1857 - Paul, R. B. Letters from Canterbury, New Zealand - LETTER III.

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LETTER III.

I REMEMBER once describing the climate of Canterbury as a mixture of the climates of the South of France and the Shetland Islands, the former greatly predominating. When the weather is fine I have never seen brighter skies, or basked in a more glorious sunshine, even in Italy or Portugal, but when a wet south-wester, or drizzling east or south-east wind does set in, I can hardly conceive any thing more dreary and comfortless, and to this we are liable at almost all seasons of the year, so that summer may be turned into winter in a few minutes. It is worthy, however, of remark, that south and south-west winds bring fine clear weather quite as often as rain, and easterly winds much oftener. Mr. Fox, who resided nine years in New Zealand, gives the following account:-- "The climate of New Zealand is, for the purposes of

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health and production, probably about the finest in the world. It is milder and more sunshiny than England; it is not so hot as Italy or Australia. Whatever will grow in England will grow there. Many things flourish for which England is too cold, and the South of Europe too hot. Thus the grape ripens to perfection in the open air, which it will not do in England; and so does the gooseberry, which will not in Spain. The only respect in which it could be improved is the wind, not that it blows harder than in England, but it blows hard oftener. It wants the balminess of the Italian air. Its summer evenings are inferior to the English, when the English do get a fine one. But any one who rejoices in sunshine, and likes a clear elastic air, or who wishes for a climate in which all sorts of European produce flourish, and all sorts of live stock thrive to an amazing degree, will certainly be satisfied with it." 1 Perhaps of all our seasons the least agreeable in ordinary years is the spring. With a good deal of fine cheerful weather there is a variableness, and from time to time a coarseness, which almost makes one dread a return of winter. Even as late as the end of January the strong winds, and not unfrequently the heavy rains, render the season much less agreeable than a South of England spring; but from that time

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to the beginning or even middle of June, we may, as a general rule, reckon on an almost uninterrupted continuance of the most delightful weather. In other words, the most pleasant seasons are the latter part of the summer, the whole of the autumn, and the beginning of winter. An elderly friend of mine tells me that from the 1st of December, 1854, to the 1st of June, 1855, there was hardly a day on which he did not sit reading in his garden for many hours; but this is hardly the normal condition of our climate, at all events as far as the month of December is concerned. As a proof of the mildness of our winters I may mention, that very few of us house either cattle or horses. It is, however, very desirable to secure out-of-door shelter (either natural or artificial) against the south-westers, which sometimes try the strength of their constitutions pretty severely. On the plains the night frosts are sometimes sharp, but are almost invariably succeeded by a day of warm sunshine, without wind, the most enjoyable of all weathers. Thus our short winter passes by no means disagreeably on the whole, rainy days being relieved by almost an equal number of sunny ones, except during about a month (generally from about the middle of July to the middle of August), when wet and gloom predominate. You may, however, suppose that our winter season is not very formidable, when I tell you that in the very heart of last winter I rode more than a hun-

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dred miles, crossing the Hurunui and Waiau-ua rivers, and back again to Christchurch, without being once stopped for more than a few hours by the weather, In the immediate neighbourhood of the sea there is scarcely any frost. The vine is cultivated with great success at Akaroa, and would, I dare say, do equally well on the northern slope of the Port Cooper Hills, where the geranium, the gladiolus, the Cape ivy, and other delicate plants, flourish luxuriantly. Of the healthiness of our climate there can be but one opinion. Disease, unless produced by intemperance or accident, is all but unknown, except in the case of children, who are liable to the usual infantine complaints. There have been from time to time a few cases of low fever and influenza, but the former of these diseases seems to have been confined to the early days of the settlement. Rheumatism is said to be prevalent, but if it be so, it is in a very mild form, for I have never known a person who has been prevented by it from following his usual occupation for any length of time. As a pastoral country New Zealand. owes almost every thing to its climate. 2

The peculiar advantages (says Mr. Weld, one of our most intelligent and experienced sheep-farmers) which

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justify the claim to superiority are chiefly, though not entirely, referable to equability of climate. The climate of New Zealand, though one of the most variable within certain limits, is at the same time, perhaps, the most strictly temperate, both in summer and winter, of any in the world. As a natural consequence, the growth of grass is never sufficiently checked to affect seriously the condition of stock. The supply of the purest water is always unlimited. There are no prejudicial extremes of heat or cold, and it naturally results that the increase of a flock is more rapid than is usual in the neighbouring colonies, whilst the stock are at all times in high and thriving condition. With regard to sheep, this manifests itself not only by the early age at which they are fit for the butcher, but by the length and soundness of the fibre of the wool, and the consequent weight and quality of the fleece. In New South Wales 2 1/2 lbs. of wool is a high average yield for sheep. In New Zealand a well-bred merino flock, on a good run, will fully average 4 lbs. With regard to the quality of the staple, I have the authority of some of the first English brokers for speaking of it in the highest terms. As yet it has not fetched prices equal to those of the first class New South Wales wools, because, sheep-farming being yet in its infancy in New Zealand, the flocks are in most cases of a mixed description, and the sorting and "getting up" of the wools have not hitherto been sufficiently attended

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to; year after year, however, our wools command a higher price as these causes of deterioration are removed. To the influence of climate may also be attributed, at all events indirectly, the great amount of immunity from disease, which is so remarkable in stock of all kinds in New Zealand. With the exception of scab, sheep appear to be exempt from all the ailments which so often entail ruin upon their owners in the neighbouring colonies. The comparative humidity of the climate renders this disease, however, a formidable enemy to the sheep-farmer; whilst the scarcity of labour, and various other causes incidental to a new country, often throw unforeseen obstacles in his way as he seeks to eradicate it. 3 Yet with proper management, though he may not at all times repose in the certainty of prevention, he may, at least, under ordinary circumstances, be confident of a speedy and effectual cure, --not inexpensive it is true, but still at a rate which would leave a fair profit upon the annual exportation. 4 The loss by death in New Zealand flocks from illness or disease is exceedingly trifling. Casualties make up the greater part of the returns of

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loss, and in some districts infested with runaway dogs, the sheep-farmer has sometimes to add six or seven per cent, of violent deaths to his loss of one or two per cent, from natural causes. This however, I am happy to say, applies only to a few unlucky districts. 5 I am pleased to find that Mr. Weld's views agree in every particular with my own, respecting the feasibility and advantages of horse-breeding in New Zealand, rather however as an adjunct than as the main speculation of the capitalist. Horses, as he truly says, will thrive on a sheep-station, and are little or no trouble there, disease among them being almost unknown. As far indeed as my own observation goes, they are liable to but one disease (if fairly treated), and that of neither a dangerous nor incurable character. The complaint to which I allude, is the painful and troublesome swelling of the ridges or bars, as they are called, of the palate, to which veterinary writers give the name of "lampas." In England the disease is most common among young horses, but here no age is exempt; and what is remarkable, the swelling often comes on when the animal's diet is exactly of the sort which one would suppose the most likely to cure any complaint of a scorbutic character. It is, however, easily relieved by scarifying the palate; but

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if neglected the swelling will extend even beyond the edge of the teeth, and the horse will feed with pain, and consequently fall away in condition. The extravagant prices which horses have hitherto fetched in this province have made almost every body a breeder; a speculation which has been facilitated by the introduction from time to time of cargoes of mares and fillies from Australia, which may best be described in the words of the poet--

These are eagerly bought up--the good, by capitalists who understand something of horse-flesh, and are able and willing to pay a good price for a good article --the indifferent, by parties not less experienced perhaps, but of smaller means--the bad (and in your wildest dreams you can never figure to yourself how bad they are), by men who are delighted to find themselves masters of a real live quadruped, at what to them appears the trifling cost of 20l. or 25l. If nothing worse came of this than a few tumbles from the buck-jumping brute the affair would be (as the advertisements express it) "of no consequence except to the owner;" but unfortunately every one of these sporting characters is anxious "to breed from his mare," and the consequences of this I need not describe. In vain are well-bred stallions introduced into the colony from time to time, if the mares continue to

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be (as in a majority of instances I fear they are) the refuse of the Australian studs, thrown in probably for nothing, as make-weights, to complete a cargo.

Still there is no reason why horse-breeding on a better principle should not eventually succeed, though the wretched system which I have just described may diminish the profits of the more enlightened breeder at present. Probably every one of the men, who now glory in their "frampold jades," will be thoroughly ashamed of them after a little more experience in such matters, and will be only too happy to have opportunities of purchasing stock at prices which they will then be able to pay without inconvenience. What I would advise you, therefore, to do, would be to bring out two or three mares from England, or to procure them to order from Australia or Van Diemen's Land. (I should prefer the latter country, from which some excellent horses were brought to Canterbury in the early days of the settlement.) The bringing horses out from home is a very serious undertaking, on which nobody ought to venture who is either entirely ignorant of the business in which he is about to engage, or likely to miss the capital sunk for the present in the speculation. Supposing, however, a man to have a few hundreds of spare money, and to be really fond of horses, and anxious to improve the breed in his adopted country, I do not know that he can do better than purchase two or three mares and a stallion in England.

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Of what sort they should be, he will have to learnt from those who are more competent than I am to give him advice. The stallion at all events should, I conclude, be thorough-bred, unless he prefers bringing out a Clydesdale or Suffolk Punch for the purpose of breeding draught-horses, which are in great demand here. Probably his best plan would be to state his wishes to some dealer of well-established reputation, obtaining, if possible, at the same time the assistance of a friend well acquainted with New Zealand, its capabilities and its wants. Before he does this, however, he will do well to ascertain the cost of passage, insurance, &c, all of which he will find, I am afraid, fearfully high. Still he will not perhaps have made a bad speculation (supposing always due caution to be exercised), and will be a real benefactor to the settlement. A certain number of horses will in any case be necessary at his station, and, as Mr. Weld justly remarks, "it is no extra expense to keep a few well-selected breeding mares, besides the work-horses. They run at large the whole year round, and their sleek coats and high condition bear another testimony to the superiority of our climate. But though every stock-master will take a pride in his little herd of horses, and will find them as profitable as they are interesting and ornamental, I should be inclined to think it speculative for a man to invest his whole capital in horse-breeding. Every thing points out

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New Zealand as eminently adapted for that purpose; but if the demand for horses should fall far short of the supply, they cannot be boiled down like sheep, or salted like cattle, and consequently might become almost valueless at some future period, unless indeed the Indian market be found available as an outlet." Of cattle-breeding Mr. Weld says, "There is decidedly less risk in this than in sheep-breeding. The stock is less subject to disease, and requires far less care and expense. On the other hand, the profits are more uncertain; and, I am inclined to think (even when a system of salting down shall be established), will fall somewhat short of those of sheep-farming. I am not, however, sure but that for a small capitalist I should rather recommend cattle. I do not approve of mixed stations of sheep and cattle. They do not do well on the same ground, and one or other is generally neglected." Those who do not feel inclined to establish a cattle-station may easily make arrangements for the keep of a few head on some other person's run, either by allowing him a proportion of the increase, or by a payment of from 10s. to 12s. per annum for each head. 6 In either case he will find the sale, from time to time, of a few head a very convenient addition to his income; but, as far as I have seen, no description

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of stock is so uncertain with regard to prices; and I should be sorry to hear of your having ventured on cattle-breeding on any thing like an extensive scale, until you had been some time in New Zealand, and added your own experience to the advice of competent judges. The dairy-farms on the Peninsula and elsewhere are said to answer well; but a cheese-making establishment cannot well be managed by deputy, or, I should suppose, by any one whose wife is not an experienced dairy-woman.

With regard to gardening, you will find some very valuable information in the Canterbury and Wellington Almanacks, from the pen of Mr. W. Wilson, whose garden and nursery-grounds at Christchurch well deserve a visit. But neither here nor in agriculture will printed rules be of much use, I am afraid; for nine settlers out of ten will go blundering on in their own way, until they have found out by actual experience the best mode of cultivating their land. Perhaps, considering the variety of soil and even of climate in different localities, it could hardly be otherwise.

The following meteorological observations have been kindly communicated to me by Mr. Cass, Principal Government Surveyor at Christchurch:--

The finest months in the year are JANUARY, FEBRUARY, and MARCH.

The worst months are JULY and AUGUST.

The hottest months are DECEMBER and JANUARY.

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The coldest months are JUNE and JULY.

The greatest fall of rain known in one month of late years was during the month of April, 1853. This was very remarkable, as April is generally a fine dry month.

Snow fell on the plains on the following dates:--

Occasionally in the winter months snow lies for a day or two on the hills which separate Port Cooper from the plains.

In June, 1849, snow remained on the plains for three days,--an unusual occurrence.

Gales of wind occur now and then in summer from the north-west, and in winter from the south or southwest, accompanied by rain or sleet.

The prevalent winds are south-west in winter, east in summer and autumn, with occasional north-westerly gales.

A sudden fall in the barometer generally precedes a gale from the north-west, which gradually hauls round (generally in a few hours) to south-west, and blows hard, when the barometer rises. At its greatest height the gale generally breaks. In summer and winter

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rainy weather is generally preceded by westerly and north-westerly winds. 7

THERMOMETER IN THE SHADE, FACING WEST.

AVERAGE OF 1852-53-54, AT 9 A. M. AND 3 P. M.

The highest reading of the thermometer on record was on the 1st of February, 1854, at 3 P. M., when it stood at 91 deg.

The lowest on the 10th of June, 1852, when it stood at 27 deg.

BAROMETER.

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CASS'S METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL.

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CASS'S METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL.

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GENERAL REMARKS

Rain fell on 94 days; the remainder fine, but occasionally overcast and threatening. 29.65 deg. inches of rain fell during the year.

BAROMETER.

Maximum 30.50 deg., on 17th Sept. Wind light. Easterly, with light clouds, but fine.

Minimum 28.78 deg., on 15th May. Wind light, N. E., cloudy, heavy weather, but no rain either before or after.

THERMOMETER.

Maximum 85 deg. in the shade, on the afternoons of the 20th, 21st, and 22nd December. Light Easterly wind, fine clear weather.

Minimum 32 deg., on the forenoons of the 20th and 21st June. Wind Southerly, light and clear weather.

N. B. These observations apply only between the hours of 9 a. m. and 4 p. m.