A VISIT TO MARSH MEADOWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3037, 2 January 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

A VISIT TO MARSH MEADOWS.

(BY OUR TRAVELLINGS CORRKSPOS'UEN'T). THE DAIKY. Is tinning towards the dairying portion of Marsh Meadows, we pass over an older swamp pasture, anil this gave satisfactory evidence by the rich dense growth ot grass and clover that the swamp improves with age. Here were grazing—or. rather, at the time of our visit, were being slowly driven home to milk—some forty dairy cows, nearly all large well-bred Shorthorns, not a "slabside" anions; them. I did .suggest that there was a little Alderney blood in one or two of them, but this was promptly repudiated by the proprietor. Some of the herd were as fine specimens of milch cows, as a man might wish to own, aud these are from the breed which Captain Runciman has possessed bo long. But it was in the practical management of the business that I was most interested. The proprietor of Marsh Meadows has now nothing whatever to do with the dairy work. Everything is iaken over by a Mr L«beau, who, with" his family, does the milking, delivering, pig feeding, etc., and receives as payment one-third of the whole proceeds This plan has gu'eu mutual satisfaction, Mr Lebeau being particularly proud of his cattle, and in conversation spoedily proved to his own—aud, of eotnse, to your correspondent's—satisfaction that they were the best cows in the country. I saw iu piaotise here a very convenient way of handling the cattle. This was an arrangement by which when the cow was milkeTl the closing panel of the bail fell back rather more than usual, aud a door opening iu front the cow walked straight through, thus saving a lot of time and trampling about the yard. The following figures (for although Captain Runciman is an old-time farmer he believes >n strict book-keeping) will show in a financial sense how the dairy cornea out: —During the season of twelve months, ending on August 31st last, there were milked altogether some 52 cows, and if the revenue is to be estimated on every cow miiked then it would amount to £7 153 per cow. This includes the factory cheques, the value of calves when weaned, and also the profits upon pig* But there uov«r was at any one time 52 cows milkiug—in fact, the average number for each month throughout the year was 39 cows. If the revenue, therefore, were based upon the number of cows that were actually milked each month, the proceeds would be nearly £9 10s per cow. This shows iu the clearest manner what good management can do with a dairy, nearly £100 being received for milk delivered to the factory, calvee, and pigs sold. With regard to the latter, they are sent ready dressed, in lots of half-a dozen at a time, to Mr Salmon, the Auckland butcher.

In looking over the dairy book, your correspondent was struck with the uniform quality of milk delivered at the Hamilton factory for each month throughout the year, the average cream per centuge being about 11. It must be remembered that the above results are largely due to winter supplying. Xo dairyman who remains idle during the three winter months, can evpr expect to make nearly £10 a cow on his working average. Leaving the dairy we made our wav hack to the homestead, perlwps I should say, the new homestead, for the old homn is now occupied by Mr George Ruocinian who (like all sensible men) has lately joined the order of Benedict*. In returning we have occasion to ptiss through theorcharl. Here I may p.inss to give a word of advice. In that orchard, pentle reader, there stands a pear tree, and under it is a box of bees, which you will instantly recognise by there being two bricks upon it (probably thrown there). Avoid that box, the occupants are of a very savage aud warlike nature. In pitting with Marshmeadows and its hospitable proprietor, I may express the opinion—if a newspaper scribbler is allowed to have one -that the present satisfactory condition of the estate is very largely due to the industry and skilful management which has evidently been bestowed upnn it. It would probably be hard to find a property which owed so much to human labour and so little to natural gifts. The State collector of the unearned increment would get very little from Marshmeadows. But the progress of such ustates—to the hign condition of the one under notice—aflords the useful lesson that .success in agriculture depends not so much upon the nature of the soil as upon the class of men who undertake it.