AN AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14475, 2 October 1912, Page 5

AN AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

INTERESTING EXPERIENCES.

FROM THE FARMER'S POINT OP VIEW. » Mr B. Seth-Smith, who. went- to Melbourne to judge the Lincoln ewe classes at tho recent Melbourne Show, lias returned to New Zealand, and in the course of a chatty interview with a representative of "Tho Press" yesterday, he recounted his experiences, which arc of very considerable interest. Mr Seth-Smith was exceedingly pleased with the sheep that he handled at the Show, and considered that for size and wool, the best of the Lincolns ho sa;v excelled the majority of sheep of the breed that arc bred in New Zealand. The ram judges of Lincolns were Mr W. Perry, of Masterton, and Mr Sutherland, an Australian, and the ewes were judged by Mr Seth-Smith and Mr Bow-i man. Tho Australians are undoubtedly great judges of wool, and Mr SethSmith noticed that his colleague took very little notice of the carcase, conlining his attention and Riving practically all the points to wool alone. The new motive power for farming operations, tho oil tractor, was well represented at tho Show, and sonic of th© newest things in agricultural motors were shown. Thoso machines are well into the practical stage now, and at Hawkesbury College Mr Seth-Smith saw a £1500 motor plough that does very good work. Mr Potts, the principal of .tho College, states that the motor-plougli can turn over 100 acres in th© twentvfour hours, but Mr Seth-Smith considers that about GO acres would bo nearer the mark, which means that in an ordinary •working day of eight hours about twenty acres of land could bo turned over, and as heavy harrows could be hitched on behind tlfo machine, a good deal of the cultivation can be done at ono stroke. On hard land these motors aro a distinct success, but they aro .apt to got stuck up on soft or boggy ground. Owing to the interest that they took in the oil motors, Messrs Seth-Smith and Penrose luckily escaped a disastrous railway accident that happened to tho train running from the Show Grounds into Melbourne, in which a gioat many people were severely injured. "Our examination of the motors at tho Show Grounds took so long," said Mr Scth-Smith, "that we missed the train wo intended to catch, which happened to bo the one that -was smashed up. From Melbourne I went on to the Agricultural Show at Adelaide, and hero there was an exceptionally fine display of such merinos as aro not often scon in Now Zealand. These sheep, and tho English breeds as well, are shown under the most rigorous conditions. Special feeding is prohibited, tho sheep not even being allowed to run on a lucerne paddock, and so far as tho merinos arc concerned, none of tha sheep are allowed to be covered. Tho show sheep come off the natural native grasses, and a committee of tho Association officials travelled round to exhibitors estates at frequent intervals to ensure that the regulations are not being infringed. Any sheep that tho committee considers has been specially fed or covered is ruthlessly tiirown out. kikl this fate overtook a representative of ono of the most noted stud flocks, whereat tho manager was very wroth, for lie swore there was not a cover on tho place. The lincolns at tho Adelaido Show wore not a very good lot, not nearly so good as tho Melbourne sheep. Abbiit three hundred Lincolns •were entered in the various classes at the latter show. From Adelaide 1 went for.an extensixe tour up country, visiting Wirra-Wirra and Baebank stations, both having splendid merino flocks on beautiful undulating country. Oth-r stations I yisitcd were Mount IJrysin and Canowie. In the former district there is some good wheat-grow-ing land. The -wheat is grown on the share system, and it is reckoned that ;t only costs about 35s to 40s an acre to put in and take out the crop, which averages about 17 to 25 bushels, though crops of 40 bushels are not unknown. Tho system of farming is tjuito different to that in New Zealand, and fallowing s the rule. At Canowio 1 saw the famous merino ram "Donald LMnnie,' that cost £1200. He is years old now, and is beginning to snow h ; s age a little, but he has been a good investment all the same. Up to date he has got 1008 lambs.- only two of tho ram lambs being rejected, and Mr Macdonald sold seven rams by him at tho last Adelaide Show for £1200. "Donald D-innie lijus clipped nearly 341b of wool, and Mr Macdonald considers he will clip about 28lb this year. "Mr W. Lowrie, the late director of Lincoln College, is doing good work m South Australia, and is deservedly popular with all classes £f farmers nna pastoralists. The School of Mines and Industries at Adelaide is a splendid mstitutron, and in the section that deals with wool classing they have a system that should commend itself to the Teciinical College authorities here. Gangs of pupils, from four to fourteen in number, are sent out in charge of a senior qualified student to work at wool classing on the various big stafcons, and these young men do the whole of tho work of classing, receiving the ordinary rate of wages. It is estimated that £150,000 worth of wool was handled by them last season, and tho actual increase in the value, owing to the better getting up of the clips, is put down at no less than £6000, so the instruction they receivo seems to be,worth while." '