History: Cassilis Dalkeith
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1908
24 June 1938
Camera Cavalcade of the Country
Rabbiters and their night's haul on "Dalkeith," Cassilis, about thirty years ago. The men are (from left) Basil Warner, Tom Blackman, late Frederick Warner, Frederick Warner, jnr., and late Richard Blackman.
Sent by Miss K. M. Roberts, "Fernmount," Cook's Gap P.O., via Mudgee, who wins this week's prize of 7/61
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1924
1927
1930
26 June 1930
"DALKEITH" STATION.
(By F. LAIRD).
"Dalkeith," the property of F. D. McMaster, Esq., is in the Merriwa Pastures Board district, and is situated on the rising country overlooking the township of Cassilis. It is served by rail at Coolah, 22 miles from the homestead, and 13 miles from its western boundary. Merriwa railway is 27½ miles away to the East, and Mudgee railway 50 to the south. It comprises 36,000 acres of hilly basaltic black soil plains, on the Talbragar River. It is watered by two rivers, the Munmurra flowing into the Hunter and the Talbragar flowing into the Macquarie, four creeks and numerous wells and bores. There are 112 miles of rabbit-proof netting, and rabbits have been absolutely exterminated since 1918. The main dividing range of mountains runs right through the property, and this range has its lowest point in the whole of its length from north to south of Australia, just south of "Dalkeith," at a small village called Uarbry.
"Dalkeith was originally granted to Robert Scott, who, when the gold rush set in, was deserted by his shepherds, and sold the land to the hon. Wm. Busby. It was purchased by the present owner's father in 1890, and sold by him to his son (present owner) in 1899. It was Scott, who, I believe, was related to the Duke of Buccleugh, that gave the Scotch names to the district. Apart from "Dalkeith" and "Cassilis," both very Scotch names, there is a Scott Street and Buccleugh Street, in the township of Cassilis.
The woolshed is a large, up-to-date structure fitted with 20 Wolseley stands, 10 h.p. Ruston Procter double cylinder engine, steamgear driven Ferrier press, and has shelter for 4500 sheep.
The stud is a very high-class one, and has met with continued success at the Sydney Sheep Show, gaining no less than 11 certificates in 1926. In 1928 David took the grand champion and Jean the reserve grand champion, including the grand champion of the show. Large drafts of fat sheep are sent away every winter, generally topping the Homebush market. Large numbers of flock rams are sold to Queensland and New South Wales.
The wool clip (brand W.B.Y.) is generally to be found amongst the good prices that may be going, and is carted by horse teams to Mudgee railway station. The homestead is a commodious stone building of the bungalow type, with a never failing water supply, electric light, wireless, large engineering workshop (mechanics being a hobby of the present owner).
One of the most interesting improvements about the homestead is the large swimming tank, the water constantly being pumped through it from the creek below the homestead. It is lighted with electric globes in the bottom of the tank, and, during the winter, is artificially heated.
Another ingenious contrivance is the rain gauge on the roof of the house, which enables the quantity of rain to be measured without going outside.
Mr. McMaster also has a full equipment of meteorological instruments. He keeps data for the State meteorologist as regards rainfall, direction of the wind, and humidity, etc.
At the "Dalkeith" woolshed a contrivance can be seen for projecting sheep into the sheep dip. It is made of a continuation of small rollers for about 8ft., with a grade of about one in three. The rollers are sufficiently far apart to allow any dirt to drop through without in any way interfering with the continuity of the motion of the rollers, thus when even a dog steps on the slope it has no chance of getting back again. At the same time the sheep are moved forward gently, and are not knocked about at all.
The past season at "Dalkeith" has been very dry, but it has not been necessary to hand feed. The lambing was excellent, the highest paddock marked being 95 per cent., the general average about 81 per cent.
The stud will also be represented at the stud sheep sales, with some very high-class rams.
Additions to the stud this year were made by the purchase of one stud ram (550 guineas) from Boonoke, and 10 selected rams at 50 guineas each. It will be remembered that two years ago the grand champion ram, "David," was sold by Mr. McMaster to F. S. Falkiner and Sons, Boonoke. This ram was by F2, purchased at auction for 1600 guineas. The leading sires on "Dalkeith" have a good deal of the F2 blood, some (notably Jean) being direct descendants. In fact, "Dalkeith" Stud is practically pure Boonoke blood, extensive purchases of high-class ewes having been made from time to time, as well as such high-class rams as F2, Australia Day, etc2
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1935
1937
1938
17 October 1938
BRED BY MR. F. D. McMASTER PTY. LTD., DALKEITH, CASSILIS, NEW SOUTH WALES
The constant inquiry by stud owners throughout Australia for high class young stud sires is well-catered for at Dalkeith, which was represented by five stud and three special stud rams at the Sydney sales. The former was offered at auction by the Commonwealth Wool and Produce Company Limited, and the special studs by Schute, Bell, Badgery, Lumby Limited.
Rising 2½ years old rams in the Commonwealth Wool and Produce Co's catalogue were picked out on account of their respective individual merits of frame, carriage and wool covering, and were exhibited at the show in the class of pen of five rams for absolute sale. The bold of the outstanding families at Dalkeith. No. 301.15, a very big strong wool ram, growing a long staple that is bright and full of pronounced character on every part of him, is particularly outstanding. Two other Y rams are medium wools, and the fifth is also a medium, by 81, of the 5.80 family, which produced Jubilee of Dalkeith, winner of 10 grand championships, including top honor of the 1936 Sydney Sheep Show. N.. 5.80 was bought in 1931 for 1000 guineas, and has put a bold outlook on his ram progeny, big wide frames and beautiful evenly-grown wool.
Sir Frederick McMasters aim to give stud breeders and Merino wool growers the best possible standard of quality in the rams they buy is governed by an earnest endeavour to assist in improving Australia’s wool clip, ideals which have influenced the stud’s great progress throughout the past 18 years. With the assistance of Mr. W. J. McCarthy, who succeeded the late Mr. J. C. Drake as stud sheep classer at Dalkeith, the management has concentrated upon quality and bulk in the wool as well as a massive robust body, and no stud is better equipped with top sires to continue this improvement than Dalkeith, which posses 7000 breeding ewes bred mostly to Boonoke blood, of exceptional uniformity, kept to their high standard by culling the maidens thoroughly3
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1939
1948
16 July 1948
"RESERVE STOCKING" AS DROUGHT INSURANCE; PRACTICAL RESULTS AT "DALKEITH," CASSILIS
By Our Special Representative
EXPLAINING his system of "reserve stocking" on the occasion of the visit of the R.A.S. fodder conservation judge to his property last week, Sir Frederick McMaster, of "Dalkeith," Cassilis, expressed the opinion that conservation of pastures was even more important than conservation of harvested fodder.
Although Sir Frederick was a competitor in the R.A.S, fodder conservation competition this year, he has made very little use of his stored fodder, and still has hay and silage which was conserved thirty years ago.
His view, is that understocking is uneconomical and that overstocking is ruinous.
He favors stocking to an extent which will provide feed through good and bad seasons for all his stock without "flogging out" his pastures when seasons are unfavorable.
When he decided that his land was overstocked, says Sir. Frederick, he reduced the numbers of his sheep. Cutting more and better wool, his reduced flock gave him a bigger return than he had obtained from the larger numbers.
No Chemical Fertilisers
He is no believer in chemical fertilisers, most of which, he declares, are fatal to the worms and bacteria which maintain the structure and condition of the soil.
Stocking on a moderate scale, he maintains, results in the coarser parts of grass and other plants being passed over by the stock and returned to the soil in the form of humus.
He claims also that stocking on a scale which gives the native pasture a fair chance prevents erosion and eliminates the menace of noxious weeds.
"I am not afraid of any weed that grows," he says. As an instance he mentions how Bathurst burrs once obtained a footing on a portion of "Dalkeith." He closed that section to stock and let the grass have its way, with the result that the burrs were choked out, and disappeared.
Galvanised burr, mint weed, and other pests can be controlled in the same way, he says.
Avoidance of overstocking appears to have eliminated the erosion menace on "Dalkeith," although there are many fairly steep slopes on the property.
There was a time, years ago, when erosion affected the property rather severely, and many deep gullies appeared on the slopes. The gullies are still there, but their banks and beds are so thickly clothed with pasture that erosion is impossible.
To questions about combating soil erosion and controlling noxious weeds Sir Frederick has only one answer, "Stock your land within its capacity, and neither weeds nor erosion will ever trouble you - and your stock and wool prices will be the envy of the man who flogs his land to death.4
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