NEW ZEALAND’S SHEEP-CARRYING CAPACITY.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 6, 6 May 1893, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND’S SHEEP-CARRYING CAPACITY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib : In your last week’s paper you set down the number of sheep in New Zealand at eighteen and a-half millions, or thereabouts , but if the enclosed statement is correct, the above number might easily be doubled without over-straining the carrying capacity of the colony. I find it difficult to believe that 42 acres of rape could fatten 1,700 sheep, even though they had the run of 200 acres of dry grass. If you would find room for the statement we might get the opinion of some other farmers about it.—l am, &c., 27th April, 1893. Faemek. The following is the extract referred to by our correspondent:— Mr W. M. Wehl, of South Australia, writes as follows: —“I sowed 42 acres of rape on 21st September, 1892, simply ploughing the ground and harrowing once, in peat soil. I sowed 31bs of seed to the acre, and on the 23rd December I put 1,400 sheep on to fatten. About 300 more got on accidentally, but as there was an abundance of food I left them all in for a fortnight. On the 2nd inst. I sent 1,022 fat sheep to the Adelaide market, and have at the present time 500 more on the same crop fattening. These sheep have all through had the run of about 200 acres of grass, but had they not had the rape they would not have fattened. Neither rape, mangels, nor kale will fatten sheep, however, without some dry grass to graze on also.”