The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 972, 14 September 1878, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. ***** Here shall the Press the People's right - maintain, (Jnawed.by inflnencfl and unbribed, by gain. SATURDAY, SEPPEMBER 14, 1878" The prices of fat catle are ruling exceptionally high, the result, no doubt, of the extraordinary severe winter, from which we are only just now emerging. These prices have b3en sustained for some time past, the reason alleged being that fat cattle are getting exceedingly scarce m the Auckland district, aud that but. for imported beasts the market coald not be supplied at all. Since the beginning of winter we have had no occasion to chronicle the passage through Hamilton en route for the '

Auckland rmu lo:t ot tho uxiwl droves of woll fatted c.ittle, as m Joimier years, and Hie weekly tppfeet reports of Air Alfred Huck:laml, eo;\se to quote the names of ;W"Mka6b scttlt r.s as tho sellers of so %hii|||'liead at such svnd such v price, ;Thevpare two reasons for tho falling ;off of Waikato supplies of beef. On many of the older cultivated fur ml.., the grass land requires renewing, but the chief c.i use has been the want of winter feed. It is true that another eglit or ten years may ptss before we have such a winter as that just experienced, but the fact is most unmistakeably made apparent (thatf >Vaikato ;settlersj it they would be^ure of the winter tnarkot for fat cattle, niust j resort more largely to the growth of artificial feed than they ;luv.e been wint to do. Indeed,-! m tliis {recourse, will be fojind a remedy not only for the absolute w.ant oft grass \vlieii the weather is severe, btit ; for ilie deterioration' of the older pastjure lands. of which, many are complaining. It may be out |of the l question to break up grass and pu* it thrpiigh a course of root cropping aud nmnacing with a view to again lying' it down to pas^itre', when a market has to be •fbqrid'.fqr the crops grown. The cost of carriage Would m. many cases turn: profit into r less, but it is quite another matter if tlie settler having grown a crop of s weeds or marigolds or other, green crop, feed them to his own cattle or sheep, and thus seonrs the enrichment ot his ground and the production of a marketable ai'tiqie m the shape of meet which can carry:, itself to a market. Without launching out into; high farming, it is quite possible for our settlers' to pay more attention to the growth of root crops, and to do so with a regard to the after rotation of cropping, that will not only provide, winter . and autumn food for their cattle: but; enrich , the land, which the rough and ready system hitherto pursued; is gradually deteriorating. There is, indeed, a mover, ment m this direction m many parts of the distrct, bur as yet it has been snly tentative. Turnips and mangolds.have been grown, but more m I way of ■"? experiment than as astual winter supplies. Yet sufficient has . been done to thoroughly prove both the fitness of the soil and c'imate for the growth of these crops, and especially that of mangolds. In all parts of the district, here and there, have been grown during the past summer patches of greater or larger extent of mangolds, turnips, and carrots, which would compare both for size and acreage yield with similar crops m any part ot the colony. And this should lead to the incieased growth and production of these crops — not for sale — for the local market would be easily overstocked, but for home consumption on the farm m the .soiling of cattle, and for feeding off on dry ground by sheep. We should not. then hear of beef; as to-day's market reports show, selling for fifty shillings the lQOlbs, while our settlers are none the better for the rise,

having no cattle to dispose of, but we should have a reasonably higher and firmer market m winter and be able to beneßt thereby. What is needed is to c mbine , agricultural with grazing more than lias been done m this district, and the cbangß will naturally come first m the longer settled parts of the district. At <irst, the great object of the' settler is to get his rough land ; into grass as quickly as possible, and it, doubtless, pays him best to do so. Afterwards, however, he will find it more to bis interest to break up a certain portion each year, and having thoroughly worked, cropped, 1 aud manured it, to lay it down again m grass. By . this means he vyill provide a large and more regu'ar supply of food throughout the year for his stock, and at the same time improve the quality of his pasture land.