A VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 153, 11 October 1912, Page 4

A VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

IMPRESSIONS OF A NEW ZEALAND FARMER.

Mr Kenneth M’lntosh, of Kaiapoi, who left Cantcrbuy early in April for Scotland, and has just returned to the Dominion, told a Press reporter that around Glasgow and Paisley he visited all the leading Clydesdale studmasters’ establishments, and was shown many of the finest Clydesdales, hackneys, and cattle, bred north of the Tweed. He explained that the term “studmaster” does not mean the actual breeder. He may let out each season one or two hundi'cd stallions to small farmers, and after the mares foal (he studmaster purchases the best of them, according to his judgment, and they arc transferred as yearlings up to two-year-olds to his stables and fields. From then the Canadian, Australian, South American, and New Zealand buyers are able to make a selection of the picked horses of the country. Last season there was a very large export of Clydesdale sires, many going to Canada in particular. As to the .breeding of Clydesdales, it was certainly imposing, and for some time the Conditions had been favourable to’the enterprise in Scotland, which is the nursery for the world in that respect. Among the leading horses, he saw the sire, Baron’s Pride and other prominent horses which are as well known by name among Clydesdale men' as that of Carbine amongst sportsmen generally. The Royal Show at Doncaster in the early days of July was shorn of its great attractions in cattle, sheep, and pigs owing to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in an Irish shipment. There was a great show of Shire horses, Suffolks, and hackneys. Speaking of the Shire horses, he had no desire to criticise, but it was clear that the Clydesdale was working its way southward in England, while'-it was evident that the Shires were not going north. Not only at Doncaster, but another shows, he was impressed with the display of grain produce, etc., from the Commonwealth, but was quite disappointed at the absence of any indication that New Zealand had a place on the map. To hundreds of thousands a disp’a ■ by this Dominion would have proved that if we had the money to pay for a Dreadnought we had wool, grain, mutton, and other products, and a country in which the industrious surplus population of England—people who were used to farming and wanted to better their condition —could emigrate to with great advantage. A week after the Doncaster Royal Show the large ,exhi*bits of the Commonwealth referred to were the centre of attraction at the Highland Society’s Show at Cupar. Fife, where there was an immense attendance. This largely included the agricultur il employees who got the show holiday, and who crowded all day long at the Australian exhibition and eagerly sought information as to the possibilities of ihat country. The draught horse classes usually had about 20 entries, and the two and three-year-olds were wonderfully good. The hackneys for style and form were superb. There was also a splendid display in English and Border Leicester sheep. While the implements were showy, and practical manufacturers of New Zealand could not learn much, and in England and Scotland the systems of tillage were still behind the times. Mr M’lntpsh instancing the fact that single ploughs were kept on many large farms, and the disc harrow where it would be invaluable was unknown.