A NEW ZEALAND FARMER IN ENGLAND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9866, 7 October 1903, Page 2

A NEW ZEALAND FARMER IN ENGLAND.

As regards sheep-breeding, Mr A. C, Thompson, an Otago fanner, now visiting Engla.nd, bos come to one very distinct conclusion, and that is that tlie large adoption of the Border-Leicester type of slieep of late hi; Canterbury and Otago is a mistake. He admits that the BorderLeicester slieep looks well, is large and grows quickly to maturity, but he finds that after butchering the meat does not turn out satisfactorily the fat and lean are not well mixed, arid thus the class is not so profitable as others.' If New Zealand wanted to keep up the quality of its meat it could not do better than stick to the "black faces." But the cross known, as Corriedale seemed' to be coming into a good deal of favor as. a special New Zealand breed.: It certainly was a good one in regard to both wool and to mutton. Mr Thompson went on ' to say, |"I wish you would give one hint to the New Zealand exporters, and that is that they should' leave a bit' of skin about the size of a penny on the hock, so as-, to show the breed of the sheep. I am certain it would make a difference of fully id per lb in /fake value o»f the mutton, owing to the high estimation in ' which the mutton of the black-faced breed is held." Asked whether he had looked in at Smithfield, Mr' Thompson, said ihe had done so, and was astonished ;to notice the rough and dirty mariner in which the New Zealand meat was handled there. "When I was there it was thrown about anyhow on djarty floors and knocked , about without any care. I complained of this, but was told that the thing could not be altered. But it seemed to me rather, hard, after the New Zealand producers had. taken such pains to send their, meat Home beautifully clean- and well packed and looking as uice as possible, to have it mauled about and covered , with dirt in London. All this, of course, could very well be altered, but there seems no disposition to do' it." "You have been looking into dairy produce matters, too, have you not?" he was asked. "Yes ; I went over to my native country.. Ireland, my first visit since I left it 27 years ago. I visited both North and South, and I must confess I was greatly saddened by the general state, of affairs which I noticed." "What do you think of the Irish metliods of dairying and butter-making?" \"To tell the truth," said Mr Tliompson, "I found them very far belli rid the 'age ; both the metliods and the appliances were old-fashioned, and have long been obsolete elsewhere. The Irish: creameries are as far behind as those of New Zealand were ten' years ago— that is to say, the preseut-day Irish creameries are quite ten years behind those of New Zfealand. It is really quite a puzzle to me to understand how they can turn out such good. butter as they do with suck inferior and antiquated plant. I am curious to • see their methods in Denmark andj Sweden. After I have inspected them I will come- and see you again and let you know the result."