THE PIAKO COUNTY. [By our Travelling Reporter.] Morrinsville, Lockerby. (No. 2.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1389, 28 May 1881, Page 3

THE PIAKO COUNTY. [By our Travelling Reporter.] Morrinsville, Lockerby. (No. 2.)

jßUviNfl admired the mangolds, and enjoyed a turnip or two with Mr Ticklepenny, and compared notes vrith that gentleman upon the advantages to be derihred from the growth of beet and the manufacture of sugar in these districts, i^rich -we both agreed are wonderfully suited for that largely paying industry, we adjourned to the paddock in which the pure bred bulls were displaying their attractions with languid aristocratic grace, and I was introduced with very great pleasure to these noble gentlemen who were polite and polished with me to a degree that would huve charmed the heart of a ooionial mayor receiving a real live duke. There are about 1000 head of cattle altogether on the estate mostly of the Shorthorn breed and many of the best blood in the country, aome of the stock I came across being models of form with the small shapely heads, the long straight broad backs the massive shoulders and deep briskets that so particularly mark this breed. lam glad to see, however, that the Herefords are being introduced as in some respects this good old English race is even better still than all the attempted improvements upon it, and, when pure, possessed of beauties that one would not expect, judging from the big, bony, meat-carrying, butchers' best friend of three-quarter or half-bred herds, who, except in a professional lighb, is not beautiful. There are 401) ladies of these noble sultans' harems, who are expected to increase their families during the coming season. The first of these decidedly "heavy fathers" to whom I had the pleasure of an introduction was " Shouvaloff," ' imported from Sydney, a shorthorn with a head and fore-quarter that would gain him a prize in any colonial show, though he was rather poor and not looking Ins very best. "Wellington," a fine three-year-old shorthorn bred on the place, had a head that would beat those of some of his judges maybe in gaining prizes. " Warlock " was the next I was called upon to admire, and I can only say that I did so heartily. He is a Sydney-bred fellow, and cost £300, and in some points is perfection. " The King of Burwood " a dark red shorthorn, bred by Mr Morrin at Remuera, was my favorite in his way. He is a magnificent specimen of the breed, and has gained prizes all through the Waikato. I did not have his pedigree, but that he comes of a fine stock and is well-known his good points are a sufficient guarantee. " Lord Stanley," a most promising young gentleman of not twelve months old, was a bullocrat of the real blue blood, who will please the most stern or the most interested judges some day. "Rapid Bay," a finely made youngster, lay near them, taking stock of his admirers with an air of conceit that was truly high-bred. If he only could have managed to raise an eye-glass, I am sure from his manner that he would have brought it to bear on me with crushing effect. Then I was introduced to a young Hereford bull, imported from Sydney, whom I may perhaps be allowed to place, in my own opinion at all events, with "The King of Burwood" at the head of tho list of beauties in the show I had the pleasure of seeing at Lockerby. He is quite a calf and hps not attained his full proportions, but his fihape and his dark red colour with the white face of the breed made him a picture in my estimation. That lam not the only one whom he has charmed, the fact that he has gained first and second prizes here and in Sydney, will sufficiently prove. I also saw three beautiful Heroford cows that were worthy of all admiration, one in particular heing nearly perfectiou. She was shy though, and would not permit of any impertinent familiarity, but trotted off as we approached her. It is to be hoped, howover. that her descendants will largely mingle With the future Hereford herd of Lockerby. Before leaving the bull paddock I may be permitted to remark en passant upon the evil practice that prevails throughout the colony of breeding too early from the young thoroughbred bulls, even before they are full grown. It stints their growth permanently and deteriorates their progeny, and any immediate profit to the owner from allowing them to breed so **arly is more than lo^t in the future. There are now 2000 sheep on tho estate of Messrs. Morrin & Studholme, and it is intended I am told, to increase the flock. The land will carry sheep and find excellent feed on the sides of some of the steeper slopes that will be actually better for them than the level flata. The breed selected in the pure Lincoln, which some of the largest sheep breeders in the North Inland, notably Messrs. Owen & Lethbridge of Wanganui have found to be better suited to the more level ground than the merino, so much favored in the South. The wool for its length and strength of ntaple rises more and more into favour in the London market in spite of its coarseness, which is no drawback in the most largely patronized manufactures of the day. The Lockerby flock averaged 91b. per fleece at the last shearing, and the wool fetched from Is 2d to Is 3jrd per lb. in London. The rams unfortunately could only be judged by a distant view, but it may be said that they are possessed of ail the good points, generally of the thoiough-bred Lincoln. The six sheep yards and the tjood management of the race were duly noted with the arrangements by which one of the long sheds is in the shearing season transformed into a wool shed. There are about 100 good working horses on the place, most of them being of the Clydesdale breed, some of them are well-known horses, and two of the foals by " Elgin " sold for £25 apiece th«* other clay, a good testimonial to their excellence. Altogether there are five homesteads in diffirent parts, that near the manager's house including an eight-stalled stable, with a hou^e for the working men, fitted with bunks, &c., a tine substantial bullhouse and a long shed for feeding cattle, 120 feet by 15, besides many other cottages, barns, and sheds in other places that could only be visited and separately noticed during a longer visit to this fine estate than I was able to make. The manager's house is a comfortable bright looking dwelling upon a hill side, about two miles from the Morrinsville township or village, and formi an attractive feature in the landscape. Not very far from the house about four acres have been enclosed in high whitethorn hedges and stocked with Wight proof apple, trees and every other kind of of fruit, including plums and pears that seem to do wonderfully well, the crop from some of the former lawt season fcaving literally broken their boughs, though that is no novelty in New Zealand fruit gardens. Here will be a beautiful orchard in a year or two when the hedges are fully grown, and the e^vfltt&told may shall have reached her full matti«%>. The whitethorn is largely used »ond Lockerby as a hedge plant, but in several places the dry season seems >to have done it injury, though' it is to be hoped that a few weeks of rain will restore it erery where before next spring. The Way, though, is tender in its early years, gad doe.s not thrive so well o» a high cold ' bank of bare clay as it does where there is a surface botfwer thin, of Tegetable deposit, or some porous noil. It seemed , noW that I had seen all that could be mentioned m * mer6 sketch of this fine «fltate,and J turjaedto,i»ftke inys way back ncroul '%el|t^ A »rld|e over the dark

brown" < river that flows through the property between high picturesque banks, and receives many another creek and rill that flows down through the little slopes and glades in all directions. As I passed through the quiet little village the' good boys and girls were just rushing out of the trim school-house for a game on ttje green before starting home, and their pleasant young laughing voices joining in chorus with the hewing machine of a good lady who was sitting 1 in the verandah of one of the pretty roadside cottages and singing over her work, made up an appropriate hymn of advance New Zealand. I may mention here, according to my promise to do so, that the school is only on half time in connection with the Waitoa School, and that the settlers of Morrinsville are highly desirous of having the full time allowed them, the average number of scholars now being 30.