WAIKATO FARMERS' CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2794, 10 June 1890, Page 2

WAIKATO FARMERS' CLUB.

Hamilton Branch. At the ordinary monthly meeting of the above Club held in The Waikato Times Buildings on Saturday last, there were present : Messrs Primrose (chairman), Rothwell, von Sturmer, Runciman, Murriw. Bradley, Teas, E. B. Cox, Castleton, E. C. Shepherd, R. N. Buttle, Patte, Dawson, Birugh (2), Edgecumbe, Hibbs, Seddon, Suttor, Parr, T. H. White, and C. J. W. Barton. Hon. Sec. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. New Members. — The following new members were proposed and duly elected, viz. .—Messrs E, B. Cox, Patte, Tippen, Oraham, R. J. Levars, Castleton, Robinson and Teas. Outward Correspondence. -— To the secretary of the Cambridge Branch suggesting the advisability of postponing the visit ot the deputation to Auckland till a, reply had been received from the Pialco County Council re roads. —To Mr North, Te Awamutu, asking for particulars of trial of lime. , r Inward Correspondence.—L'rom Mr North, Te Awamutu, re experiments with lime on turnips. Mr North replied as followsl have great pleasure in replying to yours of the 23rd. Y»u were correctly informed that I had mado a trial with lime on turnips. There is a pieco of about two and a-half acres that had two tons per acre with wheat last year in swede turnips. Now they arc looking splendid. I have not seen anything to equal them. They were green all the dry time we had last summer, which I am sure was due to the lime, for other turnips were fairly burnt np. It was on a lightish soil. I have also about seven acres of ti-tree clearing ploughed twice in swedes (never been broken up before). I put about two tons of lime on three acres or so. You can iust see how far it went; of course, it had the same manure when the seed was sown. Also, last year there was a waggon load of clearings up off the kiln taken across the turnips, and you could see where every shovelful went. I believe it is the very thing we want on our flat lands, and the very thing we must have, but the question is: How are we to get it? My idea of the matter is this : That the Government quarry and bring the stone to any station where a kiln can be erected adjacent to the railway line at as cheap a rate as possible. My reasons for fetching the stone is this : For years, or I may say there never will be any demand for lime in the place or locality of the lime stone, therefore it would all have to go by rail, and those who wanted lime would have to send for it not before they really wanted it of course, but if he had a day or two not very busy he would send his teams to the kiln for lime, and would use five tons to one ton if he had to send for it; then if the stone »vas burnt at the quarry and no orders in you would have to let the kiln out or store it, which is almost impracticable to fill it after it is slacked. There is really only one thing against fetching ths stone; that is the loss in weight by burning—about onethird, I think, is the proportion. The freight on coal would help to counterbalance that, and if we could get six tons of stone to pay for five, it would not be far out. I think, Sir, that is about all now, and if there is anything more I shall be very happy to obliee,"— Mr W. A. Murray said that in Otago a friend of his had used U : tons of limo to the acre, and produced 00 bushels of wheat, and without the lime it only prodnced 40 bushels. He believed that lime was the best thing to use. Its cost at Tokomairo was only 10s per ton. Mr Primrose said that under the present railway tariffs it was an impossibility to use lime, as the freight is so high, and instead of buying it by the ton, it was being bought by the bushel.—Mr von Sturmer said that about 18 months ago Messrs Coates, Hudson and himself had talked the question over of bringing lime from Te Kuiti, and Mr Hudson said that the railway would carry the lime 90 miles for 7s, smaller distauces in proportion, and Mr Coates had worked this question out and found that it came to 15s Gd per ton without profit, and, of course, paying that price was out of the question altogether.—Mr Buttlo. said that he had seen a printed statement that the Government would carry the liine for mining purposes for a very small sum, and he thought that they should do the same for agriculturalists. The cost of lime in Te Awamutu was £1 per ton.—Mr Gr. Edgecumbe said the first thing to be considered was if the limestone were obtainable, as lie believed the limestone land at Te Kuiti belonged to the natives.—Mr Murray moved that the matter be left in the hands of Mr Primrose and the Secretary to obtain definite information and re-

port. Seeds.—Mr P. LeQuesne wrote, enclosing some samples of seeds from Mr U. F. Berthoud, of Carowa, New South Wales. The seeds were distributed to different members with the understanding that they would grow and report in due time upon the relative values of the grain.

Hohsk-Bhkkding.—Mr E. C. Shepherd then read the following paper On horse- | breeding :—lt is with considerable diffidence that I comply with your request, to read a paper upon horse-breeding; and a keen remembrance of the splondid paper, written some years ago by the late Major Walmsley, upon this subject increases my hesitation ; but upon the principle that although so few are given to thoroughly understand the principles of hoise - breeding, many of us are fully alive to the importance of it, and more with the object of eliciting valuable information, in the shape of criticism, than with any hope of imparting additional knowledge, I venture to deal with the subject. " Successful Horse-breeding,'' regarded as a business in these modern times may be briefly put as the production of the very best animals ; whether they ate intended for their owners' saddle, carriage, or dray, or for the purpose, when fully grown and broken in, of being offered in our markets for sale, like other products of the farm ; and it has been written by a high authority that " No subject connected with the rearing and use of stock, can bo of more importance to the farmer and stockowner, and the intelligent practical business man, than that of breeding. That it is in every way more profitable to anyone who rears a single colt, to have that colt of the very best, rather thau of any indifferent quality is almost too palpable to need a moment's consideration." Although these tenets will be generally accepted, it is astonishing how seldom, wo see the principles carried out, which are, even to the veriest novice, essential to the success of the business. One year all the mares upon the farm are sent to a thorough-bred, which chances to call that way, though perhaps not more than two out of ten, are suitable mates for this horse. The next year probably draughts have advanced in value, and arrangements are made, at a reduced price with the owner of some heavy stallion, to take all the ir.ares. The results of this kind of horse breeding can be better imagined than described. This may seem an overdrawn picture, but it serves to illustrate the system upon which, too often, horsebreeding is carried out, and has no doubt done much to bring this particular branch of stock raising into disrepute, as being unprofitable. Turning to our own Wnikato district; no one taking a retrospective view of the past fifteen years can help admitting that our efforts in horse-breeding have been a failure. That good animals have been bred no one questions, but what proportion do they bear to the vast numbers of nondeadescript horses of no particular breed, yet which have cost thoir owners as much to get, and feed, as if they were high-class animals. A want of that thoughtful interest and careful .study which the importance of the subject fully warrants, a lack of enterprise and not supporting the efforts of stud companies and others in introducing wellbred stock, has had much to do with these results, and perhaps to this may be added the uncertainty of our local markets at different times, for the various classes of horses, at one time a great demand arising for draughts, and at another, only for saddle-horses. This brings nie to the relations existing between the owners of stud horses and breeders generally, these relations are, to say the least, unsatisfactory. Instead of each party being regarded almost ad a partner iu a business, in tho

success of which each is equally intorested, we more frequently fee owners of mares chaffering about the fees, and beating the horse owner down to as low a figure as possible; apparently indifferent whether the stallion proves a profitable investment for his owner, or not, and as a natural consequence, the owners of stallions travel tbetn long distances; accepting all tho mares they can, often far exceeding the number to which they should properly be limited, thus inflicting a manifest injustice upon thek.patwins. Fees are paid, but no foals result, and it constitutes one of the reasons why horse breeding has been unprofitable. The remedy for this is obviously in more united action among all parties concerned. Those who, at considerable risk and expense, introduce high-class stock into a district, should be regarded as benefactors, and cordially supported. This remark applies to all classes of farm stock, but particularly to stud horses, for the resulting benefits, are mote rapidly, and widely distributed, and it may be safely said, taat until our agriculturalists and breeders realise this, and discard the penny wise and pound foolish policy, of using inferior stock, though it may involve a little more expenditure at tho outset, Wo shall never seethe horses bred in Waikato which its beautiful climate and evergreen pastures entitle us to expect. But while it is of paramount importance that none but the best blood should be used, this in itself will not by any means ensure success, unless a proper amount of care and attention is given to the feeding and growth of the young horses. It ha 3 been written by a good authority, no matter how well born a colt maybe, it can never amount to anything if raised a starveling, and this fact cannot be too strongly impressed upon all who engage in horse-breeding. More time is frequently lost during tho colt's first winter, through want of food and shelter than can be made up in the following summer, as well as the foundation laid for future weakness and disease, and no one who has had an opportunity of comparing yearlings which have been regularly fed during the winter with those who have had, as the saying is, "to take their chance" out in bleak paddocks, can fail to be impressed with the necessity for better treatment than is usually given to our young

horses, I fear, Mr Chairman, the foregoing remarks will appear somewhat disjointed and incomplete. I have purposely avoided any reference to what may be regarded by each one of us as the best classes to breed, for the reason that it would appear presumptuous in so young a member, to advise older and more experienced breeders, ansl also that my observation has led me to believe that almost any class of horses may be profitably bred, provided they aro ot good blood and well grown. In conclusion, sir, it is often said of farmers that they lead a dull and monotonous life, and if only in moderate circumstances, I will admit it is one of incessant toil, but much ploasurable interest may be taken in the breeding and improvement of our farm stock, and perhaps in nothing more than in watching the rapid growth and development of well-bred young horses, which if destined for sale will yield a handsome return for the cost and care bestowed upon them, or if for home use, will become with proper treatment valuable and faithful servants for the better part of their owner's lifetime. — Mr G. Edgecumbe congratulated Mr Shepherd on his excellent paper, and said that it vvas pretty generally admitted that t.1,3 stock were improved more by good feeding and attention than by good sires. He would move a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Shepherd for taking such an important subject in hand for the benefit of the club. —Mr Seddon said he agreed with what Mr Shepherd had said, and that the horse of today was a " moke," and hardly any use at all. Ten years ago the horses were really good. If they had bred from the mares then they would have had fair horses now. The hack horses of New Zealand then were fit to carry any man over a hedge or any jump in a hunting field. They should discuss what sort of a stallion they wanted, and then make arrangements for a cartain number of mares, and then when the foal is got look after him well.—Mr Suttor thought that the so-called " moke " was not to be judged by outward appearances, as lie had used one during the hunting season and it had named him just as well as a first-class horse—Mr E. B. Cox said the true solution of the stallion difficulty was to impose a tax of say 15 guineas on all stallions, and then those horses that were not good would be done away with, and in this way improve the breed.—Mr Parr said there was no encouragement to give high prices for the use of stallions, as when the foals were got the price that was got for them was not payable.—Mr Barugh agreed.—Captian Runciman quite agreed in the remarks made by Mr Shepherd about looking after colts during the first year. He also considered it an insult to the Waikato and a disgrace to the Stud Company to send stallions such as Blair Atliol to tile district. He said that if this horse 1 were gelded he would not bring £10. The great thing nowadays was not to have a serviceable liorse, but to have a thing that ! could gallop the fastest. He thought the best thing to do would be to get the sup--1 port of the owners of mores for a certain ■ number, and then to arrange with the ' owner of the stallion not to take anv more 1 than the number agreed upon.—Mr Bradley • contended that the dam had more to do I with the breeding of good horses than the ' sire ; the constitution came from the dam 1 and the contour from the stallion.

Mr Bayly, who had promised to read a paper on the frozen meat business had been suddenly called away on business, and Mr W. A. Murray said that as his paper would probably entail a Rood deal of discussion he would ask leave to postpone the reading of it to a future occasion.—After some general conversation amongst the members the meeting closed.