THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, January 27, 1853.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 107, 27 January 1853, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, January 27, 1853.

.Having endeavoured to explain, and that very fully, the great and manifold advantages of Sheep Farming. Having exhibited from what small beginnings, and from how recent a period, the present enormous amount of Australian wool and Australian wealth l\avo been produced,—let us now proceed to show how an extensive system of Sheep Husbandry may be made conducive to a vastly superior system of Agriculture, and contribute largely to the individual resources of the native landed proprietors of New Zealand.

There are distinctive characteristics between tlic unreclaimed pastures of Australia and those of New Zealand which it will he well to hear in mind. A very large portion of Australia consists of open forest laud or open plains, more or less grassed. On the other hand, a considerable portion of the Northern island or New Zealand—not forest land—is rather thickly covered with fern and tec-tree scrub. These, however, arc readily and inexpensively cleared off; —and, wherever displaced, a succulent pasturage at once covers the ground, year by year, becoming more nutritious, so that the native owners have only to introduce sheep to cause the scrub and the fern for ever to disappear, and so materially to fertilize even these virgin soils, that on their first disturbance by the plough, the crop, whether or wheat, oats, barley, maize, potatoes, or else will not fail to testify how largely the depasturing of sheep has helped to swell their bulk. The most distinctive and differing features in the uncultivated pastures or New Zealand and Australia consist in their very different capacity for an extended siislcntation of stock. In New Zealand, the lee-tree and the fern once eradicated, rich and abundant pasture immediately succeeds;—pasture,— to speak within moderate bounds—capable of sustaining, and that without laying down the land in meadow, at least three sheep an acre. If the land be worked and systematically laid down in grass, it will Teed from eight to ten sheep an acre. Contrast this cleared fern land, with the natural paslures, (which do not improve by stocking,) of Australia where from three to five acres are necessary for the support of a single sheep, and the difference in favour of New Zealand will be strikingly conclusive. Add to ibis, that there arc neither crows, eagles, dingoes, or any other vermin to harrass and destroy the flocks:—that droughts which destroy the pasture and perish the slock arc here as unknown as the floods which, in Australia, sweep llieni away, and it will be

still more obvious what strong encouragements there arc to the farming of sheep in a country where one hundred acres of land will maintain nearly as large a flock as it would require one thousand acres of Australian pasture to feed. Consider the lime trouble and money that is saved by this concentration of nocks. Reflect how the Ilesh is retained on the carcase in consequence of the animal not being compelled to roam over an extensive area in quest of food. And let it not be rorgottcn how greatly and how speedily a hundred acres will become enriched by the pasturing of a (lock ; whilst a thousand acres roamed over by the same flock would scarcely exhibit any perceptible improvement. Having said thus much, we will suppose some native land owner commencing business as a flock-master. We will imagine him to have purchased a flock of five hundred ewes and fifty well bred rams for which he has expended 700*.,—assuming, of course, that he has land sufficient for depasturing them, thai he has prepared the necessary sheep Yards, and procured a careful Shepherd to teach him and his people the various measures to he a doplcd for the protection of his flock,—for introducing and removing the rams, for keeping the sheep clean and free from scab, for rearing the lambs, for washing and shearing, packing and sorting the fleeces, for cutting and marking, and saving Hie finest-bred lambrams, and drawing, in due lime, the best wedder sheep for the butcher. In all these lucrative pastoral pursuits, there are ample stores for tho employment of native industry, and abundant sources for the creation of native wealth.

Suppose with the first cost of a Hock of 800 ewes and 50 rams, the construction of Sheep Yards, and llic wages and food of a Shepherd, that an outlay of 800/. is incurred. Let us sec what return is to be had for the money. Wo arc unable to stale the average yearly increase from the ewes of Australia, but in Tasmania it used to be about 80 per cent. We shall estimate it at that in New Zealand, although we can discover no reason why it should not be 100. Very well. In, the first year, the Sheep owner will have j added 100 sheep to his original slock. Two j hundred of these will most likely bo ewes < i ffir lwo hundred wodder lambs. We will ( say thai twenty of the latter have been reserved Tor rams; and will therefore merely value the remaining 380, at the close of the first year, Dt the low price of seven shillings a head, not with a view of selling them at that, but to show what has been gained . during the yea'r. The value of these ."80 ,

sheep will therefore ainoiinl to 155/. There will be 1500 lbs. of wool to shear from 500 sheep at 5 lbs. per fleece—soo lbs. of wool at 0 lbs. per llccce from 50 rains, and 000 lbs. of wool at 1A per fleece from 100 lambs —in all 2100 lbs. of wool, which at the lowprice of a shilling a pound will amount to 120/. 255/. will thus be derived in the first year. The next year, the 300 ewes will again produce 400 Jambs. At the end of the year 580 of them will be worth, in all probability i'lss, and twenty more may be set aparlto lie reared as rams. This year, however, there will be 900 sheep lo shear which at slbs. per fleece will give 2700 lbs of wool; 50 rams 500 lbs. and -100 lambs 000 lbs. In all 5000 lbs or wool worth at least 180/. The second years proceeds will thus amount to 515/ The third year, there will be 700 ewes to breed from ; consequently llicrc will be an increase of 500 lambs, value 100/. There ought also to bo 20 rams to dispose of say at 5/. each GO/. There will be 1500 sheep, 50 rams and 050 lambs lo shear. This will give 5010 lbs. of wool, worth at Is. a lb. 252/. so that in the course of the third year, with the first flock still capable of adding to tlicir increase, about 1400 young sheep will liave been added to the original 550, — whilst the third years proceeds will amount in money value to 508/. being, wilh the original flock still left an addition lo their value of 1074*.in tliu space of three years.

These arc rough ealcnh.tions it is true. They have been made from 110 immediate date but from past practical experience of their general accuracy. They ought to he quite sufllcieiU to convince the native landed proprietors that no pursuit can render them the same money return, or so greatly improve their soil as the fanning of sheep. It will in an incredibly short period, if energetically and generally followed out, bring large and fine ships into port for the carriage of their wool to Europe. It will augment and encourage their agricultural f Vpltli. ' They will bo able to furnish Wool and Skins to the Merchants, Mutton Beef, and Pork to the Butchers, and wheal, flour, and corn to the Bakers, in quantities altogether surpassing their present belief. In a word, —by the prosecution of Sheep Farming,. the Native land owners have it in their power not only to become immensely rich as individuals, bnt speedily' to elevate New Zealand into a position of distinguished commercial and social opulence and importance.