642 CATTLE AXI) DAIKY FARMING. 



AUSTRALASIA, 



THE CATTLE OF NEW ZEALAND. 



XETOVT T.Y COXSrL (,;,'//T/.Y. OF AUCKLAXD. 



In replying to tin- '-cattle" circular of July ISth, 1883, ,1 have the 

 lioncr to return herewith the forms (inclosure Xo. 1) transmitted to me 

 in November ':;sr, and which 1 have tilled ii]) with such inforination as 

 was po.-vsible for me to obtain concerning the cattle in the provincial 

 di>tric.r of Auckland. I have further the honor to state that the steady 

 annual increase in the exports of Xew Zealand frozen meat and dairy 

 produce, together with the favorable condition of the country, it being 1 

 well Brassed and watered, have done much to improve the condition of 

 rail ic i;: this. colon. 



Kvcrv vear new lands are being fenced in and sown with English 

 grasses. The total number of acres in grass in l\'ew Zealand in 1883, 

 including ];nd in Jiay after Itavin^ been broken up, was ^,018,1)04 

 against 1.771.S7.J ior .issi*. an increase of --17. 18U. Ff, however, the land 

 in oats, barley, and viieaf were added, the number of acj-es in green 

 crops ior is*;; would amount to nearly 4,500,000. The value of grass 

 and <!<, -r seeds imported annually into the colony is .something over 

 s.jOO.UUO. 



( 'nns'ulerabh! quani it ies of grass seed, principally t imothy and clover, 

 come diiect from the I r nited States, and also small (juantities of the 

 d alfalfa. 1-otli the volcanic and light sandy soil of this 

 ce rich, succulent grasses, well adapted for laUening cat- 

 ny extra i'oeti. Second-rate i>astnres will generally yield a 



connection with grazing. The greater portion of sec- 



s I'ef.uire breaking ii] al'tei' gra/ing from three to four 

 land, ai::l v.'hat may be termed as : i:ird class, is better 

 j >. 



M-.ML:J:II (>v SIIKJ^P AND C.VJTLI: IN M:V\' /HALAXD. 



r l'he sheep industry is by far tla 1 most important one in the colony; 

 but ! have observed that the increase in the number of sheep during 

 the \-,\<\ decnde has no| any lli ing lile as great ]>ro rat a as that of cat tie. 



The n u HI her of sheep in New Zealand in 1SS ! is estimated at !.'{,! l.'J, - 

 111'. !: 1-7! \\ vas 1 l,7il,SS;>, an increase of only J,'10S.r>(;7. In 1874 

 the i.amb ) (>r cattle in New Zealand was -1 '.)!. 917, and now it is about 

 1 .(MX). 000. The census for cattle is ta.ken in Nev/ Zealand every three 

 years. The las! census occurred in 1SS1. It will be taken again in 

 April next. a::d until then the number of cattle in Xew Zealand for 1884 



