SHEEP-FARMING.

Colonist, Volume V, Issue 468, 18 April 1862, Page 3

SHEEP-FARMING.

On this subject a correspondent of the Canterbury Standard writes as follows:—

In the present day, when gentlemen professing to act as surveyors for Government aro carrying on a quiet business as commission agents, and in the latter capacity aro endeavoring to persuade newly-arrived capitalists to purchase through them blocks of land, with a view to sheep-farming on a small scale, it may be useful to the new arrivals to publish a statement of the probable result ofthe speculation which these Theodolitensing commission agents are now recommending. From my own knowledge on the subject, I do not hesitate to assert that a small capitalist had better put out ewes on terms witli a good steady runliolder who understands liis business, than venture on a speculation on his own account. I have not entered into any details as to the cost of laying down 1000 acres in English grasses —not that I fltn ignorant on this head, but because the outlay involved is more than ordinary capitalists could undertake, and because every one is well aware thnt, on the poor gravelly soils in the Lincoln district, English grasses would be ruined by drought, and would not yield a return at all equivalent to the outlay. Tho calculations are exceedingly moderate. Ewes are valued at 255., whereas the present price ia from 30s. to 325. The expenses of shearing do not admit of any rainy day?, and the solitary servant is supposed to quit his flock and dray the wool on the owner's dray. This is a decidedly cheap proceeding; but i'cw owners would like their ewes to be left without an attendant for three days consecutively, oven though they were enclosed with a wire sheep-proof fence. One shudders to think what would be the result of a dog entering the enclosure during the attendant's absence, and I fear that the 3b per cent, allowed for annual mortality would be far exceeded in tlie short space, not of twelve mouths, but of twelve hours.

Tlie only item in the outlay to which exception may be taken is the sum of £750 for a wire fence. It may be urged that a ditch and a bank would answer the purpose quite as well, and that the outlay, at 15s. ptr chain, would amount to only £300; but in tho gravelly soil in the Lincoln district, twenty miles from Christchurch, a ditch and bane fence is simply an impossibility, and in good soils that descrip-ion 0 f fence, unless backed by a single rail or by a live fence, which requires at least three years before it is of any use, is found to be expensive and inefficient.

The following is an estimate of the profits of sheep-farming on a freehold section of 1000 acres purchased in the Lincoln district about twenty miles from Christchurch :— original outlay. £ Cost of iOOO acres of government land .. 2000 Fencing with wire and iron posts, at the rate of £150 per mile, for 100 chains or 5 miles ~ ~ ~ .. 750 Hut and sheep yards .. .. .. 250 Pray and horse'and harness .. .. '>') Outhouses and stables 70 o!>0 ewes at 255. per head .. .. 025 10 rains at £3 per head .. .. .. 30 Original outlay £'.3315 YEARLY EXPENSES. £ s. Interest of £.3815 3SO O Mortality per annum .. .. .. 20 0 Servant and food 30 O Fuel .. 24 0 Shearing 500 sheep .. .. .. 5 0 Feed of shearers .. .. .. .. 3 0 racking .. 110 Six wool bales .. .. .. .. 110 Expenses of two trips to town .. .. 3 0 £518 0 YEARLY INCO3IE. Greasy wool, Gibs per ewe— £ s. SOOOlbsat Is per lb .. .. 15C 0 'Value of 400 lambs, six months of age, at 10s per head ..200 0 WO 0 Loss per annum .. .. ~ £IGS 0