86 THE FARMER'S OUTLOOK 



rival, sheep management has not been brought 

 to the same state of perfection. The exports 

 represent approximately 7 per cent, of the total 

 stock. In the sub-continent Uruguay and Pata- 

 gonia are already making up for the deficiency of 

 Argentine supplies. Though there are no figures 

 showing even approximately, the number of 

 sheep in Patagonia, the exports of wool indicate 

 that they are steadily increasing. 1 Patagonia's 

 exports in 1912 amounted to 294,306 carcases, 

 and Uruguay's 331,326, together 625,632 carcases. 

 Some explanation of the much greater proportion 

 of exports to total stock in New Zealand as com- 

 pared to Argentina and Australia may be given. 

 Favourable climate together with a high level of 

 good management and with a natural increase 

 probably averaging about 90 per cent, are un- 

 doubtedly the principal factors. Accessibility 

 to market is another factor, a considerable pro- 

 portion of the total credited to the Argentine 

 scarcely counting for the export demand. The 

 rate of increase in the Republic cannot be taken 

 as more than 70 per cent. In New South Wales 

 in 1910, a dry season, it is not put higher than 20 

 per cent. These differences serve to emphasise 

 the disadvantages where sheep breeders have 

 their flocks distributed over wide areas. 



1 Bales of wool exported from Falkland Islands and 

 Punta Arenas; — 1909,49,000; 1910,58,000; 1911,66,000, 



