CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 7

CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

Bx Lincoln.

MRS K. B. FERGUSON, WAITATI.

An Ayrshire herd which can boast of the Most Points Cup at the Dunedin show, and innumerable first prizes, a large number of which have been won so far distant as the New South Wales Royal show, is well worthy of the notice of all dairy farmers in Otago, and more particularly those who are admirers of the popular little Scotch breed. This is the very gratifying position of the herd of Mrs K. B. Ferguson, of Waitati, who is a large and successful exhibitor at the Dunedin, Palmerston, and Waitati shows. In addition to the honour of gaining the mest-points prize at last Dunedin show, may be mentioned that of having bred the champion bull, ,now the property of Mr P. Ireland. Mrs Ferguson has in all 954 acres of land, split up into four farms. The home farm, of 84 acres, consists of a good free clay loam, on the banks of the Waitati Stream, and right in the heart of the township. The land is 1 all under pasture, with the exception of 38 acres, cultivated to provide extra fodder for the stock, 34 of which are in oats, the remaining four being under turnips and mangels. The oat crop on the home farm is a nice even one, and though nothing further can yet be estimated, it can be seen from the straw alone that there will be some aching backs at harvest. The turnip crop is looking well, and the mangels, though late, promise well, and have in previous "years, as might well be expected on a sea flat of such good quality, always been a success. In a padclock of ryegrass, cocksfoot timothy, cowgrass, and red and white clover, from which a heavy crop of hay has been ta'keii, there is now a substantial aftermath, partially due, no doubt; to the favourable weather experienced. The clovers and the cocksfoot have come away again rapidly, and the later-flower-ing grass timothy is now at its best. There are at present 21 cows in milk. The first to claim attention is Lora M'Pherson 11, by Master Jack, dam Lora M'Pherson. She is a nice three-year-old cow with a good head and neck, level back, fine shoulders, roomy quarters, and well-placed vessel. Lora as a yearling took first at Dunedin, Palmerston, and Waitati shows, again as a two-year-old, and as a, three-year-old at Dunedin and Waitati, coming second to the champion cow at Palmerston. Next, in Nell of Waitati, comes an old prize-taker, and one which has left some good stock, by that not-forgotten bull Ayrshire King. Moss Rose, by Master Jack, dam Maggie, is another aged cow, who, when shown at Dunedin in November, was not placed. This is said to have been due to her having calved too long a time before the show. She is a pretty red and white cow, well wedge-shaped, with a fine tail well set on, good head and neck, and carries her age well. Lady Emma II is a bonny two-year-old heifer by First Choice, clam Lady Emma. She has a nice head and neck, level back, fine and well-set tail, and an excellent, bag. The next to attract attention is Beatrice, bred by Mr J. Grant, of Southland, and a cow of the same type of dairy Ayrshire as those bred by Mrs Ferguson. This is a small cow, showing a great deal of qiiality; she has a very nice udder, large prominent milk veins, and has also left some excellent stock. Beauty, also bred by Mr Grant, is very similar in form to Beatrice, and is also the mother of some excellent stock. Among the dry cows and heifers is Olive, by Master Jack, dam Queen, a nice three-year-old, who was third at Dunedin and second at Waitati show this season. She is finer on the shoulder than a number of the others. Hilda, a good two-year-old by First Choice, dam Beauty, is a heifer showing much quality. This year she gained first prize at Dunedin and third at Palmerston. Other two nice heifers are a pair by First Choice, one out of Queen, the other's dam being Nell of Waitati. First among the bulls comes First Choice, an animal whose reputation as a stock-getter proves him to be better than his appearance would suggest. He is a good colour, and has a long heacj, and neck of the dairy stamp. This animal's stock have proved themselves as good at filling the pail as at carrying off prizes. Windsor, by Master Jack, clam Violet, is a good two-year-old bull. He has only once been in the show-ring, and in that instance he gained the metropolitan first prize. Windsor has a good head and neck, finer forequarters than First Choice, good level back, and a fine tail, nicely set on. A yearling bull, Prince Alfred, by First Choice, dam Lucy, is a nice animal all round, and this year gained first place at the Dunedin, Palmerston, and Waitati shows. Noticeable also is a very promising bull calf by First Choice out of Beatrice. A point worthy of note in this herd is the consistency of type throtighout, and the absence of that old fault of a marked falling off in quality after the few leading lights in the herd have been considered. Though perhaps so prominent a place has never been taken in the equine as in the bovine portion of the showyard, the name "Ferguson" is by no means unknown among the prize-winners in the Clydesdale rings of Otago. .The Clydesdale stud is small in point of numbers, but the animals., though not of mammoth-like proportions, are by no means lacking in quality. A trait peculiar to the best of stockbreeders is that consistency of type throughout the stud previously mentioned as" existing in the Ayrshire herd. Though the animals are not the sort for the London brewer's dray, they are not the stamp of beast it is usual to let off lightly by saying, "Oh, they're good farmer's animals." Among the brood mares the first, is Moss Rose, by Lord Salisbury, dam Banker's Blossom. In former years Rose was well known in the showring. She is a light bay mare, -vith fine sloping shoulders, good quarters and bocks, and good clean legs, and is running with a big forward colt foal by Russell's Fancy. The next mare is ' Darling, by Salisbury's Pride, dam Moss Rose. She is running with a promising filly foal by Clyde Bank. Nancy is a nice old mare by Emperor, and has a foal at foot by Lord Lyon, which is the best youngster on the farm. The last brood mare is Nell, by Young Salisbury, dam Nancy. Nell shows a lot of quality, like her companions. She moves well, and running with her is a good filly foal. Of the three dry mares, Princess, a good, long, low-set animal, is by Mrs Nimmo's Prince. Dora, a browa mare hy Wallace, dam Naucjf, is closer

I coupled than her haif sister Princess-; tund Blossom, a chestnut by Craigicv/tr. dam Banker's Blosisuin, is a big topped mare of good quality. I also noted that conspicuous among a quartet of fillies is a bonnie bay tvro-year-oid by St. Alexander.

As je common (his season, there is on Mrs Ferguson's farm t-1 Waitati an abundance of fend, and the stock arc nil looking well, and from appearances are destined to comply \mh the lait line of Kipling's famous patriotic poem, though in a different sense, and "Pay — pay — pay."