THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, Decemder 16, 1852.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 104, 16 December 1852, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, Decemder 16, 1852.

In a preliminary article, which was published in the Maori Messenger of the 18th of November, we endeavoured to impress upon our native readers a knowledge of how much their prosperity would be forwarded did they only prosecute that most profitable, simple, and patriarchal branch of rural industry—Sheep Farming. From the earliest ages, sheep farming has been an engrossing occupation among all nations. The wealth of the patriarch Jacob consisted in the multiplicity of his flocks and herds. The Merino sheep of Spain, and the Saxon flocks of Germany, have long been the prolific sources from which kings and princes have derived no inconsiderable portion of their wealth. The foundation of the national greatness of England is typified by the Wool Sack on which the Lord Chancellor, one of the most powerful of England's Ministers, lakes his seat, as president of the assembled peers of the realm. Wc have already shown how sheep have elevated the barbarous penal settlements of England into mighty and prosperous colonies,— raising numberless individuals from absolute penury to extraordinary aflluencc—and wc would now endeavour, by facts and figures, to demonstrate the moral and social superiority of wool over gold,—by showing how largely instrumental its culture may be rendered to the material improvement of New Zealand-

how powerfully it may be made lo assist the civilization anil social happiness of llie people—and how incalculably it may promole individual enrichment and universal advancement. As it may, however, require more than one paper to exhibit the character and importance of sheep in promoting the prosperity of New Zealand, we consider it essential, lo the perfect understanding of the subject, to collate a few particulars relative to the natural history and properties of that invaluable animal;—and, when that has bccii accomplished, to show, by a few simple tabular statements, the immediate profit, and the great prospective improvement in the agricultural operations of New Zealand lo ho derived from an extensive and well managed system of Sheep Fanning. " The history of the Sheep," we are told, " may he traced to the remotest antiquity; for we read that 'Abel was a keeper of sheep,' and that 'Abel brought as an offering to the Lord the firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof.' There probably is not a species amongst nllfour domesticated animals which in its historical relations is so interesting as the Sheep. Its early domestication, its employment as the subject of the first sacrifices, its typical character as an offering of atonement, its importance as forming the principal wealth of tho early patriarchs—its various connection, in short, with the political, the religious, and the domestic customs of those primitive magnates of the Jewish nation arc all of them subjects forming ample food for deep and delightful reflection. The relation which existed between the patriarchal shepherds and their flocks was indeed of so intimate, and even affectionate a nature as to have afforded the subject of many of the most beautiful and touching parables and moral illustrations in the Sacred Writings. It was not lo the Kings and great ones of this world that the Angel of the Lord foretold the advent of tho Saviour of Mankind. It was to shep herds, who watched their flocks by night." " With the exception of horses and perhaps cattle," says a celebrated English writer, " sheep arc by far the most important of all the domestic animals. They not only afford a large supply of food, and furnish one of the principal materials of clothing, in the manufacture of which an immense number of people arc employed; but it should he remembered that they can be reared in situations and upon soils where other animals could not find sufficient, food for their support. The dressed skin forms different parts of our apparel; and is used for covers of books. The entrails properly prepared and twisted, serve for strings lor various musical instruments. The milk is thicker than that of cows, and consequently yields a greater quantity of butler and cheese; and in some places is so rich that it will not produce the cheese without a mixture of water to make it part from the whey. The dung is a remarkably rich manure; insomuch that the folding of sheep is become too useful a branch of industry for the farmer to neglect. Whether we consider the advantages that result from this animal to individuals in particular or to the kingdom of Great Rritain in general, we may rank sheep as llie first of the do. meslie quadrupeds." •' Much ground," observes another writer, "formerly deemed unworthy of cultivation has been rendered productive in consequence of pasturing sheep; and still more effective than this was the new system of husbandry it caused to be introduced—the artificial or turnip husbandry,, by which a regular supply of food could be provided for every season."

Lei us explain:—Turnips for example, arc planted in a field. When the turnips arrive at maturity sheep arc driven into this field where they arc folded, that is confined to a portion of it. by hurdles or moveable fences ; these hurdles are moved about as the turnips arc eaten off. The sheep become fat and valuable to the butcher, at ilie same time thai the land is richly manured. Much money is thus made both ways; first by the sale of the fat sheep; and in the second place by the abundant crop of wheat, or other corn, which is certain to be reaped if sown on the field from which the sheep have been fed. As the Spanish Merino sheep, subsequently Improved in the breed by transplantation to Saxony, is the sheep common to Australia and Van Diemen's Land; and as it is the sheep which wc hope ere long to behold improving the soil, augmenting the food, and, by means of its flesh and wool, enriching the native and European landowners of New Zealand, wc shall conclude with a few particulars relative to its Spanish history, reserving the application of the present paper for a future occasion. Millions of sheep are reared and led about Spain; for a vast portion of that rich and fertile country is uncultivated. The name—jVcrino—which, in England and Australia, marks a particular breed of sheep, is applied, in Spain, to signify the wandering practice of the flocks. They do not constantly remain on the same farm or province, but travel from one to another. They who approve of this system assert that the wool is improved by it, and that the dearth of green food at certain seasons of the year renders the plan indispensable. Rich proprietors possessing the greatest number of sheep have formed themselves into a Company. Under rim superintendence of persons chosen for the purpose, the flocks arc led to the uncultivated lands and mountains of Spain. They arc tended by between 40 and 50,000 shepherds who lead a wandering and almost savage life, who never cultivate the ground, and rarely marry. Their knowledge is almost entirely confined to sheep, and in that department they are exceedingly skilful.

These immense flocks arc divided into smaller troops of 10,000 sheep each; at Iho head of which is a chief shepherd to direct them, fifty inferior shepherds, and the, same number of dogs who keep watch over the sheep. The chief shepherd is on horseback, and has a salary of about 00/. a year. The best paid of the other fifty receive about ooi. a month, the lowest not more than Bs. Every shepherd may possess a certain number of sheep and goals; but their wool belongs to the proprietor of the flock, the shepherd has only the milk, the flesh, and the young ones they produce. The march of these large flocks is regulated by particular and long-standing laws. The sheep have a right of pasture in all those waste lands which are reserved for that purpose, paying a fixed price to the proprietors, beyond which they can exact nothing. They cannot enter upon cultivated grounds; but (he owners arc obliged to reserve them a passage 270 feet wide. The ■vicep travel six miles a day in their own pastures; but they go eighteen miles when they pass through arable lands. Their emigrations extend to SCO and 450 miles. From these particulars, it will be seen that Spanish sheep farming is conducted upon the worst possible system; since, through such monstrous perversity, the cultivation of Spain is neglected, and the country consequently impoverished. In England, on the contrary the feeding and

breeding of slieep are mode instrumental to the improved cultivation of the soil; and to such a system \vc hope, ere long, to lead the industry of our native husbandmen.