NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9993, 24 March 1898, Page 2

NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

'•TVeekly Tress and Referee.

By Straggler.

What I think may correctly '>* described as the largest sheep sale ever held in New Zealand was successfully carried out at Culverilen on Friday last. When one consider* that about 120,000 sheep were offered and nearly 100,000 sold, I scarcely think it is any etreteh of imagination to regard the sale as eminently satisfactory.

But the term satisfactory scarcely conveys the most important result of the Culverden sale. The real feature of the sale was the influence which it must have on the immediate future of the sheep market. The sales previous to the Atnuri Fair had dragged horribly, and nine people out of ten were waiting for Culverdan " to see how things went." Anyone who attended on Friday last must have noticed that " things went " with a determination which clearly eviflenced that there is any amount of enquiry for good sheep, and lyi enquiry which must gain still more strength a.=» the turnip crops become ready. In support of this conten tion I need only mention that of the large total sold—nearly 100,000—dealers obtained only 5000 or 4000, the good cheep going direct to graziers and the worn-out sorts to the "pot."

Prices showed a good Is to Is 6d rise on recent rates, and some of the lines were well worthy of the strong biddingaccorded them. Montrose, Highfiold, Balmoral, Kaiwara, and St. Helens were all strongly represented in the half-bred classes, whilst the Achray fat sheep topped the market with the good price of 13s 3d.

Farmers in the vicinity of Cheviot, Waikori, and Horsley Downa competed strongly, bat Mr Grigg, of Ashburton, was the principal buyer at the sale, and, I believe, secured over 4000 cheep for the Longbeach Estate.

Generally speaking the sheep from the Arauri stations came forward in excellent order, but the same remark cannot be made to apply to the greater portion of the sheep which came from the far north. A full report of the sale appears elsewhere.

New Zealand-bred Lincoln rams appear to have met with a favourable reception in the Argentine. The Review of the River Plate states that, following the lead of the local market, Mr Herbert Gibson bought last year twenty of Dudding'a rams, and at the same time introduced into his establishment fifteen rams from New Zealand. From the results piven by both these lots he is firmly convinced that the small, woolly Lincoln is the animal best suited for the country. He was obliged to give the English Lincolns extraordinary care in the summer, and of the twenty he bought only seven were living, the others having died of tuberculosis, pulmonia and enteque. This coarse-headed type, Mr Gibson maintains, is also coarsewoolled, being neither attractive nor possessing uniform fleece. "The Englieh ram is too artificial, whereas the small New Zealand ram $s of uniform fleece, long staple, bellies and legs covered with wool, and the fibre brilliant-and silky; satisfactory, in faot, from every point of view."

Mr Henry Overton informs mc that this refers in all probability to some rams that he sent to the Argentine about eighteen months ago. The complaint was then made that these rams were too fine in the wool and had too much wool on the head and legs, which was a drawback on account of the prevalence of a burr in the country. The sheep required were more of the English type, and Mr Overton for thenextshipmentproctiredsomerams answering as nearly to this type as he could get, and differing very much from his own finer breed. When, however, he received the order for the xams that were shipped by the 8.8. Pakeba on February 25th, the instructions were to "send them ac nearly like those in the first shipment as possible."

At a scouring contest held by the Hamilton Pastoral and Agricultural Society in Victoria, some of Mr Thomas Millear's famous Wanganella sheep were beaten by representatives of Mr H. F. Dβ Little's Caramut flock. First prize was obtained by Mr H. F. Do Little, ot Caramut, with a fleece weighing 141b B£ozdnthe grease, and yielding 81b 3jsoz after the scouring process. Mr Thomas Millear, of Wanganella, was awarded second prize for a fleece of 151b 4£oz greasy weight, and 71b 15oz scoured. Mr Millear, who has property in the district, originated the contest two years ago by offering to give £20 if a proper number of entries were obtained by the society.

In referring to tho weights of the six fat 'bullocks shown* by Mr McHardy at the vHastings and Ealmerston North shows, the Sydney Mail says the weights were, no doubt, extraordinary, but the total would not be hard to beat at suoh a show as MusweUtarook, on the Hunter, or at one or two other chows in New South Wales.

At the Oatnarn Magistrate's Court recently Eustace Chaffey was charged that, being the ( owner of certain lands at Toka-Raki, on December 30th, lie failed to comply with a ', notice to keep down rabbits. A second in* ; formationagamst : him with having failed to keep down rabbits after commencing. Defendant admitted the offence, and was convicted and fined £5 and costs 7e, the second information being withdrawn. George Fiddes was similarly charged and the same penalty inflicted.

A "Breeder ,, writing to the Live Stock Journal takes exception to the remarks of 'Mr A. Brace, Chief Inspector of Stock for 'New South Wales, regarding the necessity iof more attention being given in England to I the production of wool. Hβ says "The Australian writer ia much mistaken if he thinks Lincoln breeders have not considered 'their wool, otherwise how have the magnificent fleeces of the Lincoln sheep been obtained ? If he wants to see fleeces on the sheep's backs, he has only to attend th* Great Lincoln Fair the last week in J April, to see 20,000 sheep averaging nearly ihaif a ton each, or Newark Agricultural Show, May 14tb, where splendid pens of itoggs in the wool are annually exhibited, "in England shows must be held in the ' summer months if they are to pay their way consequently the rams there entered must have been shorn, or how otherwise would they be in a fit state to offer at the ram Jmles in September ? There is a time for all things; the proper time to clip rams is in April and May. Everyone knowa they would have heavier fleeces if left till August, but there would be no advantage or economy in w> doing. ,.

The Live Stock Journal states that ten Bheopshire rams, selected from the wellknown flocks of Mr A. E. Manaell, Mr P. L. Mills and Mr Mathew Williams, left in January la*t per s.s. Umhloti, consigned to tho Natal Stud Company. The Stud Company have now imported no less than 118 registered Shropshire sheep, with which many prizes have been won during the last lour years.

The same paper also says that Messrs Dean, of Doweby Hall, have recently made some large sales and shipments of very choice animals from their noted flock, including five specially selected ram lambs of large size and beautiful quality wool, which have been add for a high 6gure for one of the largesteefcancieros in South America. Meears Ewart* of Liwpool and Buenos Ayres, have aeain nelecteS fifty -five fine ram lambs from thie flock, which left Liverpool on January e&idaVMi-Viwn- o»»taml»w eQei | dictd

by Mr Ewart, junr.. one of the finest lots he has ever purchased at Dowsby. Mr Poels has also purchased for Messrs Sidy and Van Os, of Buenos Ayre3, thirty equally good lambs. On January 15tb forty-five ram lambs left Liverpool, per s.s. Lombardy, to the order of the English Manufacturers' Export Company, Buenos Ayres. These ehcep were of exceptional merit, their broad staples of luetrous wool almost reaching to the ground. They were pronounced by many good judges in Liverpool to be one of the tincst IoU that ever left the docks, and should they be favoured with a good passage, must meet with the appreciation from Mc33rs Dean's foreign customers. It is understood that a further shipment of 100 will leave Liverpool early in February for the same company, and Messrs Dean ate of opinion that they will be fully equal, if not superior, to the forty-five so much admired in Liverpool. Messrs Dean state that a ram purchased from their flock at the "Lincoln September Fair, 1897, by an exporter, was sold in Buenos Ayres for $3000 (£300).

In the opinion of the United States Minister at Bueno3 Ayree, the production of wool in Argentina has reached its maximum because the exportation of cattle to Europe s stimulating the breeding of that class of animals in preference to that of sheep. The greatest quantity of wool exported in one year was 201,353 tons in 1895. Until a few years ago the bulk of the wool exported was Merino; but now, in consequence of the need of increasing the weight and improving the quality of carcases of mutton for export, Lincoln crosses have multiplied so greatly that over 65% of the wool exported is ot their production. The change has been fostered by the demand for long-staple wool in recent years in preference to fine wool; but the stability of this preference is now doubtful, and it is not unlikely that the interests of wool and mutton will be conflicting in the future, as they have been usually jn the past.

In reference to the sale of Mr T. F. Rutledge's Werronggurt Stud of Lincoln sheep at Toorani, near VVarrnambool on the j 31st inst., it may be mentioned that this flock was originally established and kept at Farnharn Park where it justly earned a very wide reputation. The first importation was made by the late Mr William Rntledge in 1865, and the stud has remained in the hands of the same family to the present day. To chow the appreciation in. which this stud has been held it is only necessary to state that there are very few flocks of note in Australia that have not been improved by selections from Werronggurt. As recently ag 1894, 1260 sheep from this flock averaged £3 15s at auction, and again at the annual sales in Melbourne in 1896,twenty-fiverains averaged 20gns (selling up to lOOgns) and twenty ewes KHgns—striking testimony to the fact that it etill continues to maintain its good namo in the estimation of breeders. When last exhibited in any numbers in 1885-6, at the Sheep-breeders' show, Mr Rutledge succeeded in carrying off the two champions, and many other prizes ; whilst in 1880 he gained nine prizes with six sheep, including two champions, four firsts, besides seconds and thirds. Baled wool has only been shown on two occasions in Melbourne, and each thne the Werrongsjurt exhibits carried off the highest honours, being first in all the classes in which it competed with the exception of one. .All the sheep for sale have been admitted into the " Flock Book of British Breeds " about to be published. The dispersion of the Werronggurt stud will certainly be the most important sale of Lincoln sheep that has been held in the colonies, and offers a unique opportunity to breeders generally of securing a selection that could not otherwise be obtained outside of the Old Country.