NOTES UPON THE OAMARU DISTRICT AND SHOW.

Southland Times, Issue 1668, 26 November 1872, Page 3

NOTES UPON THE OAMARU DISTRICT AND SHOW.

(FBOM A COBBESPONDEIfT.) This district has become famous of late veaTS for the production of wheat, and is likely soon to become so for the extent of its English grass and well-bred stock. . The soil of the Oamaru district is principally a strong dark clay loam, resting upon the limestone formation, and is particularly well adapted to grow English grasses. In the early stages of cultivation it was thought that the growth of wheat would suit the soil best, the district being considered too dry for English grass, but experience has proved that not more than two crops can be taken in succession with profit from the land, and the system now most generally adopted is to plough the land twice, sow wheat, plough a third time, and sow wheat again, at the same time sowing out tL© land with English grasses. It has been found that when the land has been depastured for five or Bix years, it may be again broken up and cropped successfully for a couple of years. Cultivation has been, and is being, carried out on rather an extensive scale on several of the largest properties in the neighborhood. The New Zealand and Aostranan. Land Company were the first to cultivate wheat and lay down English grasses on a large scale. For several years they had an average of about 2500 acres in crop on the Totara and Ardgowan Estates, and in another year the whole of these valuable properties, extending to upwards of 20,000 acres, will be in English grass. The Windsor Park Estate, belonging to Mr Menlove, is at present the scene of most extensive operations in the shape of breaking up, cropping, fencing, ditching, and roadmaking, and it is rumored that the proprietor is about to erect a residence of palatial dimensions this summer on the estate. Somewhere about forty teams of horses are busily engaged in ploughing and other operations on Mr Menlove's land, and his neighbor, Mr Eeid, is also cultivating upon a very extensive scale. In fact, all the landowners of the district, large and small, are following in the wake of the Company, so that in a few years' time, hundreds of thousands of acres will be producing English grass and carrying six or seven times the quantity of stock which they did in their natural state. Such a decided change in the quantity and quality of the grass is likely, also, to make a change in the description of stock kept; and it having been conclusively proved that longwooDed sheep, or sheep crossed with them, are by far the most profitable for English grasses, such stock are in great demand in the district, and several flocks of pure-bred longwools'

have been established, the largest of which belong to the Company, Dr Webster, and Mr Holmes. Smaller flocks are owned by Messrs Beid, Menlove, Gillies, Craig, and others. The sheep most in favor are Leicesters and Lincolns, and it is asserted that finer sheep of those breeds were shown in Oaraaru this year than are to be seeu anywhere else in New Zealand. The show has become a source of great interest and attraction, not only in the district, but to Dunedinites and the Titnaru folks ; and if the means of communication were only more plentiful and easy, the Oamaru show would become not only good but great. The show is yearly increasing in quantity and quality of Stock, the recent one being far ahead of last year's. The weather was all that could be desired ; stock looked their best ; settlers, with their wives and families, were able to come in from the country in comfort, and the townspeople having a holiday, the grounds were visited by a large crowd of people, who seemed to enjoy the day immensely. The first stock on the programme were i the draught horaea, and a most creditable j appearance they made, every claBS being largely represented ; Mr Holmes's celebrated Clydesdale — the Duke of Buccleugh — at their head. Mr Holmes showed some very good stock in this class, but the cup fell to the hands of | Messrs Fleming and Hedley. In blood stock the competition was not so keen, i although there were some very creditable horses brought into the ring ; the entire, Stormbird, got the first prize. The shortI horns were rather few, and Mr Holmes I got a walk over for the cup in this class. Ayrshires were well represented, and the competition was very keen, and again Messrs Fleming and Hedley were fortunate in securing the cup. In sheep, i the merinos were not in great number, and were exhibited by Messrs Holmes, M'Lean, Borton and M' Master, and the Meat Preserving Company. Borton and M'Master won the cup in this class. The great feature of the show, however, was the longwoolled sheep, which came forward in great numbers, and were keenly criticised and much admired. Mr Holmes having most liberally presented a ten-guinea cup to the taker of the highest number of points, the exhibitors seemed to have done their utmost in bringing out their animals to the best advantage. Leicesters, Lineolns, and Eomneys were the predominating breeds, and, judging from the time taken by the judges in arriving at their awards, the competition must have been very clobo. The result of the prizes showed that the N. Z. and A. Land Company obtained 47 points, Mr Holmes 19, and Dr Webster 8, consequently the cup fell to the Company, it must be rather gratifying to South! anders to learn that nearly one-half Of the prize Sheep were bred in Southland, and that the Duke of Buccleugh was foaled at Seaward Downs, and is considered by some to be the best horse south the line. Southland breeders will, however, have to look out for their laurels by-and-bye, as the Oamaru people seem determined to be second to none in the Colony, several importations of sheep being now on the way from home, amongsb which is the first prize Leicester ram of the Highland and Agricultural Society's Kelso show, purchased at £75 from the Marquis of Tweeddale, and described as the " ram of the season." Fat sheep and pigs were not in great numbers, but were verv prime, the prize half-breds being estimated to average upwards of lOOlbs, and were reported to have shorn 131bs of greasy wool. They were exhibited by the Company. Fowls, dairy produce, oaten cakes, and implements were also exhibited, and were duly criticised by their several admirers. One new feature of the show was a prize for the best lady's hack, for which there were four competitors, two ladies and two gentlemen. The gentlemen had of course to fall back and leave the ladies a fair field ; but it seemed that if the dec'sion did not go by favor it went by fair loolrn. and the judges seeming to be unable to agree which was best-looking, both got prizes, and left it to their admirers outside the ring to decide.