SHEARING AT BUNGAREE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1417, 18 January 1879, Page 5

SHEARING AT BUNGAREE.

The Northern Argus publisher a description of the Hon. G. O. Hawker's station at Bungaree, and thus writes respecting the shearing operations :—" We were surprised on reaching the shed to see so many men employed and everything going on with the regularity of clockwork. There were fifty. four shearers on the boards, over eighty hands being employed in all — presßere, fieeqe-

pickers, yarders, branders, and musterera. The shed arrangements seemed perfect. The sheep to be shorn oocupiel the middle space of the building, wh'ch is capable of holding 1100, and the shearers were on each side. Wheu shorn the sheep were turned into small £>ens ; every two sheareis hai a pen, and by that meats it was easily known who did the work well, and those who might bo disposed to 'tomahawk' the sheep could soon be stopped. The fleeces were canied by boys to a large screen, where they were foded and placed in screw presses and packed as tightly as possible. They were afterwards placed in a powerful hydraulic press and hoopiron bands liveted round them, when they were ready to be carted away. The branding was done very dexterously as the sheep passed through narrow yards that would only admit two in width, the brandera doing the work from the outside. There are between 70,000 and 80,000 sheep on the run, and upwards of 3000 is the average shorn daily. The sheep generally are large framed and well bred. Tney are in capital condition, and the fleeces weigh unusually heavy. We noticed a large number of lambs, and on enquiry were informed that the lambing season had been favourable, the avtrage being 93 per cent. The Bungaree she p are larger than they were some years ago. This has been effected by careful culling and slightly crossing the Merinos. The wool therefore is long and close and of a remarkably fine texture. Every possible care is taken by the overseer, Mr Noble, to improve the flocks, both as regards the quality of the wool and the size of the shtep."