A Visit to Knapdale Station

Mataura Ensign, Volume 9, Issue 642, 11 February 1887, Page 4

A Visit to Knapdale Station

Probably no station is better known in the history of Southern Otago than Knapdale. It was already old when the adventurous miner and still- more adventurous waggoner first painfully wended his way to the new Golconda in the recesses of the distant Alps? then vaguely spoken of as "The Lakes." The highway from the northern part of Otago and from the rapidly thinning gold fields was [ for a long distance through the run, as it was by way of it that the transition was made from the valley of the Clutha to that of. the Mataura. Wow and then ', in transactions of local bodies and in ! scraps of conversation we encounter the words " The old Lakeroad." That highway, the bearer once of high hopes, and equally deep despondency, is now a thing of the past. It has been parcelled out in scraps, and only such portions of it as can be locally utilised have been retained.. . Then, Knapdale run was bounded by the Waikaka on one side and the Mataura on the other. Touching the Waikaka run, now better known as Ibbot son's, on the north, it extended right down to where the Waika^a and the Mataura unite at the Town of Gordon, and was undoubtedly one of the best runs in Otago. And the man whom this tract of 27,000 acres called master deserved his luck as did others who were pioneers and whom subsequent crowding of population caused to be wrongfully regarded as selfish monopolists. These men, many of them with families, penetrated the untrodden wilds, and endured all the discomfort which isolation and remoteness could confer. A journey thea to a town was a work, of difficulty and danger and not to be lightly undertaken. The rivers were hot bridged, the swamps had not become solidified by drainage, and places of rest and accommodation were few and far between. If in after years these pioneers reaped the reward of their energy and foresight and pluck, surely it is wrong to grudge it to them. Nowadays vre speak admiringly of the pluck of a man who settles on an unimproved farm with small means, and, when he has surmounted his. early difficulties, pat him on the back, metaphorically, and say "Well done." Such an undertaking requires great and persistent industry and economy, but the privations endured by such must be now only comparative when compared with those of the earliest settlers, while the pluck in th.3 latter case was greater because many of them, had considerable means, and thus played not only for a higher stake, but incurred risks which necessity did not compel them to. Knapdale homestead, as every one aoout here knows, stands in one of the hollows which have been left in the high terrace which overlooks the Mataura oh its eastern side, and is. roughly, about five miles from Gore. The site chosen bears evidence of the foresight of the owner, for not only does the hollow mentioned give easy access from the bed of the river below, where there yras formerly in use a ford, but it commands a wide view of the property towards the Waikaka. When the house was built the owner did not neglect to provide for future use and ornament by planting abundance of trees. A plantation forming two sides of- a square was planted, and the ground so included was stocked with fruit trees, which now without any trouble abundantly repay the trifling outlay of time and money An experiment was made in a large portion of the plantation by setting Austrian Pines, but they do not appear to have been a great success as they are easily blown down. The gale of last Saturday had capsized several, and ttio point at which they yielded at the surface of the ground showed by the fracture that the wood was exceedingly brittle and not well rooted. Besides these pines, however, which only, occupy, the lower part of one wing of the plantation, are numerous other trees — firs, oaks, larches, hazels, planes, etc., in great profusion. There are a few blue gums but they do not appear to have thriven. There appears great difficulty in growing Australian trees in Southland, and there can be no doubt the failure is due to ignor-r ance of the habits of the trees.: Blue gums grow in swamps in Australia naturally, and yet we expect tbem to grow here on exposed ridges, forgetting that there are numerous others of the eucalypti which would suit it quite well. The same with the mimosa. No attempt apparently has . been made to import other than the seed of the white wattle, while there are far more beautiful if smaller kinds which will grow, in the poorest soil. As for the garden at Knapdale, it is a mass of luxurant vegetation. The crop of oherries and small fruits has been most prolific, and those coming in— as apples and plums and pears — are ejually so. Regarding the pears a somewhat novel (for these parts) experience was this season met with. The tveps looked healthy, 'and year by year showed an immense mass of blossom, yet produced little or no fruit. Then Mr M'Queen, the manager, havina read of the process, caused them to be rootpruned. 4. deep trench was dug all round the tree about two feet from it, and from it an attack was made on the tap root which was cut deeply on both sides. The result has been that q,U the trees are now loaded with fruit for the first time. The apple trees bore evidence by the many wart -like knobs on them that blight had been severe, but the crop does not seem to be affected, as it does not appear possible that trees could suppo any Wore or of finer quality, Mr M'Queen thinks the best remedy for blight is to thin out the trees and give them plenty of fresh air and sunlight. The homestead is amply provided with all the means of carrying on work on a large scale- In the guily below the house is a large building which is entirely devqted {p. fb,e sfarage and, treatment of grass^ seed. This forms an. important item in the* routine of the station as year by year grass is being laid down, and" Mr M'Q,ue*n doesi this by a regular system. 4 large water wheel, impelled by a never failing supply of water springing a little further above, puts in motion large fanners and sieves, the seed being fed to them by shoots fram the upper floor, where it is received in the rough state from the thrashing machine. A good many of the neighbors avail themselves pf. the ample machinery h,ere fqr the purpose of cleaning their seed also, a small pharge being made for the privilege. And as mention has been made of the neighbops, it may here be said that the moat cordial relations exist between them and the original holder of the land. They are not regarded as intruders on the one Laud, nor do they regard ft© station as

b»ing f a gri e vance to . them, v Tijey are simply neighbors, and m all ttir endless and mutual connections which agricultural neighbors necessarily have, there, has yet- been no disagreement. .Such a circumstance is gratifying to both parties* Evidence was not wanting of ijhe eiilterice of the rabbit nuisance. Oh th« ground floor of the seed shed, there r&n. about gui te a number of ferrets, some of which are young and others of ; which $ra used with the gun.. The modus operan/ii is to put the ferrets in the under-runn^rs which abound, and when the rabbits are driven out they fair victims to th« gun or. . dogs. •' ■■ " : "' : * '■' '■ r '- ; * ; ■•'"• '■ - ! "^ Reference to rabbits leads, to a fewpr«marks on the question. The idea that rabbits will take oats simply phosphbriJTedj in summer, when other food is abundant, is laughed at. Nay more, the praefcicejof it is said to.be. injurious f! fpr •this reason. Phosphorus when . exposed \ to... thV^iiir ixidises and produces phosphoric acid which is exceedingly bitter, so that rabbits which once taste it are not poisoned >J bat entertain, an aversion to it which* not even the scarcity of food will overcome* The phosphorus is not itself seductive, ' therefore the bait must be made so^ and this is done either with .'oil .of rhodium or sugar, or both. Moreover, the grain, whether wheat or oats —it does not matter which— should be crushed. By this means 4 , after impregnation the mass collects :^n ! lumps, and these lumps, when nibbled pjre., sent an ever fresh and deadly surface- 2£r M'Queen also derives considerate^ amusement from the; publication ©^certain nostrums for the destruction ef rabbits. When wheat was used, he says, the seconds were utilized. These seconds are invariably largely intermixed 'with oats, so that the oat discovery was not a discovery «t all. The . only* effectual enemy is,declared to be the natmral enemy, and the best available is the fejf^fc. Cats will not live, '- for they eat^fclje poisoned entrails of the rabbit, and th^mselves fall Victims. MeinwKjle^eyßfy available method as taken of averting the plague, and with constant supervision^it is. kept within appreciable, limits- *$M As so large a portion of Enapdale^s under pasture and . as more is .'ht^sg brought under every day, jtmay be well to note how Mr M'Queendpes itand.aee whether his remark that lie earinotalEord to do it badly ia justified; WhWiiilc land is broken up, having been ploughtd twice and a crop of broadcast turmps taken off, it is ready ifor grass/ FrrstMt is ploughed well, and then* get thr^fc^ol* of the tripod harrows and a good pniverisihg with the Cam bridge roiler? the ryegrass' and .^cksfoof ''*%&* tag!* Then tripod harrow again.' ■.The!%Kffr ;seeds are then sown/ sucH as timothy Wjhl the clovers and rib grass, with the hurdy gurdy as it is called.., Then the chain harrows are lightly applied,- and the whole is finished off with three turns of the Cambridge roller. It must .fa agreed that this method ought to jcut* tivate the soil if anything will, a Tn:e following proportions of seed are sown 1 : —Rye grass, 201bs ; - timothy, 6lbs% cocksfoot, from 51bs to 121 b» accordin&^o the soil; cowgrass, 21bs ; Alsyke,filp|jM white clover, l}tt»;' trefoil, lib'jvW rib-grass, |lb. Besides the gr»S^ named, Mr At' Queen has - labored^© introduce Fescues (meadow and Hard) .and meadow fox tail and crested dogs tail. But it is complained that there^s absolutely no guarantee of the purity,' or vitality, of the imported. .-seed. Cocl&sfoot imported is frequently 1 75- per Cttoit Yorkshire fog, which has very, lewfriends indeed, and absolute purity Ccik only be relied upon wHendn* can few his own seed. While the home m&ftt has to b 8: depended .up^n^ this? i4 r?wftremely difficult of; attainroflnt^ffifrsit seems that any rubbish is cOnsidewd good enough for the. colonies.,;, .^h© difficulty of obtaining permanent pasture next claims notice. The so called fallow of perennial rye grass is frequently ¥ AAfte t not to the fraud of the seed seller bu#so a fact often overlooked by the soireivT&e natural grasses of the country Imfe bushy fibrous roots. The; process of cog. tivation does not macerate these, Wt gathers them into bails of v fibre which take years to decay. Consequently a surface growing grass finds itself frf. quently cut off from the moisture beloit, and dies of thirst. The cowgrasf #ift not perpetuate itself because M fitfo absence of the humble bee, but this :is said to have been introduced ~sn<k> a succulent and abundant clover added to the permanent list. The importeSt fescues, especially the meaaW yariefr, look very well. It has a very thin r Seed stalk, but a most iuxunant andejuicj stool, eminently suitable/ for low ground. There can be no 'doubt/ that if f -he .expenditure of money agd the ©xercisa .of rare skill and persistence, together mmkeeh powers of bbiervWtipß, ? will ' i)rb|aS pasture, Mr McQueen will^ate' KMfo dale a paradise 1 of yerduro 1 ;' ' '^^s'., There are oe( the 'station at pr^s"fen4 v about 33>000 sheep, priricipally-haffirM&, and the shearing ;just_ concluded^ts been one of the best known. Nodpj|bjfc thi3 is largely due to luxuriant fee&Mti it is also owing to the freedom sheep from the various iUs'tliat o^Tne flesh is heir to under; artifeeiWi t; treaMent. Take for instance the? dipping^for -ficli 1 . Almost any dip.will kill ticj?a aa^iM although glycerinedrp ismsedi at -KiSp" dale being con-ppisonous, but as a- rale * the operation .is ■ not. n welj^ do^ei ifi« sheep are dipped, the insects are"kU]p, and the slieep are turneii out presumably happy for another yeari ; But the'd^per forgets that although he mayS KSfo killed the parent insects, their ?Wv<e may still remain uninjured, and whfen they produce life ; the sheep may Jb^i» bad as ever. Therefore, at Knap4«Se sheep are dipped twice,; in order 'fmjt anyinsects.whichmay have been hatcHed out since the first dipping may ? % destroyed before they have ftad 4iiie to perpetuate themselves. Theh : there is June- worm : almost every sheep farmer has a cure for that, and all t>(Kcui>ss are perfect cures. . Mt- McQueen '^as come to the conclusion that j^ng-wqrm is caused by foul feed; and that by frequent change of pagtiire, cbe tße change ever so little, as long ar the food is fresh and not! tainted <witbj the droppings and exhalations from the sheep, not onjy may lung. worm be cured but almost absolutely prevented. He thinjcß many of the cures owe their , repute entirely to the fact that a cure lias been brought about b,y natural means. In this as with all things else prevention is better than- cure. Lung-worm is un< known as: a serious cause of loss «t Knapdale. Scour s except the : natural and healthy result -i of spring grazing, comes .under the same category^. Jft short, it would appear that many of tliescourges which afflict animals are the result of unskilful or careless treatment. All the work at Knapdale is done -by contract,, but the contractors do iibt belong to the nomad, class^, A man who pan do his wqrlf ha» p^en.ty s tci: do 'ill, the year round aodmc|s| cif tKero -stay, years. A ride : throiigh' the cultivated portion gives a good idea of the extensive nature of the operations carried on. In one paddock of 1800 acres of grass reaping was going on-; Thrashing had been started out of the stook,, but whenever raiu touches the stooks thrashiug