KING COUNTRY FARMING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 508, 10 November 1928, Page 27

KING COUNTRY FARMING

SEASON’S PROSPECTS GOOD (From Our Resident Correspondent.) TAUMARUNUI, Friday. Reports to hand from all over the King Country indicate that the prospects for the wool season are very bright. The coming of better weather has made it possible for the farmers to get on with shearing operations, and practically all important sheds are now in full swing. Many have already cut out. Except in a few cases where the severe cold snap of a month ago dealt heavily with the young lambs, the sheep have come through the winter wonderfully well, and it Is confidently anticipated that the clip this season will he one of the best that has been taken from this district for many years past. Mr. W. D. Williamson, who is well known in the Taumarunui locality as a practical farmer, with interests in various places, has just returned from overseeing operations on his property at Te Kuiti, and states that that portion of the King Country is looking exceptionally well this season. The lambing has been good. With the proper application of top-dressing, Mr. Williamson has increased the carrying capacity of his Te Kuiti farm during the past 12 months by a sheep to the acre, and maint&ins that very large portions of land in other parts of the district could be made to give much greater results If they were systematically farmed in a practical manner. Mr. Williamson’s holding consists of 150 acres; on this 400 sheep were wintered, and the recent “docking” showed 120 per cent, of lambs, includ ing SO sets of twins. Each year sees dairymen in the King Country exhibiting a greater regard for the necessity of breeding up to a standard if the best results are to be obtained. Quite a lot of pedigree stock has been imported lately, iu addition to which local breeders are beginning to place their stock on the market. On some farms the dairy stock are of a particularly high grade, a notable instance being the Opatu herd, owned by Mr. D. F. McLeod. This farmer deals in the Red Poll class, which he considers to be admirably suited to King Country climatic conditions. At the recent Royal Show in Palmerston North Mr. McLeod exhibited two Red Poll yearlings, a heifer and a bull. From a class of eight entries which were the pick of the Dominion's herds, the heifer gaiued second prize. This animal was disposed of later on the showgrounds for 95gns. The bull carried off the third prize in his class, and was later sold for 60gns. In addition to the successful selling of the two animals at the show, Mr. McLeod had numerous inquiries from prospective buyers regarding units from his Opatn herd.