THE SUPPLY OF ANIMAL FOOD.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 108, 2 November 1858, Page 3

THE SUPPLY OF ANIMAL FOOD.

( From the Melbourne Herald) A VER-? general apprehension exists in quarters generally pretty well informed, that, before many years have passed over our heads, all descriptions of stock will become exceedingly scarce and dear in this colony, and that meat will consequently be sold at fabulously high prices. The alarmists argue that the increase in the number of our sheep and cattle bears no proportion whatever to the increase of men, women, and children; that the principal portion of our supplies are already derived from other colonies, and that at the rate at which stock for slaughter are imported into this colony from New South Wales and South Australia, the supply of sheep and bullocks in the Victoria markets must soon become extremely scanty. Without altdgether endorsing this vieiv of the case—for we certainly are under the impression that the almost inexhaustible flocks and herds of New South Wales are well able to spare the 106,105 horned cattle, and the 575,336 sheep which they sent us during 1857—the aspect of affairs appears somewhat alarming. It is plain that when a province as large as France does not produce all the meat" required for a population of 450,000 people, and when in a country pre-emi-nently pastoral, there are not many more sheep than in one English county, Leicestershire, there must be something wrong somewhere, the resources of the country cannot be fully developed. Of course the plan of raising turnips, mangold wurzel, and other roots of a similar character, for the purpose of feeding stock, more than quintuples the depasturing powers of a country; but, as it remains to be proved whether such a system of farming would pay at the rates of labor ruling here, we will not blame those engaged in stock farming for not feeding as many sheep or cattle to an acre as is done in the motherjcountry. There is, however, no excuse for their not taking every possible advantage of the natural grasses of the country, and for not keeping their stations fully stocked. In the old days of Port Phillip, no man was allowed to retain ,a run if he had not sufficient capital to put as many sheep or cattle upon it as, in the opinion of the Crown Land Commissioner, it could depasture. Now a-days, this very wholesome rule is practically abrogated ; and there are stations in the Lower Avoka and Lake Hindermarsh districts, which have not been anything like fully stocked, and others which have not had a sheep or bullock upon them for some years. Of course there is some reason for this waste of the public lands. In one case there is no permanent fresh water; and the lessee of the run is either too indolent or to poor to make the necessary outlay for constructing dams or sinking an artesian well. In another case the settler has fallen into those laissez faire habits, which a long residence in localities remote from the haunts of man has a tendency to produce, and having enough income to supply his not very extravagant requirements, he does not care to borrow capital or to go into debt fofthe purpose of buying more stock. In a third, the irregular

boundaries of a run prevent a portion of it from being used, as the sheep would nave to travel too far to and from water. From all these causes, and half-a-dozen others, the effect remains the same,—that in many districts thousands of acres, which would support'and fatten an enormous number of stock, are left quite untenanted, except by the animals. It is generally supposed that the government will bring forward some new land regulations next session; but a very-old and homely proverb, and one particularly applicable in the present instance, hints that while the grass grows, the animal for whose use it is growing too frequently starves. While we should cordially support the introduction of an entirely new code of laws relating to the sale of public lands, we think that in the mean time it would not he very difficult to make, such regulations as would compel the present lessees of runs to fully stock them or give them up. No man should be allowed to retain thousands of acres without making any use of them, while there are hundreds of persons in the colony ready to embark their capital and their energy in developing our resources and finding fresh fields for the employment of our laboring population. The interest of the individual should always be made subordinte to that of the public.