NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8476, 6 May 1893, Page 5

NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

By Straggler.

Weekly Press. I have received two letters on the subject of Addiugton Yards on a wet day. One correspondent excuses himself for addressing my department because he finds that I have " a healthy disregard for the feelings of anyone where reform is clearly required," and the other writer says: " I send this complaint to you as I am sure thab its appearance in your notes will enable it to reach every farmer and sheep-raiser, all of whom suffer ab times." lam much obliged to both gentlemen for their kind expressions, and especially to my friend who, apparently, is fully persuaded that I am not bleared with much sentiment. Perhaps he is right, but in this instance I may return his compliment by saying that had be not shown such a violent desire to make the directors of Addington Yards the subject of most onfeeling and abusive criticism, I should have had much pleasure in publishing: his letter. My other correspondent will, I hope, be satisfied it I give the tenor of his complaint without printing his too lengthy letter.

Both writers have seized upon the state of the yards on April 26th as an example, and draw very freely on their imagination as to what may be expected when winber really sebs in. The burden of their trouble is that their sheep have to jump from the trucks into a perfect "bog of muck "and thence wade through about one hundred yards of the same material to the My non-sensitive correspondent says he had to go nearly half way up to his knees in mud in order to thoroughly examine the quarters of a milch cow. I have taken a good deal of trouble to find out from those who are regularly working in the yards how my correspondents have stated the case in regard to actual facts. lam not. surprised to find that their imaginations have been freely ab work. Ab bhe same time ib seems there is room for much improvement, especially in some of the cattle pens. As far as the entrance to the yards from the unloading stage is concerned there is no doubt ib is occasionally very mucky, but ib is not often that it approaches, I am assured on the best of authority, to a state of bog as my correspondents term it. So far as I can see and hear the directors of the yards have always shown, and are yet showing, a most commendable desire to place_bheir arrangements on the best possible footing, and it may be safely assumed thab any such inconveniences which my friends mention will nob exisb for long. Of this I am quite certain that the clients of Addington Yards get good value for their _d a head, and I would ask both of my correspondents if they can tell mc where better is procurable. A certain amount of slush and mud must exisb in a saleyards iv web weather.

The April issue of the Australasian Pastoralists' Review contains a vast amount of pastoral news and articles on pastoral matters, which all interested should not fail to read. lam indebted to the journal for the following items :—

Writing of Australian business prospects the editor Says :—"The long expected rise in wool has come ab last, and though the market shows some signs of weakening as we go to press, the best authorities regard this as a merely incidental feature, and incline to the opinion that the recent rise will be maintained if not improved upou. The stock market also shows a slight improvement, and pastoralists are begiuning to realise the possibilities cf the frozen meat trade doing for Australia what ib has already done for New Zealand. In consequence there is much talk of cross-breed-ing, and nob a little action being taken in this direction. It will take some time before the frozen meat trade runs smoothly in the right channels, and there has been so much ill-informed opinion abroad of late upon this subject that we venture to urge our readers to consider carefully what is said in our columns, which is the result of no ordinary care in investigation. As regards cross-breeding, too, there is a great deal of experience to make, and prudent pastoralists will bear in mind that different crosses will suit different districts, and that it is not every counbry that will suit cross-breds. But here, as with the frozenmeat trade, there is a great deal to be learnt from a careful study of New Zealand experience only even this needs to be interpreted by the light of common sense. This is no the world. Our firsb business is to perfect our arrangements on this "side." The New South Wales correspondent of the Review says there are rumours afloat to the effect that that dread disease, fluke, is increasing to a somewhat alarming extent in the colony. The Review, I notice, publishes a special article on the disease. I learn that on Thursday and Friday last the Waikari settlers Tiad two sale 3in a good soaking rain. The horse sale, conducted by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, was held oa the Thursday, and the same firm's monthly sheep sale followed on Friday. For the opening event the horse sale was quite successful, and is a fixture which should increase largely in popularity and importance. Considering the weather, it was very surprising to find seven to eight thousand sheep yarded for sale but ib cerbainly waa nob surprising to find that about a third of them only changed hands. It is astonishing how qui-kly a sheep suffers in appearance from the weather, and how very far asbray some men are in allowing for this. There is no sign of a falling off in fat sheep values. I mean thoroughly prime when I say fat, or in other words sheep up to best freezing standard. I find on careful enquiry and by a thorough comparison of values that some of our grazing friends are not doing quite so .well in their private deals as they jmight do in the yards. They miss competition,.and .competition just now is an important factor in the selling of freezing sheep for the simple reason that there is plenty of it. It.ls decidedly difficult to arrive at any satisfacbbryconclusion as to how Canterbury breeders will be represented at. the _bud' Sheep sales in New South Wales next July. I ani credibly Informed that Messrs HV Overton, P:C.'_;hrelkeld, r F. C. Murray, W. B. Andrews, aud Wm. Boag are rather Inclined to open up the industry, and I sincerely trust they will see their way to be represented. The great and in some cases insurmountable difficulty i 9 bhe New Soubh Wales date. But this will apply to the present year only for next season we shall oe able to see ahead definitely, and this will make all the difference in flock arrangements. I should like to see a few really good stud rams sent over as a sample of what Canterbury 4 produces. I am also greatly inclined bo think bhab a few well grown and healbhy lambs would nob prove albogether unremunerative.

The following analysis of the Flemlngton market for five weeks ending April llth should be of interest. The stock offered comprised 119,500 sheep, 31.400 lambs, 8920 cattle and 1440 calves. The supply was uneven in numbers, ranging from 28,000 sheep on March 21st to 16,000 on April 6th, aud from '-050 cattle on March llth to 1200 on April 6th. As to quality, cattle may be described as fairly suitable for the market, but the sheep largely consisted of stores, possibly owing to the prolonged period of dry weather, which has now fortunately broken. Prices throughout were well maintained for good sorts, and closing quotations were—Prime crossbred wethera 12s to 143; prime crossbred ewes, 10s 6d to 12s • prime merino wethers, 10s to lis 6d ; good do, 8s to 9s; middling do, 0s; prime merino ewes, 6* to 7a 6d; middling do, 4s; prime fat lambs, 8s to 10s ; stood lambs, 6» to 7s. Prime bullocks realised £8 10s to £10 ss, and good calves 25s to 355. The wet weather which set In last week, and as I write is not yet over, has had a somewhat disastrous effect on the sheep market. Of course it we get a decent spell of good warm growing temperature the grazier* may look forward to seeing feed growing before their very eyes. If, however, the enemy we may now reasonably look for—frost—cornea instead, things will not take the same cheerful turn. However, the rain will do a certain amount of good, and if nothing else profits b> it the late turnips will, so someone will have gladly welcomed it. In a private letter a !«ew South Wales pastoralist who is writing his observations on crossbreeding from .New Zealand to a friend on' the " other side, saye: I have make a start on the "Longwools. Those who go at once into crossbreds will come out best, and those who stick to the merino longest will suffer. X had some little donbt as to how crossbreds would do in ringbarked country, butam quite satUtled from what I have seen here that the dry sheep will/do well, as they do. well here in much wor=e country, and tnire is no question as to iiow they will do m our best country.**— Australasian Pasioraluis'Eemevo. The sheep procession to Cheviot Win full swing. larrij(however, informed thab all is übb go'rig as cheerfully as could be wished. Skins in formidable array are to be noticed by the wayside, and suggest that their apoearance there is due to some thing more urgent than a desire to decorate the wire fences. A little box-

ing" has marred the pleasure of some of the drivers, and the Greta is also a source of trouble.

I am sorry to find a great many people immensely amused over tbe circular which tbe Secretary for the Department of Agriculture has issued regarding probable Australian ram requirements. It is, we are told, compiled from information supplied by the Chief Inspector of Stock of New South Wales. Criticism from rae is impossible, bccauselnever, on any account, offer to criticise efforts which are well meant and of no barm to anybody. Indeed, I am glad to find that the department is not too busy to recognise that it ought to do something towards assisting the Industry which seems likely to be open to ns. up to the present it looked as if owners would have to fight their own battles. We may now, however, hope that with this distinct evidence of the department being awake they will not be altogether neglected. Merino ewes are in request north of the Waipara. lam informed that any merino ewes <*old most freely at the Waikari Sale last Friday and requirements were by no means satisfied.

Another cargo of crossbred ewes wa* landed from Wellington on Sunday, and arrived in very good order. The sheep are, I am glad to say direct on the grazier's account. In fact the owner accompanied them.

Another lot of Chatham Islanders—l mean sheep of course—was safely landed in Lyttelton on Friday last. This makes the available supply of Island sheep pretty large, and may possibly have some influence on values. In any case our Island friends have not arrived on the market at a time when they could hope to achieve tbe same good results as those which rewarded them last year.

From the Brisbane Courier I notice that Mr William Forrest, chairman of the Queensland Meat Company, who has recently been appointed Agent-General for the colony ot Queensland, has been interviewed regarding frozen meat prospects in that colony. The following extracts embody some of Mr Forrest's ideas :—He considered that the establishment of the meat export industry ou a sound basis would confer an inestimable benefit on Queensland. Ib would give land a value thab is now almosb valueless, and would create remunerative occupation for a large number of workers. They had the example of New Zealand before them. Six years ago that colony was suffering from as great a depression as now existed in Queensland. The establishment of the meat export trade has rendered it the most prosperous colony of the Australasian group. Mr Forrest also believed that a large trade would be ultimately established in the export ot butter and fruit. I notice that Mr Forrest is reported to have said that Queensland can produce as good mutton as New Zealand, but admitted that to work up a trade to the point of perfection attained by this colony would take considerable time. Mr Forrest considers a good crossbred between the Lincoln and merino suits the London consumer'B taste best.

I notice from the Wairarapa Daily that Mr J. F. Heckler was fined ls and costs for failing to give a neighbour notice of his intention to muster.

The Southland Freezing Company's works at Mataura .have commenced active operations again, and ib is estimated that when the machinery is completed about 600 sheep will be pub through daily. The Marlborough Times rejoices over the fact thab its disbricb has earned a pretty considerable reputabion for its breed of merino sheep, chiefly due to the exertions iv the pasb of the late Mr Cyrus Goulter and Mr Joseph Ward. Several of the progeny of high-class sheep imported into the district by the latter gentleman, are now amongst the Brookby stud. Mr Gilbert Ward has constant enquiries for merinos, and recently he sent five splendid animals away, consigned to bhe owner of the Burkes Pass Sbation, Timaru. Mr Ward's great aim is bo iuclude in his stud the besb auimals obbainablc, and towards that end he obtained about a mouth ago five choice merino rams from the Cheviot Hills, two of which were pure Tasmanians brought over by the late Mr Robinson, and for which thab gentleman refused over and over again a high figure. Since Mr Ward has had the sheep, he also has refused tempting offers from Canterbury buyers. It is gratifying to find such energetic and far-3eelng sheep breeders in our midsb.