NORTH AUCKLAND CLOCKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15170, 9 December 1912, Page 5

NORTH AUCKLAND CLOCKS.

-■-~; 4;9AISaFAarOBY INCREASE.

WE& . official sheep , returns for the | Dominion show a decrease of 246,973 on April 30 Of the current year, as against ! the number of the corresponding period ; in. 1911. The flocks this year aggregated :, 23,750,153, which, in the face of the largo, continuous exportation* of frozen oar•cases, must be considered as very s&tis- - factory. f ; In the nin» counties in North Auckland the? wool and mutton industries are ap•fpealing strongly to the settler, and despite the generous sums earned, from, dairying, • many farmers prefer:to devote all their attention to sheep. Hie climate of the ndfthefa peninsula appears to be exactly .». suitable for the growth of wool and mutton, in fact authorities on the subject ;■■ Mate it is -worth half a sheep to the acre i owt those territories .situated south of Auckland. Early lambings take place in June, cold and frost, as they are known in southern districts, are liefer e&perififlfted, every ftu'hi intersected by well •. :flaterjsd,.wann, sheltered valleys, and ailments amongst the flocks are so small that' they are never considered gravely. - The Romhey-Lincoln is the favourite breed* and appears to give ideal fleece and flesh results. There are stud farms in each county, by means of which the widely disbereed flocks are constantly le- • invigorated,, and the demand from .other territories for breeding ewes cannot M met. ,!':■ In the counties under review, Rodney ,leads in flock matters, having 80,441 sheep, being art increase of 3000 on last year figures. Otamatea comes next with 63,000, showing again an increase of 3KB: Whangarei numbers are 43,925: ~ Hokiahga. in twelve months, hae added 7524 to its flocks, Which now contain 22,291 sheep; and Bay of Islands, with 45,689, shows just an increase of 1033 on year's figures. Decreases rue shown in Mangonui, the numbers having fallen from 7746 to 7346; Bobson from 54,293 to 48.912. There Waitemiita, from 50,335 to 49,937. These . are due primarily to an increased local consumption, and secondly to the activities of Auckland agents, who vie with ■ one another in purchasing lambs 'at the freezing etagO. V-jj.Eight years ago, North Auckland flocks aggregated "231.517 sheep,- whilst ;;recent yea fa ahow an lhcleafce of 158.201 > and the increase of 13,304 on la*t> year's I figures denotes that a decided spurt has •taken place in the industry. . , : Paradoxical as it may appear, the only drawback to ideal sheep breeding results , in North Auckland is the fact that feed . is too plentiful, and farmers have to Care- > fully guard against allowing their 5 flocks ,to depasture unduly on the ridi flats. ; Much has been said of the poor northern :; lands, and the foregoing statement will /perhaps help to balance the erroneous recitab so frequently made. On the Warm, sandy loam areas which till recently were looked upon as being only Valuable according to the kauri gum dc- - posits they contained, 6heep thrive bravely When ploughed and manured these lands respond quickly to cultivation, ■ carry good pa»iiirago, and, geologically, .•We ideal for the feet of sheep. It is -averred that such territory produces, the Met of Wool, almost equal to that which .'• has made Balclutha famed for its fleeces, and that' Hie growth of carcass exceeds : that which obtains on cleared bush lands. ';{ For years past North Kaipara wool hits \ commanded the highest ruling prices in ;we Homo market, and at the recent : fecal sales bales from the northern

peninsula sold at loading rates.' ' A point of value- in connection with ;'n«ep in the territory indicated, is that on : account of the narrow width of the .;pß&ifisula, which contains an area of 5942 *quaro miles, salt equal to 1 cwt. per acre » annually precipitated <m the soil from ..'■'.'Wte brine laden winds which ever prevail. ' This is regarded by past oralis la as a. fer- ;•• tilising agency of unique worth, and is a ' factor of distinct advantage to the sheep . •adnstry. ' tJ^ Gta still remain tens of thousands of -VC"*^ 8 of forest-clad country to be cleared t*™ bo converted into pastoral territory, *tti Bucn areas require hard, feeding for $PJ*»' few years by cattle before they be- {*&« ' ideal sheep ground?. But on the llfrf* 0 ? country which strotches away *ntt>ugh the nine counties there. are.great ItERm 0 *® 8 - •which, within another decade, IfiPi carry flocks which, in point of mira,'W, will rival those in other districts sj : |*garded essentially as the homes of Vomiaian sheep* lit'-: . • ' - ."" a,- , . ■■■■.-■ ■