Evening Post. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1886. GREAT DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP IN BUENOS AYRES.

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 128, 14 October 1886, Page 2

Evening Post. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1886 . GREAT DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP IN BUENOS AYRES.

Rumour-5 of various, kinds have lately been current as to serious losses of stock having ocenrred in Buenos Ayres. From files now to hand, we find that these are not only well founded, but that they probably account for tho recent rapid recovery of the wool market, the first signs of which were apparent at Antwerp, which is the chief mart for the South American wools. It is somewhat singular, however, that no corresponding rise seems to have taken placo in the price of frozen mutton, for tho supply of which South America compotes with theso colonies. The losses amongst stock in Buenos Ayros arc attributed to heavy rains, resulting in serious floods. The special correspondent of the Canterbury Press writes that : — ' ' Tho area of camp subject to floods is about 25,000 square miles, stocked with 3,000,000 cows, and about 25,000,000 sheep. Fully one-half of this extent of camp is under wator during four months at least of the year, tho consequenco being that the remainder is overstocked. As a rule cows and mares will hold out if they find dry ground to sloop on, but if the floods be of long duration the first cold weather spreads death. In this manner thousands of animals die. If they do not dio they givo no increase. Supposing 10 per cent, of the increase to be lost, this represents 2,000,000d015., besides which 3 per cent, die or are drowned, say a total loss of 2,000,000. The lossos in sheep are much greater. In tho flooded camps alone we have lost something like 10,000,000 lambs and about 2,500,000 sheep, equivalent to 15,060,000d015. Moreover, the value of wool is damaged at least 10 per cont., say a loss of 1,120,000d015. If we deduct from these figures tho hides and skins, which represent 827,000d015., we have an actual loss of 17,958,000d015., which is about £3,000,000 sterling at tho present premium in gold." Tho samo correspondent says that if drainage works are not instituted to prevent these floods they will give a fatal blow to the production of wool and frozen meat. Captain Baldwin, of Dunedin, who knows tho country woll, writes to the Otago Daily Times confirming the statement as to fearful losses of stock, and says that his privato advices of 27th July placo tho destruction of sheep as high as 20,000,000 sheep and lambs. This h bprne out by the Standard of 11th July, whioh hays :— ' ' Every day brings fresh confirmation of the widespread losses of sheep, tho ostimato being 20,000,000, including lambs. Only a small nuinbor perished in tho floods, tho mortality boinc chiefly caused by an epidemic, which some farmors ascribo to a change in tho glasses of tho districts horotoforo ovorstopkod. Thore has been no loss in the outsido thinly settled camps." Thero is an oxport duty on wool, and complaint is mado that tho Government have not roduced this owing to tho disastrous soason. Tho samo paper of 27th July gives tho following additional information : — " Thero has not been such mortality amongst tho flocks since the great drought of 1859, an interval of 27 years ; and it is feared that the sufferings of the humbler class of shoopfarmors will be intense. . . . Tho latest accounts from tho camp report a lot of rain in the north and south, and the next thing to a drought in the west and north-west. The losses in sheep aro awful. Some flocks of 2000 arc reduced to 450. . . . Tho present losses of flocks are caused by overstocking and by the weather. The latter is tho principal cause, as the rain this season came too late. . . . Sheepfarmers are going through a crisis ; since 1863 they have not had a satisfactory increase in their flocks, and tho small men are nearly nil ruined by tho losses of the last two seasons." According to Captain Baldwin', the consequent estimated deficiency in the wool supply in Buenos Ayres for tho nine months ending tho 30th June, 1886, as compared with tho same period of 1885, was 50,000 bales ; and as each bale weighs, say, 8001b, the deficit would thus amount to 40,000,0001b, or nearly half tho entire clip of New Zealand.