LIVE STOCK. loi 



mag-nitudo of tliat Joiio Ly our slirc])-()\v]K'rs ; and tlioy have but-n 

 enabled to do so mainly tliroiioli using British rains, and brccdiiK.- aii'l 

 exporting cross-bred slieej). 



To show the result of this, it has (inly to be stated tlial whih- sli'fi)- 

 owners in New Zealand were during tlu' period alluded to iiiakiiig iVoi,, 

 15s. to 18s., and sometimes 20s. each for their fat cross-ljred two-year nUl 

 wetliers,and from 10s. to 12s. for their fat six-months' old lambs, JM-eeders 

 in this Colony, by clinging- to the merino, although in many cusi's holding 

 country suitable for cross-breds, have only made from 7s. to 10s. for thci'r 

 fat three and four-year old wethers, and from 5s. to 7s., or less fcjr tlieir 

 seven to eight-months old fat lambs. During the last few years, how- 

 ever^, with the low price of both merin(j wool and merino nnitton, a good 

 many of our sheep-owners have introduced British rams into their Hocks, 

 and it is to be expected that many more, where the country and circum- 

 stances admit, will follow their example, and take to cross-breeding. 



When it is remarked that the country has to be suitable for the 

 large-framed sheep, it must not be thought that this refers only to tlie 

 country in which the climate and soil are similar in all resj)ects to 

 those in New Zealand, where the cross-breds have been such a success, 

 for we have in this Colony at least three classes of country well adapted 

 for cross-breds: — 



(1) That in which the natural pastures are very nutritious, and 



the water supply ample. 



(2) That with the climate and soil like those in New Zealand, well 



adapted to the growth of root crops and cultivated grasses. 

 (o) That in which lucerne is a paying crop ; and it is believed 

 that even in comparatively poor country green crops and other 

 cultivated food will in many parts of the Colony be eventu- 

 ally grown to supplement the natural pastui'C, and carry and 

 "top off" the larger framed sheep; for if the agricultural 

 settlement is to be a success, a system of mixed farming and 

 . rotation of crops must be adopted. 



The production of cultivated food for stock has in some ])arts of the 

 Colony been already begun, and will, it is believed, before long be 

 generally taken up in those districts which are adapted for that 

 system. This is absolutely necessary if we are ever to establish a 

 steady paying export trade in chilled and frozen meat. But there is 

 still another very important reason why this system should in many 

 localities be adopted. A great deal of the land suitable for cultivation, 

 situated in the higher and colder portions of the Colony, is in its 

 natural state unsound, and the sheep there are in many cases afflicted 

 with fluke, foot-rot, and worms. This arises mainly from the pre- 

 valence of surface water on a great deal of the best feeding ground iu 

 those portions, and the lack of nuti-ition in the natural grasses. Cul- 

 tivation will to a large extent remedy both these evils ; for if it is 

 properly carried out the land will no longer be, as in many cases it 

 now is, a breeding ground for fluke and worms, for the water wdl u(» 

 longer lie upon it, and the cultivated grasses, clovers, and other crops 

 will not only have sufiicient nutrition to keep the stock sound and iu 

 robust health, but will enable their owners to turn off a large share of 

 them fat and fit for export, which they now find all but impossible. 



