HAMPSHIRE DOWN SHEEP IS ASHBURTON COUNTY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1777, 27 February 1888, Page 3

HAMPSHIRE DOWN SHEEP IS ASHBURTON COUNTY

The local correspondent of the " Lyttleton Times," In the course of a descriptive article on Mt Max Filed* lander's Kolmar estate and the live stock — thereon writes M follows of that gentleman's flock of Hampshire Downs : — You must not Imagine for one moment that I am trotting ont a new breed of the naggety Hampshire Down sbeep when I speak of. the Kolmar Hampshires. Nothing of the kind. I am simply making reference to the only flock of Hampshire Down sheep In the Ashburton County, and, if my information Is correct, the only flock of any consequence m the Province. And that Hack I call the Kolmar, because, on the farm of that name, m the Lyndharst district, the Jbck has now iti home, . . , . Some six years ago Messrs Dudley and Nortbey, the then proprietors of Blveredale, a grand estate on Graham's road, a few miles below Tinwald, Imported ten ewes and two rame— all grand samples of the Hampshire Down, sheep. Mr Dudley had a special fondness for this breed, and beitorred ma oh care and attention upon them. In time, after they bad been thoroughly acclimatised, and had taken well to their new home, their proprietors introduced them at the annnal stock shows up and down tbe Province, and every time they were exhibited they won high awards from the judges, and golden opinions from all sorts of people. About two years »go Messrs Dudley and Nortbey dissolved partnership, and Rlveradale, with its stock, went into the market. Mr W. StraDge, of Chrlstchurch, became the happy poaseesot of the estate, bat the fiock found other masters. The whole of the Hampsbires on the estate were purchased by Mr Fr'edlaoder, for which he paid tbe tidy sum of £600, and he removed them to his Kolmar eßtate. Since he came Into possession of the flock its . natural increase has been great, and the change to higher country appears to have been beneficial m the highest degree, for every sheep among them looks the very picture of health. Ai Is well known, one of the great features of the Hampshire Down sheep is early maturity. After last shearing Mr Frledlander weighed twelve crossbred hoggets — by Hampshire rams out of crossbred ewes — that bad been m the shed all night and short?. The live weight of these averaged 1651 b, and the hoggets were bat fifteen months old. Last Christmas, at Addlngton, a pen of twelve wethers realised 18s 6d each, and the dresied car oases waled an average of 1301bs. The draft of lambs this year *as sold to a buyer at Dasandel, the frying weight of them being 451 b, and4ib of fat. The mutton of the Hamp. shire sheep Is of very superior quality, and tu 8 auperlority is folly reoognised both m the English market, where frozan Hampshfce crosabreds have. already found their way, and In the Ohtlstohnrch trade, which absorbs a large portion of the Kolmar fat theep. The Hampshire ram has a very haipy knack of transmitting mutton quality, to progeny from ewes not of his ow» breed, and In fact wherever the Hampshire strain Is Introduced maturity m the progeny Is perceptibly hastened, and the mutton affected for the betfcei Mr Friedlander haa found, since he dev>ted his attention to Hampshire, that they do very well on the light land of the P«| nB , and that they developa hardly q^ntitles with which they are not usually o-edited. In f aot that, although oookatoos l» o k askanoe upon the black-faced '* nigger*." as some call them, the Hampahlrea are at exoeedIngly profitable sbeep for the small farmer to keep. And Mr Friedlan^r hai fonnd them all tight m the matter of -wool, too. Ho hot croßsbreds with loth merinos and Linoolm with good results bat more especially with ' Linoolm. M the latter case a heavy percentage of lambi Is secured, and a very good olaea of wool. Hoggets so crossed and well looked after, ■beared this season from 121 bto 151 bof wool.