HOW SMALL SHEEP-FARMS CAN WORK.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 160, 3 May 1859, Page 3

HOW SMALL SHEEP-FARMS CAN WORK.

(From the New Zealander, March 26.) One of the delusions propagated—and perhaps in part believed'—by some of the advocates of direct private purchase of land from the natives is, that sheep-farming is only profitable when pursued on a large scale—on such extensive runs, in one block, as cannot be obtained from Government; wherefore capitalists should, be permitted to compete one against the other in bribing the natives to sell land to them rather than to the Government.

That these capitalists, if they succeeded in obtaining these desired counties and principalities in extent, would therefore become practical sheep-farmers, and would not seek to make a harvest out of the new-comers—who would then be at their mercy, is what we have never yet known any " direct purchase " advocate hardy enough to assert. In fact, the career of our " great landholders," and " monster land-claimants," would only have to be pointed to and contrasted with the steady and reproductive exertions of the smaller proprietors who have gradually built up their estates, and so built up the colony—to disprove any such assertion. At present, however, the subject we have more immediately in view, is the consideration of the dogmatic declaration—" sheep-farming on a small scale will never pay." The real meaning of this doctrine is, that only capitalists should presume to be landed proprietors and wool-growers—and that only so many poor men should think of living by agriculture as would suffice for the supply of milk, butter, and market-garden produce to our larger centres of population. That is a branch of agriculture which the small man may legitimately and even properly follow, since the " capitalist" would not condescend to hawk dairy-produce and garden-stuff for sale. But the traffic in bales of wool should be confined to the princely capitalist runholder, who can gallop along his run for miles in a straight line, and who can count up his sheep by thousands, where the middle-class farmer can hardly reckon his hundreds. It is a great pity that the working farmer cannot be induced to think this sort of reasoning correct and conclusive. Still more is the pity that he should be convinced by stubborn facts, that even small sheep-farming, if managed with attention, may be made one of the best paying departments of his business. Here are one or two such facts which have recently come to our knowledge, and which in no small measure account for so many men persisting in sheepfarming " on a small scale." There is a small farmer —tenant of one of our most enterprising sheep-farmers —living within a few miles of Auckland. As he has to pay rent, he is naturally anxious to make the most he can from off his laud. He has, therefore, turned his attention to sheep-farming in paddocks, though he boasts but a small flock—say, under 500. This year's shearing gave him 1100 lbs. as the lowest nett yield per 100 sheep, and the money result, at Is. per lb., .£55 per 100 sheep. Hence this tenant-farmer naturally concludes that sheep-farming on a small scale is not to be despised ; and if his flock goes on increasing as it has hitherto done, he has a fair prospect of growing up by degrees into the large sheep-farmer and bona fide capitalist. We use this last phrase advisedly, for we have a strong suspicion, based on something like reliable evidence, that it is not always those who talk most loudly of their capital, who have the largest available balance to their credit at the bank.

Another perverse man, who is not; yet a capitalist, and who has to be contented with a very diminutive run, has a very small flock. When we last heard of it, the total number did not exceed 40. His profits from this very small lot, however, were oot proportionately small. The ewes lambed in the last week of July, 1858, and the lambs were sold to the butcher, for killing, in the commencement of November, at 255. each. From his wool, estimating the yield by the other small sheep-farmer's stocktaking, he would receive some .£25: so that from this very small flock, which would not require more than two moderate paddocks to keep them, this small farmer makes about £,1 a head per annum and has his original capital increased oue third. .

Many similar instances might be cited, but it is needless, for the history of almost every one of our most industrious and useful settlers—the men to whom this province is most indebted— would furnish a record of small beginnings resulting in larger holdings and extensive flocks and herda.

But while we shew the absurdity of the cry that'only sheep-farming on a large scale will pay, and its utter irrelevance as an argument in favor of degrading the General Government into brokers and go-betweens for land-jobbers, we must not be understood to decry genuine capitalists. Such men, where they employ their thousands reproductively—where they do not .confine their exertions to money'lending at usurious rates of interest, and to the obtaining huge blocks of land for a song, but never turning a furrow or planting a tree—are among the greatest benefactors a young country can have.

A Mixture of Employments.—Some one writes to the Times thus:—" Allow me to bring before your notice the following advertisement in the National Society's Paper for this month. I will not encroach upon your space by making any comment further than to say that this is not an isolated instance.—A few months ago a reverend gentleman advertised for a schoolmaster, who would not object to act as groom: —'Wanted, a schoolmistress and general house servant, to comnrcnce in a village, a day, Sunday, and night church-school, and to do housework. Plain sewing, knitting, mending, music, singing, reading, writing, arithmetic to be taught. Salary £25 a-year, with unfurnished cottage, and a third of the school pence.' Whether to treat the above as a joke or not it is difficult to say, so many strange thiogs happen in the present day; one of our national school?' mistresses has sent us the following linesjon the subject:-—

Wanted a schoolmistress, apply with all speed Ye teachers who of a nice home are in need: The salary's handsome, the duties are light, She is only required to teach day and night. On Sundays, she must not he given to range But Catechist turn, just-by way of a change, Must have various acquirements, accomplishments few, Plain garments must make, mend old ones like new! The house she must scour, from kitchen to attics, Make pie-crust and pea-soup, and teach mathematics, Must clear starch and iron,.sans wrinkles and spots, Must play the piano, and polish the pots, Must sing and make bread, and teach reading and knitting, With writing and aught else she seems befitting, Must honor " the Church " in her liberal patron, In dress and demeaiior a staid model matron, Her hair she may keep, if nobody knows, Tight under a cap, if not " under the rose," The stipend will keep her and an annuity, There are a cottage and schoolpence, too, quite a gratuity! Any person possessing such qualifications, May apply, Parson Peerwell, at "Villa Curt Rations." THE DYING CHRISTIAN'S FAREWELL, WEEP NOT FOB ME. " Weep not for me— I would not live for ever, Where death and time Can dearest friendships sever; I would not always stay Where sin and sorrow dwell; And to Earth's sweetest joys I gladly bid farewell! Weep not for me— Though friendship fondly clings, I hear a voice, Which far more sweetly ring9 Upon my waiting ear, And calls my thoughts aw^ay, Far from my sufferings here, To everlasting day! Weep not for me, I have a fbiend above, Who beckons me ; Unto his arms of love: Waiting to take me home, Jesus my Shepherd stands, And I am quite secure, . Since I am in his hands! Weep not for me— Ah! Why dejected weep? I fear not death, . It is but gentle sleep; - -.' No terrors can disturb My sweet and peaceful rest, And I shall wake at last To lean on Jesd's breast! Weep not for me, My joy I cannot tell: In Heaven above I shall for ever dwell: My friends and kindred dear, Oh, yield not to despair, To Heaven I'm drawing near— Oh, •will you meet me there. Then, weep not for me, I would not dwell for ever, Where Death and Time Our dearest ties can sever. I do not wish to stay Where Sin and Sorrow dwell, And to earth's sweetest joyß I gladly say, " Farewell!" Alfued C. Qdaifk. Paddington, Sydney. THE DAUGHTER OF ISRAEL. A maidek sat weeping by Israel's stream, Her loved harp neglected in sadness alone: As clouded her fortune, so clouded did seem Thy glories, oh! Israel, for ever now gone. She thought of the days of thy glory and pride, When the Queen of the South, in her regal array, With chariots and chieftains and nobles, did rids To Jerusalem's city, her tribute to pay. Fall'n, fall'n 's thy city, thy glittering towers; And.scatter'd thy children, the fairest on earth.; All low and deserted thy once smiling bowers; — And I far away from the land of my birth. Oh! would that my tears and my sighs could effac© The curse that was written, that hangs o'er theo yet: • ■ As sadly in mem'ry thy glory I trace; And the hours of thy triumphs I cannot forget. Though sad is such thought, yet still sadder by far Is this—that the bright cloud, o'ershadowing tha brow Of the Holy ot Holies, Faith's seraphic star, With the Shrine and the Altar, is desolate now. But the day draweth nigh, when the dark veil of Sin, And Heaven's cloud of sorrow, that long o'er the© hung, Will be rent from thy sons, whose pure spirit within Will sing thy high praises—their glories outflung. For the day-spring of life o'er the Heaven-seal'd mind, "- -.---"- ' '■•; ■ Will banish thy griefs, woes, and sorrows away. And Jerusalem's city, free as the wind, Shine in God's glory as bright as the day. H. Moss. Shoalhaven River, New South Wales. .

The "Welcome" NuGGET.—The celebrated " Welcome" nugget was on Friday [submitted to public competition at the auction room of Messrs. Fraser and Cohen. The announcement of the sale drew together a large number of persons. Several offers were made, and at length the largest nugget ever found was knocked down for the sum _of £9325, the purchaser being Mr. Edward Khull, the gold broker. The nugget was found on the 11th June, 1858, in the claim of the Red Hill Company, at Bakery-hill, Ballaarat. It was exhibited for the benefit of the local hospital; the proceeds of the exhibition amounted to .£67. It was subsequently shown in Melbourne, and afterwards came into the possession of Messrs. Wittkowski Brothers.-— Melbourne Herald, 19th March.

Fatal Accident at Adelaide.--A telegram, from Adelaide, dated 21st March, says:—'Mr. Ludhope, teller in the Bank of South was killed on Saturday evening, in Rundell-streat, by a fall from a gig. A coroners inquest took place on Sunday, when the jury returned a verdict of "accidental death;" adding a censure upon the conduct of Mr. Dixon, the accountant at the bank, and the son of. the manager, who, it seems, drove the gig, and went away after the accident as if nothing had bcourred.— Melboutm Hertfd.