NEW BOOKS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 11, 11 September 1915, Page 7

NEW BOOKS.

3HEEP FARMING IN NEW ZEALAND. In a very handy publication, \Mr JR. Macdonald, who has for many years been a successful farmer, deals with sheep farming in New Zealand. When Ih e became interested in sheep farm- | ing, he was impressed'with the ab- ' seuce of a treatise on the subject I suitable to the varying conditions prevailing in New Zealand, and so, alcer 1 his years of experience, he has written the publication under review, entitled, “New Zealand Sheep Farming.” The treatise is broken up into fortyone chapters, each of which completely deals with a separate matter, such as the aspects of a sheep farm, crossbreeding, dipping, sheep land values, diseases, choosing a breed, and many other instructive chapters. The chapter dealing with the aspects of a sheep-farm deals fully with the question of the most suitable soil, which, he says, is a sandy loam. The writer dealy points the disadvantages of swamp and wet sodden land. He mentions that Kentucky blue grass is a fine sheep grass for New Zealand hills. New Zealand can claim to have the finest climate in the world fo' - sheep farming, being neither too hot, too cold, too wet, or too dry. The value of good shelter is stressed, and the writer points out that a well sheltered sheep farm 1000 ft above seamay be said to be better than one but 100 ft above sea-level that has no shelter. Regarding the increase in land values, Mr Macdonald points out that the day when a good clip of merino wool would cause the sheepfarmer financial satisfaction is superseded by a devotion to cross-breeding and the co-production of wool and mutton, to provide the income necessary to pay way on higher values. In classifying the sheep and the country, the writer states that while the Lincoln suits good country with not too much rainfall, the Romney will thrive where the land is oorer and rainfall heavier. The drier the country, with sparse vegetation, more is the lighter, more active, merino looked to to fill the bill. Mr Macdonald then goes on to deal with each breed separately, devoting a chapter to each. The book comprises some one hundred and twenty-two pages which are illustrated profusely. Young farmers who are about to take up sheep farming must necessarily feel, as Mr Macdonald did, the need of a treatise which deals with sheep-farming on a practical basis in a concise pregnant form. Such young farmers, and old ones too, have in Mr Macdonald’s book, such a treatise which should be in every homestead, as its merit and object deserve. Sheep-farming, as ha* every other class of farming, has been, a science, and to be successful, the farmer must have at his finger tips the practical scientific methods which are dealt with by Mr Macdonald.