Various Kinds of Sheep Farming. 31 



The owners of original bush and scrub areas, of not 

 more than about 2,000 acres, are the most numerous 

 sheepholders of the Dominion. Logs and stumps strew 

 a great many of their properties, some of which were 

 badly grassed in the first place. In numerous instances 

 the land has gone back in carrying capacity, and im- 

 provement cannot be looked for until the timber decays 

 and the plough set going. Even then there may be little 

 improvement created, except in cases where there is 

 some depth of soil. In most places there is this, but 

 not in all. Injudicious stocking has contributed a good 

 deal to the lessening of carrying capacity. Where rub- 

 bish enables some to get a burn, the land can be re-sown, 

 and more careful grazing should set up an improvement, 

 but this subject is dealt with more fully in the chapter 

 devoted to hill pasture improvement. 



A large number of farmers mix sheep with agricul- 

 ture in New Zealand. This kind of farming, properly 

 conducted, as an outcome of experience, is very profit- 

 able. The fertilising and cleansing power of sheep on 

 cultivated lands is very considerable, and they are there 

 to consume on the place any crop that may not be profit- 

 able to market. Skilfully worked large profits may be 

 derived from this type of farming. It is recognised that 

 sheep aid materially in improving good land, and are 

 an important instrument in making a good pasture of 

 what may be regarded as inferior land. 



While the average return from sheep for the 

 Dominion, including all classes of sheep farming, is 13/- 

 per head, it may roughly be estimated that the large 

 pastoralist will secure a gross income of from 5/- to 8/- 

 per sheep ; the small gra.zier from 7/- to 12/- per ewe, 

 and the ordinary small sheep farmer anything from 

 10/- to 25/- per ewe. 



The following figures show the numbers of the 



