A WAIKATO UNDERTAKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1926, Page 20

A WAIKATO UNDERTAKING.

BIG BREEDING VENTURE. 400 PEDIGREE FRIESIANS. No more determined and well planned effort has ever been made to improve the production of New Zealand's dairy herds than that embarked upon by the Piri Land Company, which, for all practical purposes, represents the firm of Messrs. J. B. McEwan and Company, Ltd. Theirs is an undertaking of the first importance which should ultimately forna the basis of one of the most illuminating pages in the history of the pedigree Friesian herds of the Dominion and dairying generally. With a total of over 400 head, the Piri Land Company's stud of black and whites is also believed to he the largest herd of registered pedigree Friesian cattle south of the Line. Totara Park, as the stud is officially designated, comprises 2000 acres in the Orini Valley, and the homestead is

located <JJ miles from tho mining town- ; ship of Taupiri, and 23 mill's from Ham- ■ ilton. The Piri Land Company took possession of this property in 1920 and ! commenced breeding operations the fol- | lowing year. When taken over the farm was in the rough, comprising half i bush and half undeveloped peat swamps. ■ To-day, save for a. few attractive shelter belts, all the bush land and a considerable portion of the swamp is under cultivation and in grass. Furthermore, i the company is growing its own oats — ; both for feed and chaffing—as well as | its own linseed, not to mention soft ' turnips, sweeds and millet.

The magnitude of the company's farming , operations may be gauged from the fact that four tractors are continuously j on the job. anrl that over £10,000 lias j been investor] in the purchase of fouri- ' elation blood for the Totara Park Friesinn herd. ISiij as the outlay has'been. Mr. J. B. McEwan and those associated | with him in the venture, consider that it | will be more than justified if the company succeeds with its main objective. : that of building up the best Friesian ; herd in New Zealand, and at the camp j time demonstrating to the farmers in the Waikato how to farm with up-to-date i methods and increase the hutterfat pro- : diiction of tlipir herds. The three prin- ; cipals in the Piri Land Company (Messrs ; J. B. MeKwan. D. O. McGownn. and D | Dickie) ore all members of the firm of ! Messrs. J. B. MeKwan. Ltd.. which is j intimately associated with the dairying industry of the Waikato—for that mat- ! ter of the whole of the Dominion. All ' three gentlemen have for many years ! been in close touch with the production. ! manufacture and export of New Zo.i- j land's butter and cheese. Mr. McEwnn was specially brought out from Canada by the Xew Zealand Government in order to fill tlie important i>ost of dairy commissioner. Later, when Mr. McEwan retired from the Government scr- . vice in order to enter business on his own account, Mr. MoGowan held the | position for a number of years. Mr. Dickie, the third principal, saw considerable service as a Government dairy instructor and prador of dairy produce, j Mr. J. Stevenson, the manager of the I