FERTILE COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 198, 19 May 1936, Page 8

FERTILE COUNTRY

Australian’s Impressions Of New Zealand On his return to Australia recently after a visit to New Zealand, Mr. S. A. Plant, a Queensland breeder of Polled Hereford cattle, described this Dominion as a wonderfully fertile country. He was of the opinion, however, that Queensland would have the better country if only its average rainfall was equal to that of New Zealand. Discussing the various breeds of cattle, Mr. Plant stated that the Black Polls predominated, being followed closely by Horned Herefords and Polled Herefords. The latter breed was coming into favour at such a rate that 'breeders could not cope with the demand. While in New Zealand he visited Mr. Humphreys, owner of the Wilencote stud at Ngatapa. In an interview which appeared in the “Australasian,” Mr. Plant is reported to have said that Mr. Humphreys expressed a desire to make an exchange of bulls with him, but because of the regulations governing importation he was unable to do so as no cattle were permitted to land in New Zealand from Australia. Cattle in New Zealand were free from disease, Mr. Plant added. In Queensland they had blackleg, cattle ticks, redwater, blight, buffalo fly, etc., but such diseases and pests were unknown in New Zealand. Land suitable for cattle and lamb raising was valued at from £5O to £l5O an acre, and the average carrying capacity was 15 sheep and one beast to five acres. Tlie grasses were chiefly artificial, such as cocksfoot. clover and ryegrass.