ON THE LAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2119, 19 February 1908, Page 5 (Supplement)

ON THE LAND.

THE CO RRI ED ALE. HOW IT CAM.Li TO BE EVOLVED. A HISTORY BY A -BREEDER. There is no more interesting chapter in the history of sheepbreeding .in this country than that dealing with tho breed evolved by some Southern breeders, -and now recognised as a distinct type worthy of -inclusion in the Fiock .Book—tho Corriodalo. in the last issue of -the "Canterbury Times” one of -the founders ol the breed, -Mir. G. I). Greenwood, of Teviotilale, Amberiey, gives the story of his work in evolving the Corncdeilo, and most interesting it is, as will be Soon by it lie following extracts. .1 here is one remark by Mir. Greenwood which breeders wi-lf lkardly mgico with, so antagonistic is it .to accepted principles of stockbreeding in general.' This is ithat "the quickest way to secure uniformity is by Introducing a third strain, and so blending the three that- -the -tendency to follow dam or sire of ithe pure breed is broken down. Mr. G'roonwood followed a very sound principle, (however, in practising selection -and heavy culling, which may be regarded as the best means of developing an ideal in the absence of n more exact 'method, such as is afforded- by the Mendel law.

MR. GREENWOOD’S ACCOUNT. “More than forty years ago I -was breeding sheep on one of my father’s farms in Yorkshire, using half-bred Chew iot-Soo toll rams on .the native Lonk ewes. Coming to take charge o-f-'Teviotdale in 1879, I formed 'the opinion that it was possible to establish a breed of sheep between the merino -and longwool, combining tho best and most .payable qualities in each. Even in those early days, every one who saw the half-bred, merino, and longwool sheep, admitted that they were just -what was wanted for a fast-developing country, but on all hands flic question- was asked, ‘Can you keep them 'at- that?’ and ninety-nine out- of every hundred sheop-men ridiculed the idea of establishing a new breed. In fact, so much opposition and discouragement did I experience that I made up my mind to work quietly on the lines I had .mapped out for myself, and say nothing to anyone of wha.t I was doing for ten years, and then if the experiment were not a success, to abandon it. However, ,so convinced was T that a breed of sheep more adapted to-the country, and producing a more valuable fleece than any of the English breeds, could be created, that I was determined to give the experiment .a fair trial. There -were on tho station at that time -some SOO (halfbred owes of the longwool-merino cross. These I culled -down to a- hundred, and selected a- half-bred ram to mate with them. Since that time half-bred inbred ram-s have been used and very little outside blood introduced. A ram bred by Mr. Tanner, of Hawke’s Bay, was used for a year or ,two, and two rams'bred by Messrs. R. and J. Reid, of Darfield, wore used one year, but the great principle of bringing up that flock \ lias been the samo .as .that which was followed by that successful merino breeder, Air. John Murray, Mount Crawford, South Australia, namely, select ion and heavy culling. The,first longwool sheep used .were Bonier I.e-i----cesters, bred by Air. John Reid, of Elclerslie, .and Lincolns bred by Air. H- J- Hall, and to the -blending of these threo breeds is -attributable ‘ho success of -the .undertaking. Alany difficulties and disappointments attended tllie earlier stages of Breeding. It is almost impossible at first to blend two breeds so different -as Ho merino and longwool so that '.hen stock iare- at all even, some taking after tho dam and some after the sire. The quickest way to secure uniformity -is by lintroduoing a third strain, .and -so blending the three that tlie tendency to follow dam or sire of the .pure breed is broken down. •. “Tho breeders of Corriodalo sheep will always have an- amount off interested opposition to contend against 'from the breeders of long-wood M rams, because the Conriedalo as a general-purpose sheep takes the rila-’c of the merino ewe and the long-wool-led' in in; .and It- is only the intrinsic usefulness of this sheep that has placed it in the forefront of fashionagainst- the united efforts of -pure merino and pure ilon-g.wool men to run it down. The Teviotd'ale Corriedale flock to-day embraces some 10,000 owes .and 1500 hoggets. Over 9000 la-mib-s .were marked 'Last season, and the flock .shore over 81b of dean bright 50’s and 56’s wool, which sold in London in Alay, 1906, to Is 'jifl, and In Alay, 1907, to Is 3Jd. As showing the evenness of the wool, 149 bales out of a- total offering of 187 bale-s of fleece wool last May were- -sold 'in one lot, this being the largest lot ever .sold i-n London. "The okl-fashioned, cmriberscae, expensive, and troublesome method of'keeping a merino breeding flock to half-hreds for freezing and selling to farmers has long -ago 1 ‘-en 'abandoned at Teviotdale, anil the Corriedale flock is worked exactly on the same linos -as the defunct mc-iino flock was. 'The same plan is in progress -at Whiito Rock, where nerd shearing nearly 20,000 Corriedulcs will be'shorn. A good deal! of the Teviotdale country consists of ferny, dry hills, very liable to rub the wool off the points of the fihco.p, and where it is necessary to have sheep of robust constitution. As compared with a .merino flock, I consider the Corriedale produces an average of Lb piorc wool, worth ljd per lb more, 20 per cent, more lambs, wethers that come to maturity at least two years earlier, -and the cast o-r surplus stock are worth half as much again, and sometimes double. Eor n comparatively new breed, L consider Corned ales .arc wonderfully even. Let any of the breeders of the older •established breeds, such as Leicester*, say that he never has black lambs in his carefully selected stud flock. Does the Shropshire man never have tho black trespassing too far over Urn body? Ask the Lincoln mini wh.it becomes of the enormous frame if not constantly kept up by new importations. The truth is that Corriedale breeders have attempted and partly succeeded in producing an absolutely perfect sheep—a Shropshire

Farm and Station.

and bounds are we to allow omr sheep stock to sfiind still? In cairying out my ideas my thanks nro duo to Messrs. J. H. Oliver, M. 11. Scott, AY. Anderson, anil T. 11. I’ilbrow, all of .whom took a deep interest in my flock and assisted mo lo tho establishment of this twentieth century breed, which is gradually but surely ousting the merino from its stronghold .in. the hills, and the mixed breeds from the paddocks. As a sheep for crossing with any other breed this sheen has no superior. To tho merino he adds .increased «ureaso and hardihood. As a cross on tho throo-quarte.r-bred longwool ho improve* the carcaso and tho fleece, and as'lre is bred in the eounhry ho is already adapted t.o it.”

CHEESE MANUFACTURE.

Speaking at. tho Invercargill grading conference Mr James Sawers, cheese instructor, and one ol the soundest men in the business, made some pertinent remarks in regard i o cheese-making and flavors. Some cheese factories had not, lie said, shown any improvement in the product they wore turning out, and tho reason why was because the suppliers themselves did not take the cure c tho milk that they ought to do, rnd possibly 'because the managers of the factories failed in not having the starter in as -good order as it should bo. Thorc had been a large number of old cheeses shipped in the present season than in any season since the industry started, but lie did not think the cheese would be any credit to Now Zealand when' it reached its destination. Tho chief defect was tnrnipy flavor, which was mostly to be observed in winter cheese. He mentioned that ho had soon in some eases cheese shipped at Bluff four days old. All cheese-makers knew that it must liavo been in the case three days, and if this were so, it could have been only one day old when it was put into the crates. Cheese shipped in that condition simply went mouldy in the steamer’s hold, and commenced to decay. He gave it as his opinion that it was not sale to put cheese into cases until it was at least ten days’ old, and factories should have accommodation for keeping their cheese on the shelves until it was quite ready. He was pleased to be able to say that managers had shown an increased interest in tho grading of the product, and ho was quite sure that if suppliers were to take the same interest there would bo a better article for export. It was in the raw material that there was most room for improvement now. 11 cooling were generally adopted, second grade cheese would disappear.

MAINTAINING THE MILK FLOW. A VALUABLE FODDER. Alany farmers in the Bell Block district, Taranaki, tho home of some of tho host Jersey herds in the country, have been feeding green inaizo to their cows with excellent results, the foliage and stems of the plant giving the needed succulence as tlio grasses matured and dried under tho influence oT the summer heat, a balanced ration being thus maintained. The AVeraroa Experiment Farm is teaching the same lesson. The pastures at AVeraroa aro not so dry as in other parts of the country, but if tho fine producers in the State herd aro to maintain their -big milk flow they must -have- the suitable fodder to do it with, and in tho young maizo they have it. All classes of stock r 1 AVeraroa are eating tho maizo greedily. In the opinion of tho farm manager, Air Drysdalc, it is tho best of all green fodders. It develops rapidly and a greater weight of it can be grown to the acre than of any other fodder. The AVeraroa crop, an area of three acres, was checked by a frost experienced a few weeks back, but it has como away well since anil is now presenting a splendid uppearanco. The variety of maize which has done best at AA’eraroa is Clarence AA’bnder, which gave last year a weight of 75 tons to the acre. In its complete growth it measured 12ft. In preparing the ground for the crop an application was made to it of iewt of superphosphate. An interesting experience is told of the beneficial results of feeding the green maizo During a very dry week in January of last year the yield of milk dropped from 30001bs to 23681bs a day. The cows were then fed in the evening, after milking, with tho maize, carted out and dropped in a circle round the paddock! The third day after the feeding commenced the milk went up to 28191b5. It may he calculated (says a AVellington writer) from these experiences that thousands of pounds would have been saved to our milk producers this season bail they provided this necessary succulent fodder; not that green maize is only required in such weather as that at < resent being experienced, for there is no season when at certain periods Oi the summer it would not prove a most profitable provision.

RURAL TOPICS

A shearer who has just finished a round of sheds, comniengiug in the AA’airarapa in October and finishing at Kimbolton a few days ago, says that liis aggregate tally was just on 8000 sheep, and that liis cheque would be a little over 80. Including the holidays in the period, this amount works out at about .to a week. As a result of careful testing and culling, a Taranaki farmer has been able to reduce his dairy herd by onehalf without decreasing the milk yield. This is a striking instance of the good which may be done by culling as a result of Intelligent testing.

AVliilo discussing agricultural matters. an Ashburton farmer, of long experience, staled that lie was satisfied that the seasons had so materially changed in the Ashburton County during the past ten years that farmers would have to consider the advisability of sowing their grain crops at least from six weeks to two months earlier than they had been in tho ha; bit of doing. Early crops and early lambs for the past few years had gi-’ 1 veil far and away tho best returns to' farmers, and' he was now fully coin

NEW ZEALAND MUTTON,

IS NORTHERN QUALITY INFERIOR TO SOUTHERN? A statement was recently made by one intimately connected with the frozen meat trudo that il it were not for tho quality ol' South island mutton and lamb Now Zealand meal would play a very secondary part in the Smilhlield market. In order to seo if this view were entertained by tho trade in general, a Now Zealand Times reporter approached a representative ol' a largo exporting firm who has just returned from London and has an intimate connection with Sniithfield. In answer to tile direct statoinont: AVas the meat ol the North Island inferior to that of tho South? ho replied: "While Canterbury has not boon advancing to any extent —strictly speaking it lias been going behind somewhat —the North Island has been advancing, a result of the extension of settlement and tlio subdivision of estates; and tlio luoro settlement is extended and tho more tho plough is used tlio greater tho improvement which must take place in tlio quality of North Island mutton anil lamb.”

Questioned as to whether tho South Island was using a better quality owe, this authority said ho thought it was. "In the majority of cases,” lie said, "it was using a finer typo of owe, which gave a neater carcase and a hotter appearance when hanging on tho books. Canterbury mutton still maintains its superiority on tlio market over North Island mutton, but this is rather more pronounced in the prices quoted than it is in actual value, lor Canterbury reputation still holds to it, anil this gives it a premium which it is not 1 entitled to from a quality standpoint. There is hardly any difference in tlio lamb from the two islands. Ilio quality of some North Island lamb is quite equal to average best of the Eolith Island.”

(Speaking of the quality of Now ‘Zealand mutton and lamb in general, this authority declares that it is decidedly superior to any other frozen mutton and lamb on the market.

“A great many people consider,” lie remarked, "that frozen meat has nearly reached its maximum point of supply, but I certainly think so. There is room for great' expansion, a;id there is little reason to fear that the demands of British consumers will be quite equal to any increase which may take place at this end.”

SALE OF WIDGIEWA WOOL IN LONDON.

Tlio mere announcement that tho ‘‘AVidgiewa” clip will be offered tor sale on a certain date is ol itself sumeicnt to crowd tlio .London wool snlorooms with an eager throng of wouldbe buyers. The perfection to which this famous clip has been brought is well-known to the wool trado throughout the world, and the following paragraph, which is taken from tho report of the well-known Bradford wool expert, Air S. B. Hollings, should interest every man who aims to produce wool of the bestquality according to the breed of sheep in which lie is interested —viz: "Air J. S. Horsfall’s well-known ■AVidgiewa” and “Kerarlniry” clips were offered on tho first day of the sixth series of London sales, 1907, and notwithstanding a full Id to ljd per lb drop, his first lot of super combing “AVidgiewa” made l-LRI, and I4d was paid for the top lot of ‘‘.Kerarbury.!’ The opening sale showed considerable hesitation, and yet for these wools there was plenty of competition, and the prices paid prove conclusively the excellence ol the wools.”

These are weighty words from an export who is recognised as one of the most eminent authorities on wool in the world at the present time. Air Horsfall’s clip runs into some 4000 bales annually, and bis manager, Air A. L. Morrison, who lias conducted careful experiments with perhaps all the best-known brands of sheep dips at present on the market, emphatically declares that, as an aid to tlio nrodnet ion of a perfect fleece of wool Quibell’s Dips—which are exclusively used on all Air Horsfall’s extensive properties—have no superior and few, if any, equals. Every wool sale throughout the world at which a Quibell-dipped clip is offered fully endorses these opinions.