WIRE NETTING v. RABBITS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 17 July 1890, Page 6

WIRE NETTING v. RABBITS.

As this matter has been receiving some attention In Otago lately, the following extraots from a paper on "The Use of Wire Netting in the Destruction of Babbits,"* read by Mr T. A. Tabart before the Southern Ttismaniau A. and P. Association in May last, should be of more than passing interest i— Mr Allan M'Farlane, of South Australia, has station property to the extent of 6n,000 acres enclosed with wire-netting fencing. Along the mallee scrub . its height is srt 61n, and 4ft is the ordinary height. This is of various size mesh, a portion having been, first erected with 2in mesh. Finding this too large, a smaller mesh wire netting was attached to prevent rabbits getting through, making In reality a double fence. This naturally was ridiculously costly, bnt is absolutely proof against rabbits and dogs. Over this large area two sub-dividing fences have been erected to prevent the rabbits from " shifting." By tho aid of this fencing the pest have been reduced to suoh an extent that their presenoe is not now felt. Mr Agaa Wynne, a station holder near Damperdown, in the Western district of Victoria, v an experiment wired in 4000 aores of infested land. The rabbits were successfully cleared oft the country, and have not since reappeared. Tares only have.

been killed within four years, and these passed in from the caretaker neglecting to close a gate. This gentleman has 48.000 acres enclosed with wire netting, and within three years no lesß than 760.000 rabbits have been killed, at the present time the property being practically free from rabbits. The netting used i« lfcln mesb ; It is 3ft 6in wide, and is buried Bin, making the height when created 2ft 9in. Mr Bdward H. Lascelles narrates that in the summer of 1884 he started laying phosphorisqd eraln, chaff and arsenic with good results. Still, with the then mode of merely scattering it ia heaps amongst brushwood and near burrows, no extent of country could be got over, but only the best patohea were treated. When the grass became green very little execution was done by poison, and res>rt was made during the winter to trappers. At first this promised well ; rubbitskins were sold for a good price, the shire council gave a bonus for scalps, so the cost was not great. Still, at the end of the year it was found that, although the rabbits were thinned near the favourite campß, the men had no sooner gone to another place than they were as thick as ever. During the year 1884 he started a rabbit proof fence to enclose 31,000 acres, being, he believed, the first large enolosure for the purpose of exterminating rabbits. The fence consisted of about 24 miles of pine stubba and six miles of wire netting. Although the cost came to nearly £100 per mile, he was i at once satisfied that from the rapid deoiease of rabbits the erection of wire netting fencing w*s the best means of ensuring finality in rabbit destruction, and thenceforward his constant endeavour has been to Induce' his fellow citizens and tno Government to "it^s evident from the appropriation of "venue in Tlctoria in 1889 and '90 that the increase of tho rabbits and how to deal with them has forced upon the Government a large expenditure of money. It is worthy of note that for the " Extirpation of rabbits and wild animals " a sum of £44,450 has been voted besides which advances to shires for the purchase of wire netting fencing for the destruction and suppression of rabbits nnd other vermin a further sum of £150,00 Cis voted. This large expenditure practically (hows that the authorities In Victoria entertain the vlows I myself hold that wire netting fenc'ng is the primary step to rabbit destruction, and that assistance roust bo given to owners of pastoral properties to fence so that effective measures may be adopted to deal with tho ravages of this rodent. „ „ The Victorian Governmont Jast session of Parliament passed an Act for the Destruction of Babbits and Suppression of other Vermin, and with this is connected a " special fencing provision, under which the sum before quoted (£150.000) is diabnrned under the following conditions :— Any owner pr owners of a specified area in any shire can obtain wire netting, or other rabbit proof fencing, on petitioning tho shire council who supply it, with the consent of the Govemor-iii-Oouticil, out of the loan voted by Parliament for the purpose. The . petitioner has to give an estimate of the whole of the material required for f.mctng the land. The petitioner undertakes to par the council in each year and every year one-tenth (l-10th) part of his - proportion, with interest at the rate of 8 per cntum per annum. The petitioner has to erect on his land, with the material furnished, wlra nutting, or he will join with others in erecting the necessary fencing. The yearly payments become a first charge on the land of the petitioner. In the event of default In the yearly payments it may be enforced by the municipality in a summary way, by aotion in any competent court of jurisdiction Every mortgagee can make good the default In payment, which shall be deemed a part of the principal sum secured by »uoh mortgagee. Notice can be given to owners to erect fencing on land which, If not complied with, makes himguilty of an offence against the act, and if after a limited Hme, named In the notice, the fencing Is not completed the council can porform the work, the owner htvving to pay expenses, which 6hall be a charge upon the land affected. The Government of Queensland has made provision upon miscellaneous estimates for 1889 and '90 for the sum of £32 500 for rabbit proof fencing the boundary between New South Wales and Queensland to prevent rabbits coming within their colony showing dearly their estimate of the efficacy of wire netting fencing. • Having furnished the information as to what measures Victoria and Queensland are adopting to arrest the extension of rabbits. I propose to show that some of our Tasmanian landowners realise the importance of erecting wire netting fences against their depredations. To Bave the time of this meeting I have condensed questions and answers that were submitted by myself to Mr John Downle, of Glenelg, and Mr Thomas Steele, of Southernfteld. ' The report will show landowners in Tasmania that at all events we have those in the community with sufficient enterprise and intelligence to help themselves, when their interests are about to be paralysed by the advance of a disastrous pest. I intend to supply the press with full particulars received from the above gentlemen so that the public may be apprised of all the faots, and the importance of the information elicited. Mr Downie, of Glenelg, writes :— " I have erected about 17 miles of wire fencing and have already experlenoed considerible benefit^ from it. One of the properties, Dungrove, which has been enolosed about 12 months, will speak for itself, whpn I can carry more than double the sheep I have done for years, And now plenty of grass, and, further, it is fast regaining its old carrying capacity." Mr Downie says, he would hail with delight legislation compelling tbe general use of wire netting, and is confident of th« best results ensuing. The following is the kind of fencing used :— lsin mesh, 17 guage ; netting, 3ft 6in— that is, netting 3ft out of the ground, with 61n buried. Mr Thomas Steele, of bouthernfield, has recently erected 11 miles of wire netting f enoing, completely enclosing 2000 acres, and partially enclosing 6000 aores. The 2000-acre block was only completed last shearing. Mr Steele writes:— "l have hardly had time to give it a fair trial, but I believe it quite possible to eradicate rabbits therefrom, seeing the way in which the numbers are already reduced. Within the enclosure this season I have good crops of hay and wheat, while previous to the erection of * the netting *ence the rabbits took a considerable portion. The fencing, even though only partially enclosing the 6000-acre block, has given great benefit in keeping down rabbits Fencing, 3ft out of ground to 3ft 21n, accord ing to the nature of the country. In stony ground it is put 4in under ground, and in sandy soil Gin. The mesh is ljin and 17 guage." I can substantiate every particular furnished by Mr Downie, and from a personal inspection I can Affirm that the erection. of the wire netting fence is most perfect. ... In walking for two hours upon this land .not one rabbit was seen and but few traces. I have no hesitation in predicting that ■within 12 months no rabbits will be found inside the ■enclosed 3500 acres. I have for yeara given this matter serious coirid"tation, and am more impressed every day that if the rabbit is to be Buoc»ssfully and permanently dealt with the erection of rabbit-proof fencing will become more generally recognised as indispensable, and th* 1 primary step to be taken. This means reducing tho areas of land to be operated upon, and is followed by the question : How are landowners and occupiers to deal with so large an expenditure of money when financially the position of many would preclude the possibility of such an outlay? I unhesitatingly maintain that tho rabbit question is a national one, and that it has a vast influence over our cities, whose progress depends upon the pastoral * and agricultural interests of the colony. If thDir prosperity is interfored with, so in turn coiro> stagnation to trade and busies, and therefore, the rabbit being a common enemy, it can consistently be contended that the question ot Government assistance may fairly be considered under some such- conditions as those I now propose, viz. : - * That the Government shall be the importers of wire netting for rabbit-proof fencing, which should be admitted free of duty and carried over the Government lines free of cost (but only for the above purpose). That the Government shall supply netting for rabbit-proof fencing to the landowner at cot>t price with freight nrtdeu. That the price of such netting be piid by the lav lowner by yearly instalments extending over a term of years and bearing a low rate of interest. That the cast of tho netting frnciog bft made a lien upon the property in possession of the person who applies for the noting (in all caseß the owner making the application), That the standard for netting obtained from the Government shall be 3ft 6in— that is to say, 3ft above and 6in under the ground; the mesh shall, in all cases, be ljin with 17 gauge If effect was given to the preceding scheme, It ■would assist owners to secure their runs from the Inroad of negligent neighbours' rabbits, and in the case of small properties adj >inlng they could be fenced In groups, and the expense equally distributed. With suoh assistance provided by the Government, .the Fencing Act would require alteration, bo that boundary line fenoing with wire netting could be regulated. Instances have been named to me showing the

wilUngneßß of one neighbour to wire net the boundary, and the adjoining owner has deollnea to contribute his share of the cost of erecting this permanent barrier, so that the fencing has to be abandoned, or the careful owner submits to the whole expenditure for tho bonefit of one who is careless or n6 l g t wllfalso require the law to be made^penal to prevent the wilful destruction of netting fencing.

JUDGES' REPORT. In judging the farms entered for this competition the committee appointed by your association decided that prizes should be awarded by points, and with that object in view, issued circulars in which we 6 detailed the various points on which. the judges would estimate tbe result (the judges themselves having the arrangement of the points and value in each case). This wa9 done by the judges, after careful consideration of the termeon which similar competitions have been held in England and Australia, nor wns the fact lost sight of that it was possible to aicrifice useful to fancy farming ; having this in View, they Inserted the clause No. 15—" General management with a view to profit." And further to show on what lines they intended to go, inserted clause 16, to encourage competitors to keep accounts and so enable the judges to verify statements ; this plan has had an admirable result.

The judges have found that since their first visit the farmers have, more or less, improved I heir properties, not by fancy work, but by go id solid work that will go far to enhance the value of their land and th ft general productivene-s of it in the future. The attention to cleaning weeds is very marked; this, in the opinion of tbe judges, is a matter that requires the greateit attention from both small and Urge tV.rmers; there can be no doubt that all kinds nf weeds such as creeping grasses, fat hen, sorrel, wild turnip, ox-eye daisies, clover dodder, &0., am getting far too great a hold on the land, especially on those parts that have been brought into cultivation near Christchurch— to tbe general list of weeds must ba added the so-called Californtun thistle (carduus awensis), better known to English farmers as the Corn thistle. In a olimnte Bueh as ours there is no pncfcic.il difficulty in ridding the land of any of these plagues if the proper method ba adopted j and in this direction alone it is to be hoped that tbe aaao :!»- ! lon's effort 8 will produce practical results, by showing fa i •('.> s what intelligent management of the good laud t hey have to handle can do, and how good a living can be made from a small holding.

There is also much that oould be said on the practical working of grass-land in particular. This item of a f >rm<Vß business seems to the judges to be much negleciod by farmers generally ; young grass U shocked too early— hay is overlooked as a crop — and fields shut up too late for a good result— when the crop is taken In our hot aummers it is highly itipdvcablc to feed i>ur pasture, too bate. The htrowing ami r.-lling, r> seeding and top dressing of grass fields is al>o much nnglected. It would be reasonable to suppose (hat a little lt-bourspent inth's dhvcli'in would well rftpay itself in the increased profit that grass lands would yield. This fact has buen made very evident to the judges iv chelr observations of grass management <-n some of the farms entered, and they hav<3 awarded a large number of p inti to t-e gained under clause No 2, their opinion bping that in the generality of eaaes good grass land man-cement is the true foundation of success in growing cereals, it being of course understood that roots are not neglected. Top dressing Is also an Importaut factor. It seems to them that ac • matter of profit no better s> stem than that known ai the " five cnurse" oan be adopted, and that the loamy lands of this part of the country are eminently suited to this style of farming. The fertilisation of red clover through the introduction of the humble bee .is a matter of great importance In tbe value of land. It not only enables the farmer to produce a profitable crop, but adds greatly to the value of his land. It may not perhaps be out of place to luggeit th*t It

ments exposed to the weather when not in use. They would poiut out that rust is more iv jurioua to machinery and implements than actual wear. The judges have taken the liberty of making a somewhat long report, in the hope that some praotioal good may result from the remarks they have ventured to make, and trust the results will show that a man who works a small farm industriously and intelligently can make a good living. In England, great attention is given by small tenant farmers to raising horses— particularly hunters ; that line is hero worth attending to. but better would it be to attend to draught stock. Pigs, of course, are also worth attention. The small farmer's bucinesa is to attend to a< d consider all the small things, and «cc chat there^ is nothing wasted. In oonolusion, we have the honour to append our extended report on each of the winning farms. CLASS 1.-Mtt H eTpERYMAN'S FAKM. (Awarded First Prize.) This farm is situated at Tai Tapu, and contains 150 acre s, divided into six paddocks, giving an average aiea of 25 acres to each. We consider the paddocks too large for the size of the farm, and not suited for carrying on such a rotation as would enable the farm to be worked to the best advantage. The soil of the firm ranges from a light to a strong clay loam, and is of excellent quality. On the ocoasion of our first visit the farm gave evidence of previous bad management. We found some of the land infested with twitch (poapratensis), wild turnip, combine, and wild tares, the result of previous excessive corn cropping -five orops, two of wheat, two of oats, followed by a crop of barley. This, however, was exceptional treatment- the more general system being wheat out of grnss. potatoes, oats, and seeds, sometimes potatoes follow grass, then wheat and oats.

The farm is securely fenced with gorse hedges, well kept. The crops consisted off :— Twenty-four aores of wheat, sown August 22, dressed with ljoz bluestone. Twenty-four acres of oats, sown September 19, drmed with Joz bluestone. Fourteen aoreß barley. Two acres pea 9, sown September 19. Six acres potatoes, planted October 7. Two acres mangels, dressed with farmyard manure.

Seventy-eiuht aoreß under grass, 20 acres of which were out for hay. Stock.— Twenty-two heifers of the following ages : Nine under 12 months old, six under two years, seven under three years ; 15 milch cows are kept with an average of 10 alwa) sin milk. The whole of tbe milk is sent to the Tai Tapu Dairy Factory. According to the factory returns 70,4681b of milk were received from tbe farm, yielding 27461b of butter. The young cows are by a purebred shorthorn bull (bred by MrPaunett). This blood should improve the stock. The following is an analysis of 12 samples of milk obtained from the above cows :—

Sample: I , 9 per oent. cream ; 2, 0 do; 3, 15 do; 4, 13id0; 5. 7s do; 6, 11} do; 7,12 d0; 8, 7Jdo; D, 8 do ; 10, 6 do ; 11, 9} do ; 12, 12 do. Noa. 1,3, and 4 are half and tbree-quarter bred Ayrshire cattle, the others are made up of shorthorns and their crosses. Ofcourte the quantity of mHk hai to be taken into consideration ac well as the quality. For instance, No. 1 with 9 per cent, of cream gtve twloe m muob, milk as No. 3 with 19

No provision is yet made for collecting the liquid manure, such as we noticed at Mr Coup's farm. Since our first visit a substantial building bat been erected, containing a corn-crushing grinder and winnower, worked by an engine under cover of the same building. All the corn used for feeding pigs, horses, or cows is ground and crushed by this power ; grinding is also done for sundry farmers who may n quire it. The greater part of this work is done Mr Peryman himself during wot days and spare evenings. In conclusion, we hiwe much pleasure in»tatlng that a great improvement lias tak?a place on this farm since our first visit. We refer to the growth of twitch and other weeds observable in the growing crops. Since harvest, however, the stubble lands have all been skim ploughed, and thoroughly worked, with the result that the twitch has largely disappeared. The shed corn and weeds have vegetated, which must result in a fairly clean seed bed for the coming season. The pastures have been thoroughly well brush1 arrowed, and although barer than they should be (attributable in a great measure to the unusually dry season), they are fairly free from wneds. The following is Mr Peryjian's balance sheet and statement of stock, &0., &o. :— Receipts and Expbnditubb, From June 30, 1889, up to June 30, 1890. with summary of stock, &0., up to the same date. (Published by Permission.) BBOBIPTB. & s. d. Wheat, 700 bushels ... ... 117 3 4 Oats, f SO bushels ... ... 63 15 0 Barley, 6i4 bushels ... ... 80 10 0 Potatoes, 19 tonß ... ... 38 0 0 Butter, 27461b ... ... 98 6 10 Wool ... ... ... 32 1 7 Lambs, 103 ... ... ... 57 1 7 Sheep ... ... ... 40 6 0 Pigs ... ... ... B8 10 9 Oatsheaf chaff, s tons ... 12 10 0 Horse 501 d.,. ... ... 10 0 0 Cows ... ... ... 13 5 0 £621 10 1 EXPENDITURE. £ s. d. Rent ... ... ... 200 0 0 Labour ... ... ... 124 10 0 Rales and insurance, &c. ... 40 2 2 Threshing ... ... ... 30 0 0 Timber and brain pipes ... 15 0 0 Machinery and expensea „. 20 8 6 Balance ... ... ... W l 8 5 £621 10 1 VAXUB OF STOCK, SEED, &C, June 30, 1889. £ s. d. Implements... ... ... 238 0 0 Horses, 7 101 0 0 I Oows and heifers ... ... 141 0 0 1 Sheep 42 15 0 Pigs ... ... •» 21 0 6 Seed corn, 200 bushels... ... 34 15 0 Feed corn. 450 bushels ... 48 2 6 Potatoes, 6 tons ... ». 9 0 0 Hay, 40 tons ... ... 60 0 0 Straw, 60 tons ... ... 30 0 0 Mangels, SO tons ... ... 15 0 0 Balance, being increase of value of stock, 4o ... ... 119 12 8 £860 5 §

ViXUB OP STOCK, SEED, June 30, 18H0. Implements... Horses, 6 ... ••• Oowb and heifers ... Sheep ... ••• Pigs Seed corn, &0., 396 bushels Feed corn, 360 bushels Potatoes, 26 tons Hay, 40 tons ... Straw. 66 tons Mangels, 80 tons ... Oat-sheaf chaff, 8 tons Bye, 24 bushels Peas, 40 bushels ... £ a. d. ... 281 1 5 ... 90 0 0 ... 166 0 0 ... 44 11 8 ... 15 15 0 ... 44 15 7 ... 2* 15 0 ... 45 10 0 ... CO ft 0 ... 33 6 0 ... 24 0 9 ... 20 0 0 ... 312 0 ... 5 0 0