DOMINION'S LIVE STOCK

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21978, 30 December 1936, Page 4

DOMINION'S LIVE STOCK

SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS STILL MUCH TO LEARN QmOM OCR OWN CORKESPOSUEHT.) LONDON, December 3. Mr Alexander Boyd, Auckland, tells readers of the "Scottish Farmer" that he has got "into the soup" for his attitude regarding what he considers as the unnecessary embargo on British live stock. Mr Boyd says:— "A great number of. New Zealanders, particularly those who have never been out of their native country are under the impression that New Zealand livestock is equal to anything in the world, and there is no further need for importing dairy cattle. That is certainly not my opinion. I visited the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Society's Show at Auckland this last year, and I was sadly disappointed at the quality of some of the live stock shown, particularly fhe sheep and dairy cattle, and the beef cattle were nothing to look at. Neither were the Clydesdales, but, of course, the South Island is the home of the Clydesdale out there, and one has got to go there to see anything up to the mark in that line. The sheep, i particularly the New Zealand Romneys, English Leicesters, and Cornedales, would not have been shown at any other show throughout the Dominion." „ „ In regard to Jerseys, Mr Boyd says that those in New Zealand are equal to anything in the world, and there is no need for further importation m that line. There is no reason why New Zealand should not build up a considerable export business in pedigree Jersey cattle. Dairying—Room for Improvement New Zealand is probably the principal dairying country in the world, but Mr Boyd savs there is still a lot of room for improvement. He writes:— "Of course New Zealanders are under the impression that anything made in New Zealand is the best in the world, and while they hold such ideas there is not much hope for advancement. New Zealand butter is certainly of good quality; but the cream is so highly sterilised and neutralised that it detracts greatly from the flavour of the manufactured article. In a word. New Zealand factory butter entirely lacks the creamy flavour of good home-made butter, and in very cold weather is rather difficult to \ No doubt the sterilising which is dene to improve the keeping quality accounts for that. Taking everything into consideration. New Zealand butter is generally first class, but in my opinion it could be improved. "The same cannot be said about New Zealand cheese, and the consumption of that article in New Zealand is negligible. One point against it in my opinion is that it contains too much butter-fat, too much moisture, is not sufficiently matured, and on that account the flavour and texture are not altogether up to what they ought to be—certainly not up to the standard of Canadian cheese. I think if New Zealanders cut out Jersey cattle for cheese-making, and went in more for other breeds of dairy cattle for that purpose the standard of quality would improve in a very short time. Of course, it is a case of live and learn, and although New Zealand is one of the finest countries in the world to live in. with a fine class of people, they have still got a lot to learn." Praise of Lady Riders Mr Boyd refers to the various interesting competitions that form part of the agricultural shows in the Dominion. "The riding and jumping competitions are the principal attractions, and the horsemanship is of a very high orderparticularly the girl riders. The men, although good, are not equal to the ladies. The New Zealand lady riders are probably the finest in the world, fearless and game in every way." SHOW DATES 1937 January 2—Amuri gymkhana, at Rotherham February 2 and 3—Feilding. February s—Woodville. . February 16 and 17—Masterton Golden Jubilee. March s—Kaikoura. March 13—Mayfield. March 13—Cheviot. March 20—Temuka and Geraldine, at Winchester. March 23 —Amuri, at Waiau. March 29—Mackenzie Highland Show, at Fairlie. March 31—Hawarden. April 3—Methven. April 16—Flaxbourne, at Ward. Fossil remains, discovered near Elmo, Kansas, by Dr. Frank M. Carpenter, of the Harvard • Museum of Comparative Zoology, show that a type of dragon fly, which lived nearly 150,000,000 years ago, was nearly two and one half feet long. Vesuvius, the famous volcano, is yielding potash which is being employed in agriculture. For centuries the mountain has been accumulating potash which is now fertilising considerable areas.