do so, the first opportuuity was seized, and oa Saturday morning last after a hurried cup of tea I took the train and after half an hour's ride alighted at Bainesso Station. A platform for pussengeivs has recently been erected, also one for goods, and some of the materials are lying near by for the erection of the Railway btation, which will be proceeded with shortly. Before going any further, it may ba mentioned I was particularly fortunate in the choice of the day. The weather was beautiful. The sun shone out warmly, and a slight invigorating breeze gave a delightful zest to the trip. The air was clear and sharp, and as the train sped along, Mount flgmont could be seen standing out boldly to the north-west-

[ warrlj solitary in hiK grandeur. I involuntarily thought of tho time (about 3 years . ago) wheu I stood with three companions^' on his topmost peak. Dae north, far away beyond the Sandon and Murimotit districts, stood Ruap^hu with his double-peak, Not only wa3 tho weather fortunate^ but also my companionship, as Mr George Satherloyj manager of the Moutoa Estate, went in the same train to see 1 Oaiuesse, and the conversation of two experts in farming was to mo a most welcome fund of information. After a hearty breakfast ab the homestead, wlicih is a commodious two-storey buildiag situated behind a hillock about a chain from the railway line, we stiirted a tour of inspection, Mr Simpson kindly pointing out everything of interest, and giving f*ny information desired . THE AUEA of the farm is 1528 acres. Originally, it must have been a vast " bog hole," as the deposit all over is of the richest description. The estate is L shaped. It has a frontage of 2 miles to the Patea-Manawatu Railway, and runs back on the "west side 1| miles. Throe miles beyond tha western boundary will run the Sandon Railway. Thi ground having been originally a swamp, a large amount of draining has been required, aud I was informed about 14 miles of drains have already been cue upon the estate. We turned our attention first to the STOCK YAKD AND HOMES. Bainesae has acquired a higli reputation this season by reason of the importations the proprietors have made of pure-bred shorthorns from tho " crack Victorian herds." Near the homestead the stockyard is erected, aud in one corner of this is a substantial house, in whioh the bulls are kept. Mr Simpson opened a door, and out strutted, apparently fully coii3cious of his " blue blood," Matilda's Double Brunswick, who was a month or two ago brought over by Mr Simpsj i from Victoria. This splendid bull comes from Samuel Gardiner's herd of pure shorthorns, and was purchased by Mr Simpjou at Bundoora Park (Gardiner's Station), at the annual sale ou December 31 of last year. Ho is a red roan, of quiet temper and magnificent proportions, his splendid chest and head bnng " a picture " of symmetry. He was calved on March 17| 1377, j and is therefore only two years old. When 8 months old, and classed with yearlings, he took first prize in Melbourne as a calf. His blood i 3 pure, being by the Duke of Alvie, by the DuUe of Brunswick (25,5)37), wlio took no less than seven champion prizes. His blood is equally good on the dam's side, his mother being own sister to the Duke of Alvie, and by the Duke of Brunswick. Hence he is called Matilda's Double Brunswick. Although only two years old, he gives promise of reaching the proportions and reputation of his father. When only 8 months old, he was passed in at the sale at lOOOgs. The nest animal brought out from tho stall was the Eleventh Earl of Alvie, a white calf about 12 months old, having been calved on April 2, 1878. He was bought at Robinson's sale at Colac, on January 3 of this year, by Mr Simpson. Tuough young, ho is promising, and boasts a magnificent ancestry. He isby the Fifth Earl of Dorrimunt, from dam he* titia the Fourth. Hi 3 pedigree is equal to any in the world, his parents having co.n.* from a line of animals which have taken first prizes in the United Kingdom. His grandsire was the celebrated Earl of Geiv va (31,063). This animal, for so young a beast, is filling up wonderfully. The third bull is named Nugget, bred by Mr J. W. Gower, of Carnarvon. He is a well-bred animal, being a descendant of British Flag, and is highly valued by Mr Simpson. Afier surveying him, wo went a few hundred yards, and entered the paddock in which the pure-bred heifers are kept. The first our attention was fixed on was Maid of Oxford, a handsome rod and white cow, calved July 18, 1873. She was got by Oxford Cherry Duke (32,016), out of Dam Fauny the 10th by Royal Butterfly the 19th. Next we saw Countess of Uolao (red and white), calved on January 2, 1876 ; got by Earl of Geneva out of dam Red Duchess, by DuUe of Brunswick. There were also in the same paddock Five heifers fro;n %\ to 3 years old, got by Marquis of Lome, own brother to the Duke of Alvio, who is champion bull of the Grand National Exhibition of Talbot, 1875, and Champion of the Grand National Show at Geeloufr in last October, being out of cow Letitia the 3rd, winner of three champion and four first prizes in the principal show yards of Victoria. Two of the heifers have calved since arrival at Bainesse. One calf unfortunately died, owing doubtless to the mother having been slung for shipment. The other is a splendidly healthy little fellow, full of life and vigor. At the time of my visit he was tied up in a stall in the calf shed. The stock above described shows not only the enterprise of Messrs Simpson and Mace, but also their determination to raise up a herd of pure-bred Shorthorns. The bulls of cour.se are always confined in tho stable, excepting when they are allowed out in the stockyard for exercise. Behind their stalls is the place where the food is prepared, a slicer cutting up the mangolds, swedes, &c, for their food, which is placed in the trough ttirou^h an aperture caused by raising a slide. One man is kept almost entirely employed feeding and tending the bulls. / Adjoining the stockyard is the milking shed, with accommodaeion'for milking 12 cows ; on one side of the shed sir. calf pens are fitted up, in which were six young Nuggets and one pure -bred when I visited Uuinesse. Close by is a strong aud commodious five-scalled stable, containing in one corner a quantit y of cement for making floors, &0., and above which is a roomy loft for s;orage purposes. The cheese . house is a roomy shed, fitted with all the necessary appliances, iucluding six presses by Carston and Toome, of Wari minster, Englend. About 200 are in stock at present, aud Mr Simpson keeps an exact reoord of all particulars connected with the making of each cheese for purposes of comparison, &c, to find out tlie cause of any defect that may show itself. Thd homestead also has attached to it cart-houses, workmen's rooms, wool-shed, &c, all of which are of course necessary to the farm, most of the buildinga being roofed with corrugated iron. At the end of the sheds the piggeries are erected, which contain, besides a number of ordinary porkers, two of the Prince Albert breed, iiud elao four of the Improved iJcrkflhire, which are about the handsomest pigs (if uny can be called such) I ever saw. The land is divided into large paddocks, a considerable amount of fencing having been erected, In one we passed through a belt of very high flax, half a chain wide, has been left standing for a break wind. In the same paddock some swedes are growing which are fully a foot through at the top, and I wan shown one weighing 221ba ; whilst in another portion of the estate they have just finished taking off the third crop of hay this season from laud burnt oif only 15 mouths ago. These facts show clearly how surpassingly rich the land is. In a thirteen-ucre paddock no less than 27 heifers were kept from tho beginning of November to February. The land is fl it, witk small ridges running across and through it. These ridges

are invaluable for shelter, and also afford throughout the yeac splendid pasturage. From one of them, au excellent bird's eye view of the estate was obtained. All arouud lay splendid swamp land, drained throughout, With clumps of bush dotted : here and there. On the north side, across a magnificent valley, lay a belt of bush "> containing 80 acres of land, whilst in tho distance could be spen the homestead aud cattle. The average depth of tho soil is four feet. Ono draiu I inspected in two miles lung, being 7 feet wide ut the top, 'i feet at the bottom, and ty feet deep. It has a fall of 17 feet to the mile, and drains tho water on to the railway lino. Mr Simpson devotes his chief energies to th raising of cattle, of which he has now 220 on the ground, 'only 300 acres of the estate being at present under grass. It will therefore be seen that Bainesse is destined, so soon as the remainder is sown in grass, to hold no Becondury place amongst all the farms ot the Manawatu District. After seeing all the sights, we slowly wended our way back to the homestead, and after having partaken of lunch, took the traio tor Foxton, delighted with the trip to Bainesse.