BOILING DOWN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 855, 2 July 1867, Page 3

BOILING DOWN.

(From the " Lyttelton Times," June 13.) In a recent article we endeavoured to shew that the time had arrived for the sheep-fanners of Canterbury to turn their attention to the proper means of converting their surplus stock into an available article of export. As wo then pointed out, a considerable proportion of the older stocked runs are rapidly approaching the period when they will have to cease breeding, or find some method of disposing of their increase other than to the butcher. And that can only be found through the process of boiling down. Now, it is certain that Canterbury holds- out the promise of peculiar advantages in this direction. From the great capabilities of growing artificial grasses it is evident that a much larger field is open here than in Australia for the production of tallow. There; sheep can be fattened only once a year, while here three or four sets can be fattened on the same ground in the course of the year. By way of illustrating the possible profit attached to the process to which we have referred, we may. assume the following calculations to be' more or less correct. On an average six sheep, fed either upon English grasses or on an understocked ' run, will yield about one hundred weight of tallow. ..Taking the medium price of £36 per ton, or 365. per cwt; for tallow, this gives us the exact value of six shillings per head for the sheep. If we estimate the skin at about four shillings, and the meat at two shillings, a further siun of six shillings is realised, making twelve shillings in all. The cost of the boiling down may be estimated at sixpence a head, and the casks, at forty shillings per ton for the tallow, would be about fourpence for each sheep. Allowing so much for additional expenses of establishment, commission, and interest on capital as would raise the entire charge to two shillings per head on the sheep, the nett results would give ten shillings per head. • Turning now to the cost of the land laid down in English grass, to which we assume the s sheep to be driven from off the run, we think a fair average value is eight pounds per acre. Ten per cent, upon this as rent would be sixteen shillings to deduct for rent from the value of each sheep. This brings us to the price. of six shillings each, as the sheep are driven off' the run ; and as we said before, such a price may be considered as the safe minimum value for every sheep in the province. These calculations are given mostly in round numbers, but they are so far substantiall} r correct that any reduction which may fail to be made on one side .will be sure to find its balance by some corresponding reduction on the other, We have not forgotten to how great an extent the success of a scheme such as that now proposed must depend upon the efforts made to improve the condition of the' laud. In detached instances it will succeed, even at the present time. But our wish would be to see the success made general, and to have it shared in over every part of the country. In order to secure this, we believe the one great necessity of the country to be irrigation. The fertility of the soil and the favourable character of the climate are apparent, and the rapid growth of trees and grass is a matter of frequent surprise. But in order that the soil may profit suitably from the presence of the sheep according to this scheme, it is essential that means for irrigation be provided to a very considerable extent. . ' . Practical, farmers admit that wore they sure of obtaining, water it would be profitable to them to have an artesian well in every field. And every one riding over our vast plains is forced to the conclusion that a sulficient supply of water is all that is needed to bring almost the whole extent under the designation of arable land. But it is not to be supposed that individuals can risk the expense of deep artesian wells in those districts where it is already known that water is not to be had at even twice the depth at which it is obtained in Christchurch. On this account we think the Government might reasonably be asked to provide the moderate sum required for obtaining an apparatus capable of working to a depth of, say, six hundred feet. It would be presumptuous to affirm that a strong flow of water could always be obtained at that depth along the plains. There are no data from past experience elsewhere to warrant us in making such an assertion. But it may be very safely assumed that in by far the great majority of instances, that depth would be found to reach through the shingle to some stratum from which a strong flow of water rising with very considerable force would be obtained. but experiment can actually settle the point, but the general contour of the country affords warrantable ground for anticipating success. And the expense is so rn.ocL«£a,te 3 S^BVJpfVVt A TTlth th© immense benefit which would be conferred^ upon the whole country, that we think the Government could be blamed by none for making the trial. Sufficient experience has already been obtained to give assurance that there is a wide extent of country where a powerful boring apparatus would bo immediately successful. And even if for some tracts, such as that lying between the Eakaia aud the Ashburton, the experiment would be found a failure, the money expended would not be thrown away. In the event of success a value would at once attach to such lauds which they do not at present possess, and which they can never attain without irrigation. A sum of from six hundred to a thousand pounds expended on the purchase of such au apparatus as we have mentioned, would be a prefitable investment to the Government. A moderate charge made for its vie, would in a short time repay all the outlay, aud confer a general benefit upon the community. We urge this matter in connection with our suggestions for extensive cultivation of land, and fattening of sheep with a view to the export of tallow and skins, because it ism this way that the Government can most effectively advance these objects. A judicious encouragement of every effort to develope the known resources of the country is recognised as the duty of a Colonial Government. What the cutting of blaze-tracks through, the bush. is to the goldfields of the West Coast, this effort at irrigation would be for the development of our pastoral aud agricultural interests. The differences which exist between the two cases arc all in favour of the latter scheme. The cost is comparatively insignificant, and the results are m#*many cases absolutely certain. • • „