COMMERCIAL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1027, 23 January 1879, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

"Waixato Times Office, Wednesday Evening. MR A. BUCKLAND'S SHEEP FAIR. Prices in Auckland seem to have ruled low, as in Waikato, at the sheep fair of Monday. The 'Herald,' in its report, says:—" There was a great disinclination to purchase; bidding was slow, and the number of bidders, as well as the number of sheep penned, bore no comparison at all to previous years. As regards the class of animals, especially the hoggetts and lambs, they were exceptionally good, and the former fetched fair prices—from 10s 6d to 19s. Older classes were at a discount, but it must be acknowledged that several lots were very low in condition. The pick of the lambs was a lot of 25 Lincoln ewe lambs belonging to Mr J. Barr Brown. They were greatly admired, but the price offered—lss—did not reach that fixed by the owner, and they were withdrawn from sale. A splendid pen of ten two-tooth Lincoln ewes, belonging to Mr Joseph May, were also deservedly appreciated, and the fact that

the highest price of the day was offered for them showed in what esteem they were held by competent judges, but 19s each was not sufficient to purchase them. Iu opening the sale, Mr Buckland said that there had never been at any so uniform a class of sheep offered by him, although there had never been so small a number. There were only 55 lots on the printed catalogue, but a considerable number of others, making in all 77 lots, wero subsequently penned and sold. There were comparatively few of the lots withheld from sale, although the prices could not by any means be considered satisfactory, but, as before stated, farmers now hold cattle in greater favor than sheep, as being more profitable. Second Day.—Bams.

Messrs Maclean & Go. penned over three score of Lincoln and Leicester hog rams, I red from imported stock of high repute. Mr Symonds had a fine Cotswold ram, hred by Gillet, England. Mr Bnckland penned three pure Cotswcld rams. Mr B. Maclean had a good show of Leicester hog rams. Mr J. S. Grahame brought forward some first-class specimens of Waiuku-bred Lincoln hog rams from imported stock, which for size and carcase were not beaten by anything on the ground; as, also, had Messrs Jno. May, G. H. Selby, and W. Kerr. Mr Middleton, of Papakura Valley, showed some fair Lincoln rams from his flock, but hardly up to his usual standard in point of breeding. Mr Joseph May penned about a score picked rants from his celebrated Lincolns. Messrs A. & J. Anderson were also to the fore with some splendid types of this class of sheep. It is a fact worth mentioning that young stock of-sheep demonstrate in the most satisfactory manner the high breeding capabilities of this country. At various shows held, judges have been most unanimous in according high praise to the superior class of young stock met with. The only difficulty is the indiscriminate character of breeding operations, which puzzles the judge to determine whether the object of his criticism be a Lincoln or Leicester; in many cases, the finest animals partake of the characteristics of both, and the only way out of the dilemma is to give the prize to the animal which is nearest to the true type of the class of sheep in which it is entered. The importation of pure-bred ewes has not been commensurate with that of the rams. The great aim of farmers is to secure the biggest possible fleece of the most valuable kind, and the display of rams to-day shows that colomial breeding efforts are not unsuccessful, although they are not what they were in the good old times. The attendance of buyers was very small. Mr Symonds two young Cotswolds sold to Mr Hill for lis cash The imported ram was passed; also, Mr Buckland's three pure-bred Cotswolds. Mr Barr Brown's imported Lincoln ram, bred by Marshall, was started at £lO, and was sold to Mr Middleton for 20 guineas. The Garfit ram was passed at £5. The pick of the first pen of Messrs Maclean & Co.'s Lincoln hog rams was sold to Mr Read, of Motutapu, for £5. Maclean's Lincoln hog rams were passed from pen 4 to 10, when Mr Barr Brown broke the spell by giving £5 for one, after whioh all the rest of the pens of Lincolns were passed without a bid. The Leicester hog rams were next offered, and, after a bid of £2 108 had been obtained, were withdrawn by Mespra Maclean & Co. at £4. Passing on to five Southdown lambs, one was knocked down to Mr Mawer for 355, Mr Hill taking two at 3 's each. Geo. Bell took tho other two at 30s. Mr Barr Brown's four-tooth rams, by the Garfit rams, were next offered. Mr Kobert Hall took tho pick, at £6. Wilson took the other at £3. Three two-tooth rams by the Garfit ram were next bid for. Mr Claude took the three at £3. One of Maclean & Co.'s Leicester hog rams next sold to Henderson & Maofarlane for 425, Fennell taking the other at 32s 6d. The Leicester rams ponned by Maolean & Co. 4¥Q?PQd W lift Qy)fl0l {Qtyf

young stook, by a Kirkham ram, sold as follows: One for £4, Claudo; three others, £3 each; Dr Hale, one, £2 ss; Coutts, £2 17a 6d; Gollan, 30b.