GLEANINGS ON A JOURNEY FROM CANTERBURY TO NEW PLYMOUTH.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 324, 6 August 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

GLEANINGS ON A JOURNEY FROM CANTERBURY TO NEW PLYMOUTH.

TliK following paper was read by Mr J. Bartigb, delegate from the Waikato Agricultural and Pantoril Association to tho Christchiircii C ni r ero:i.:-', at tho meeting of tho Wailiato Farmers' Club, held at Cambridge on Monday evening : I have no intention of traversing the ground over which Mr Fisher has already passed in his paper,, but will confine myself to what 1 saw and heard after his departure from Christchurch for the Waikato. On tho following Monday I left Christchureh for the Islington freezing works and Lincoln College, with about 40 of the delegates who had attended the conference, two wagonettes were provided by the Canterbury A. and I', Association and one or two privato conveyance* brought up the rear, Tho country is all level as a bowling green, with a few clumps and belts of trees here and there. Upon reaching Islington we were first taken to see a draft, of wethers which hud been brought from Mr Grigg Longbeach a few days before. The sheep appeared to be about. J bred Engln.ii Leicesters. They were bought by a dealer, Mr Clarkson, who told rae that he gave 16s each for them, and had sold thorn again to tho Freezing Company by weight, but atjwhat price ho did not nay. Passing on into the slaughtering house, we saw about sixty men at work. Each usually kills about 80 per day. As tho sheep were dressed they were all weighed and graded most carefully. They ran from 48 to GB, averaging sSlb. ( thought 16s a good price for a 581 b sheep, especially as the dealer bought and took delivery on the farm, and had his own men to drive them. I find this Mr Clarkson to be a very large dealer. He told me he had put 120,000 through his hands this season, and could generally tell to one-sixteenth of a penny per lb what they would stand him "in. After weighing and grading, the carcases passed into the cooling room for about 12 hours, then into the freezing chamber. Passing on we camo to the skin department. The flesh side was washed with a chemical solution which loosened the wool in about 12 hours, and helped to preserve the pelt afterwards. The wool is carefully sorted then washed, dried and baled ready for shipment. Nothing is wasted in the establishment. The puddings were sold to a Yankee firm, and even the straggling bits of skin, which were cut off the pelts, nra turned into gelatine ; the best fat in sold to a Dutch firm to make into oleomargarine, whilst the shanks, bones, blood and offal are ground, dried, and turned into manure. ~ I understand that a good deal of guano, superphosphate and potash is bought to mix with it so as to make a valuable, well balanced manure. Time heing short, and we being such a large party, 1 did not obtain such full information as I should have liked to have had but I was much impressed with the cleanliuess and abseuee of offensive 6mells. After partaking of a sandwich and a little mountain dew to kill the microbes we again mounted our vehicles, and were taken to a field in which a rotary disc plough was at work. It had four large discs very much like the blades of a disc harrow, only larger and more concave. Four strong horses were attached, and it appeared hard work for them though the plough was not set to any great depth. The four discs appeared to turn about 3.feet, pulverizing the ground as it went along. I did not care much for the work it made, as it left the ground lumpy, and did not bury all the stubble. Continuing our journey, we arrived at the Lincoln College of Agriculture a little after 1 p.m. We were welcomed by Mr I. Bayne, who showed us round the orchard and buildings before luncheon. After full justice had been done to this repast, a good many toasts were drunk, aud Mr H. Overton gave : au interesting accouut of the principles upon which the college was worked, and how the funds were raised. He said that 100,000 acres of ground had been set aside as an endownmentia the old provincial days, since then 40,000 acres had been sold, and the funds applied to the purchaaeof 7000 acres of groundatLincolo, and tho erection of buildings, etc. At present they had an income of about £2,500 from rents, and tho interest on £25,000. They also had the produce of tho farm andpremiums from the students (abbut 35 in number). These students paid £4O each per annum, but this amount barely covered the cost of their living, so that they practically got their education for nothing. Speeches finished, we strolled round several little paddocks adjacent, containing ram lambs of different breeds. The first to bo seen wore Border-Lieces-ters, they looked strong and healthy, but did not appear to carry much wool, and were rather leggy. Next we eame to a really fine lot of English Leicester*. I caught one and was struck with the amount of wool it carried, English Leicesters are great favourites in Canterbury, as fchoy carry a fair fleoce, are very compact, easily fattened, and make splendid shflep for crossing. I inquired of my friend, " the dealer," what breed lie liked the best. His reply was : "I do not care much. Most of the breeding goes in at tho mouth." We next came to Ronmey-March hoggets. These were well-grown, healthy and strong, but did not attract much attention. We next came to a mixed lot of Shropshires, Lincolns, Leicesters and Romneys. The Shropshires attracted a good deal of attention, and the shepherd, MrF. Wright, said they could sell all they could breed at about three guineas each. It was now nearly four o'clock, at which time the vehicles started again for Cliristchurch. However, as there was a train leaving Lincoln at 5.30, I stayed behind for a look at tho Lincoln aud Roniuey ewes, both lots looking well and stiong. There were a few good shorthorn cattle in the paddocks, but I did not see any other breed, as time would not permit. The only winter feed I saw was green oats, which had ewe hoggets running on it. The grass looked better on the college farm than in any pail of Canterbury that I saw. Roots are almost a complete failure this year, iu fact, 1 did not see a crop in Canterbury that would be worth 15s an acre if in the Waikato. Canterbury land is booming just now. From what I could gather it is 25 per cent dearer now than what is was (j years ago and still it is worth the money. Land varies a lot in price from about £o to £3O au acre, and is easily got to pay, 5 per cent, on the capital invested. I think a stranger might be deceived in the different qualities of land in Canterbury as in the Waikato. I did not see any horses sold whilst on my travels but. found, from enquiry, that draughts were the only stock which commanded a ready aud certain sale at remunerative price?. All the horses I saw in Canterbury looked well fed and cared for, the fanners' teams arc: kept as well as town horses; nine-tenths being clipped under the bally. They arc covered with sheets at night and look lit for a day's work. In the North Island I found a great contrast, farm horses in many eases looking miserably poor and neglected, especially so in the bush districts whore the work required from them is small, and the land available for grow. ing winter feed limited. Before leaving Cliristchurch I looked over several farm implement factories, and was much impressed with the quality of the work turned out. At Messrs Morrow and Bassett's I saw an intermediate for <t wire fence, made of rod of steel, which I liked tho look of. This firm has also the sole agency for Now Zealand of the patent elastic steel horse collars, and the firm was good enough to promise one as a prize to be competed for at our next Waikato Show. They also promised to give m exhibition of the

intermediate for wire fences which I have already mentioned. The Christchurch Farmer's Co-opera-tive ► tores were also visited, but as the manager had an appointment we did not. learn much about the working of the cßuccrn. However, we bad a flying look round and found that almost anything could be bought there. In the cellars, cheese, butter, baoju and other artie'es reouiring cool storage were kept ; an (lie next floor came the grocerry, ironmonger, saddlery departments with offices ; whil.-t the jjiop floor contained the drapjry, hoisiery, tailoring, jointly ami otht r departments. The business seems to be managed wall, has had a financial suoces< and should tho Auoklahd farmers think of starting a Co-op I think it would be wi.-e and advisable to get this Company to open a branch in Auckland, as they have already gained the experience which might cost us a good deal to require. Upon my return I visited the Clear, Wellington export, and Wanganui Freezing Companies, and found that none of them had given more than lis for sheep and 8s for lambs this season. The Gear Company does not freeze on client's account, preferring to buy, and I understand the business bus been very profitable to them. The Wellington Export Company freeze on clients' account, or buy at the option of the sheepowner. The manager of this company said he sold all the meat before it went on board ship, and generally had orders in advance. This -was the trade he preferred. Both tho Wellington Companies bought super, and guano to mix with their manures. The Wanganui Company bought nearly all they froze, but were glad to freeze for clients when they had a chance, but they found they would very soon have to shut their doors if they did not go into the market and buy on their own account. More beef has been tinned and frozen this,year than usual, second-class going into the tins, first-class being frozen ; but I was told that the method of thawing beef was still unsatisfactory, and we could not look for high prices under the present system. I attended the Wanganui sale, but found no beef in, but Davcy Lyme —Frcemau Jackson's head stockman—said there w»s a good deal of beef about. I attended Nolan and Tonks' Hawera sale ; there were lots of stores, but only a small lot of besf of poor quality, mostly cows, which sold for about £3 10s each. Mr Fantham told me beef was scarce, and judging from the appearance of the country I should say it was. Reverting to the freezing companies I should say tho three North Island companies (before named) seem to go in for a different class of trade from the Canterbury companies,—they favour the hfiavy skinned Lincoln sheep and like as much weight of mutton as they can get. in fact, I was told by a good many farmers that the Companies' buyers selected the heavy weights aud would often refuse to buy good crossbreds because the skin was not quite so heavy. I heard of one line of half-downs which none of the Companies would touch, they were eventually bought by a dealer at a low figure, frozen and sent home — he told me these sheep made top Canterbury prices and I understood paid him about a 100 per cent. Mr Stuckey also told me he had a verv fair lot of halfdown lambs but could not uet more than 8s for them, so he froze them on his own account and netted lis 6d. There seems to be something altogether wrong with the North Island mutton trade—the companies do not seem to cater for a high class of mutton and there are not sufficient crossbred sheep in the country to make them do so. The great majority of sheep which I saw between Wellington and Wanganui were of the Lincoln or Romuey type. From Wanganui to New Plymouth they were nearly all Lincolns; —the frozen lamb trade in the North is small in comparison to the mutton, wliilut in Canterbury it is the othsr way on. The difference in the appearance of the sheep which 1 saw in the two islands was very great, they all looked well in the south with apparently scant feed, whilst what I saw between Wellington and New Plymouth with a few marked exceptions looked ragged, dejected and poor, and I think I can safely say that we in the Waikato can more than hold our own with the West coast so far as quality of sheep and sound healthy country is concerned. We do not carry so many per acre but we make more wool and mutton per sheep than they do ; our wool is better grown, cleaner and worth a little more money. From Wellington I went north by the Wairarapa country, and when passing through the Lower and Upper Hutt districts I could sec what anuisance t he gorse was becoming. There is some very good alluvial land in these districts, which is subject to flood. There is a good deal of goi>e growing about tiie banks of the streams, and when a flood comes the seed from the gorse h> swept on to the alluvial flats and is becoming a nuisance in many places. The same thing occurs in the Wairarapa, only iu this case much of the land that is getting covered with gorse is almost worthless, it being strong, shingly ground, almost bare of vegetation. The river flows over this ground at flood time depositing the seed, and now, I should say hundreds of acres are getting rapidly covered with it. The sheep feed on it and trim the bushes as far as they can reach them, and I understand this class of land pays better iu gorse than any other way; but here and there among shingly river bed country you come across bits of really good land but the gorse seed is swept over this laud too and is becoming a scourge.- It is also diverting the streams, for at flood times the waters cannot get over this gorse country as easily as formerly and so is making fresh courses and very often sweeping away the soil of higher and better land. After about four hours' journey, the train arrived at Masterton, at which place 1 stopped to accept an invitation from Mr J. Stuckly to pass a day or two with him and look at the country. Unfortunately the weather was foggy and rain fell in heavy and frequent showers all the time I was there. However, Mr Stuckey faced the weather and showed me a good deal of the stock and run, which comprises 3000 acres. It was originially nearly all bush, and was bought by him about 10 years ago, but the bush was all fallen within the first five years, with the exception of shelter clumps and tome '2OO acres of good timber in which a saw mill was at work, There is a very fine herd of Hereford cattle on the place, all stud book animals. I saw several imported bulls and cows amongst them, and should think this would be a good herd from which to procure good bulls at a reasonable rate. There are also stud flocks of South-downs and Lincolns. Draught horses are not neglected ; 1 saw .some of the best young unbroken stuck there that I came across on my travels. The quality of land on this estate is very good ; there is a good deal of flat land rather inclined to be wet and of au alluvial character which grows and and fattens horses and cattle in quite wonderful style. Upon leaving the flats the hills at first are only moderately good, but as the country rises and becomes more broken tho limestone crops out here and there. This limestone is of a soft shelly nature, and the grass on this country grows wonderfully well, one paddock which had been shut up about a month having a good bite for fattening cattle on As we rode from paddock to paddock, we came across both sheep and cattle all looking well and with an abundance of feed ; in one sheltered nook we dropped aciosssome 5!) splendid three year old steers, just the sort our cattle fattenera in the Waikato like to get hold of to top off. The carrying capacity of this estate is about three sheep to the acre in winter, and in summer the grass is wry bad to keep ill check aud often gets far too rank and coarse. I have always had a dislike to rough broken country, but must say I should not object to a few thousand acres of this style.

The early settlers in these bush districts have had many difficulties to contend with. About the second nr third season after the bind was gras:-cd the Scotch thistle.-: name so rprekiy that it became very difficult to get stock about. Then rabbits c.iiue on the scene, and in a very short true th'<atfined to lake posse -ion of tli wi o e country, trapping, sho itiny. and pmsuivng were tried but still they swaunod and settlers almost despaired of being able to cope .vith 'lie pest To add to the difficulty, some set'.cs entire y neglected the rabbits, so that lo keep them down was absolutely impossible. The naxt move on the put of the progressive setters was to ring fence their places with rabbit proof wire netting and this has been found the best plan to make a throughly good slicp proof fence and keeps out the labbiis of any indolent neighbours Mr Stucky has a man to do nothing but kill rabbits,and keep the ring fences in order. 1 never saw a rabbit on tinplace, but was told that only constant work keeps them under. Mr Beatham, of the Wairarapa, who has. I understood an estate of about 100.000 acres, told me that at one time his rabbits cost him £5,000 a year, and still the p?st increased, but now that he has ring fenced ami sub-divided his property with rabbit proof netting he can keep them well under for £2,000 a yesr. A treat many ferrets stoats, and weasels have been turned away in this district, and several settlers told mo they had been a great help in keeping the rabbits in cheek, and did next to no harm in the poultry yard. Last year a ferret lived in Mr Stuckey's stable ; the winter before two weasels lived in an out house and did no harm But about four yesrs ago a ferret killed a hen which was sitting in a heap of sticks, the ferret was afterwards caught in a steel trap and had one of its legs damaged; its right car was cut off to mark it and it was carried in a sack to the back of the run, some four miles away, aud there turned out, within '24 hours it arrived back again, and located itself under the house. Fearing it might do further damage, it was caught again and killed. As I passed North less was heard of the labbit question, and at Halcombe they seemed to wholly disappear. After a thoroughly enjoyable" (though wet) two chiy's with the Stuckeys, I travelled on. It was misty and rainy, which stepped the view a. good deal. Most of the country had originally been bii3h and a great deal of it had been swept with the fires this summer, leav'ng it in many places in a starvation state for feed. However it had eleaced the land of a great dcil of half rotten logs and stumps. I was told that in the future grass would grow hetter than ever, and stock would.be much more easily handled. The most picturespuc part of the journey is where the train passes through Manawatu George. The George confines the river between steep cliffs and abrupt hills for several miles, there is a coach road cut on one side of the river, which is so narrow that passing places have to be made here and there to let the vehicles pass. On the other side runs the railway track. The engine is put to a very slow speed and the train winds round the corners like a serpent, occasionally passing through tunnels or over bridges, under which sweep small streams of a cataract character, from the rugged wooded country through which we are passing. It is a very pretty sight but very suggestive of a cold reception in the river should the engine chance to run off or the embankment give way, Round about Palmerston North I could see a good deal of flat country I was told it was good, but I did not care much for the look of it—rushes were growing to freely amongst the stumps. A good many paddocks had been stumped and put under the plough, but the land seemed of a wet character. At Halcombe I stopped to call upon Mr (J. Wheeler, whose place is about seven miles from the railway. The road passes through what I should call second class country. The hills, which are rather abrupt, had been carrying bush at one time. There was a good deal of flat country interspaced, but both hills and flats alike grow rushes. I passed a paddock of soft turnips which looked well and had a lot of heavy fat owes on them, which I learnt had been sold at 10s (id each. Before arriving at Mr 'Wheeler's better country is readied ; it is of a more rolling character, and rushes are not so much in evidence. Mr Wheeler's estate comprises some 000 acres. It was originally heavy hush on the flats, with light bush and scrub on the hills- It is now nearly all in grass. Sonic turnips arc grown, which arc eaten off with sheep,'the ground being too soft for cattle. Fires had passed over a good many of the bush clearings, and one paddock of about 50 acres was being stumped ready for the plough, the contract price being £2 per acre. Mr Wheeler looks upon tho lire as a blessing in disguise, as before it passed over- this ground he could not get the stumping done for less than t'4 per acre. This property carries two sheep to the acre, and had 150 head of cattle besides. Some grain was grown, but cattle and sheep were the main things. There is a stud-book herd-of Hereford cattle, which have left their mark in the show ring, but. like Mr Stuckcy, Mr Wheeler finds Hereford bulls at a discount since the dairying eame so much to the fore. The sheep on this place were the mainstay, being nearly all purebred Romneys. They were tho finest lot of this breed I ever saw together, well-grown, wellwoolled, with shapely carcase unci good constitution. In the woolshcd I noticed one end almost covered with prize tickets won during the last ten years. The drain plough has been a good deal used in some paddocks with great success, the natural formation of the ground being very suitable. One paddock in front of the house had been done with drains sixfeet apart, and eighteen inches deep, three years ago. Since then the rushes have gradually disappeared and the grass improved. It took twelve horses to pull the plough, and I should think was rather expensive work, but Mr Wheeler said it paid well for the outlay. Passing on to Hnntervillo wc spent a clay with an old friend. This is a more recently settled place. A great many of the fences were made of stabs, something after the Maori style ; but I saw a lot of new wire fences, the old style fencing having been destroyed by the fires in the summer. Timber is plentiful, and a great many of the new fences were put up with posts four yards apart ami' battens every two feet, which I am sure they required, as the sheep round here were the smallest and most miserable lot I ever saw, and looked as though they could creep through a mouse-hole. In these bush districts where the plough cannot be used stock suffers very much in the winter from want of feed. One settler told me he usually lost half his hoggets. Yet much of tiie land is rich enough for anything, but the want of winter Iced will be a stumbling block to settlers here about lor some time to come. Still land is gradually rising in value, and is worth 50 per cent, more than eight years ago. Leaving this place, we gradually came into older settled districts with signs of cultivation. Here and there old straw stacks arc to be seen, and occasionally a paddock of indifferent turnips is passed. As Wanganui is ncared gorse fences become more numerous, sonic being beautifully kept;, whilst others are neglected ami spread about the hills a'niost beyond redemption. Wanganui is very much like what it was 18 years ago, only grown and improved and has a prosperous go a-hcad appearance, and is fast becoming one of the cities of New Zealand. I was much surprised to see the extensive buildings occupied as boys' an:l girls' colleges. I visited Mr Solar's (a Spaniard) vineyard and sampled some of the wines, which I think would be hard to beat iu any country. The grapes which are

grown for wine making purposes arc trained on trellis about 7 foot li'gh ; there are several acres of them and though the grass has been allowed to grow under them I was told they bare an enormous of fruit, which became ripe enough crop for wine making. The wine is kept for" seven years before being placed upon the market, and commands a ready sale at IDs per gallon. Speaking on vine culture at Lincoln College, Mr Beatham, of the Wairarapa, who is, T believe, an authority, .stated that the North Island of New Zealand was well adapted for growing grapes for wine making. He grew several acres and said it was easier to make good wine than to make good hop betr and thought more attention should be given to this industry. I understand be has written several pamphlets on this sulject and is always ready to give information to would be learners. North of Wanganui the country had a vciy uiofl appearance, the grass looking well and green, though there was no spare feed. Several paddocka had been in rape but no turnips. Before reaching Hawera. I saw several large paddocks with lat cattle in them, but the cattle appeared to be losing condition. In Hawera I met several old Waikuto residents, who all to'.d me they were doing well. One man said he milked 102 cows last summer on shares, he also rear 40 calves besides a lot of pigs. Yet the size of the farm was only lb'o acres, and although last sa miner was a dry one there was an abundance of feed for thi3 quantity of stock. A very large proportion of the best land between Hawera ami New Plymouth is now used for dairy purposes, and in the comparatively newly, settled country near Stratford land is rising rapidly in value, farms that could three years ago have been bought at £b" an acre are now worth £9 per acre ; in some cases firms have been bought by town speculators who had no intention of farming themselves, but have merely stocked the places with cows and then let the farm and cows together on the share principle and this in many cases has proved a paying speculation. Most of the. farms I understand could be easily let to pay 5 per cent on their capital value and when a farm is put upon the market for sale a customer is easily found unl u «s a very exorbitant flgcue is asked. Very little provision is made for winter feed, but a cocksfoot paddock is often shut up for seed, the seed is reaped by hand (often on the share principle) and the rough feed that is left helps in the winter. Good crops of turnips and rape are often got on the uew bush country the seed being sown amongst the ashes with the grass seed, sometimes the rape is allowed to seed and has proved a very profitable crop in many cases, the seed being readily saleable at) a low price for sowing on bush clearings. I heard a good deal of blow about the roots that were grown on the older and more cultivated lands, but 1 must say I never saw any extent of roots that would compare with what we grow in the Waikato. Taking the dairy districts of Taranaki as a whole the people are prosperous, most of the holdings are small and the wealth is well distributed, consequently business is brisk in the towns and people on the whole are feeling clever and well pleased with themselves. Comparing the Waikato with the districts through which I have passed I must say 1 have found no pleasanter place to live in and no place that will grow as good roots with as little cultivation. As for manure I find its use is becoming general where roots are grown and farmers are up to date. Sheep on the whole are far healthier and better here than those I have seen on the West Const farms, but we do not carry so many per acre, whilst of course Canterbury can beat us for bolh sheep and grain. It is a common thing to hear a Southerner speak lightly of thejAucklaud province and the settlers in it are considered behind the times, but personally I lound it almost entirely the other way on ; our best farmers arc more advanced in their notions ;-go in for more rotation of crops ; cultivate the Ituii better: sow more variety of grasses; sow manure where required ; and in fact go in for more general husbandry.