YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 281, 16 August 1918, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

HOW THE CROSSBRED HAS DISPLACED MERINO Bradford, June 27. A Wellington cablegram announces that the-imperial Government lias decided to purchase tho New Zealand clips until one year after the war at the same price as was paid for the last two clips. This announcement is only in harmony with general expectations, consequently '.no surprise has been expressed at what hns taken place. To own the Australian clip and not the New Zealand clip would be only taking half a loaf, the success of the one being contingent on the other. Of course, nobody knows what is being done with the South African clip, jr what, tho Imperial Government intends to do, but cables between here and South Africa are now taking nearly a fortnight for "LCO" messages, and we have reason for saving that -buying orders cabled out to the Cape for wool to be shipped to Boston have been stopped during the past month. It, therefore. looks as if there is something proceeding of which the trade lias no knowledge, and everything indicates negotiations. However, we have to-day to deal with the New Zealand clip, and a fewremarks retarding the nature of tho wools and their general fitness to supply the world's needs cannot be amiss lo readers of this issue. A Transformed Clip, Tliero arc living to-day old woolrneii who can bear testimony to the radical clmnge which has taken'place in pastoral conditions in New Zealand, anil particularly to the. changed character of wool supplies. The clip of the Dominion 'has changed thoroughly during tho past 25 years. To-day only 50,000 merinos aro being pastured, whereas a quarter of a century i><»o SO per cent, were uierinos. This is all the outcome of the development of tho freezing industry. The writer well remembers the inception of tliis great trade. When it was first contemplated the killing of sheep and bringing them home in cold storago was regarded with a good deal of scepticism, and irany cargoes were spoilt. However, scientific knowledge and experience have solved ■the problem, and, being able to rcduce the temperature of rhe holds of ships . below freezing point, has been the means ' of completely changing the character of the New Zealand flocks. We should say I to-dnv that at least 85 to 90 per cent, of [ the sheep being.pastured in New Zealand i are crossbreds. The establishment of big freezing works and producing a laiger framed sheep, what we call a dual-pur-pose sheen, growing both a marketable carcass of mutton and a good commercial fleece of wool, has brought to pastoral ists in tho Dominion far more wealth than they could possibly have reaped by simply adhering to the rosiing of merinos. Of course, pasturage and climate are both well suited to the bleeding and rearing of mutton sheep, whereas Australia 6eems best suited far the merino—unless it be the coastal areas of the Commonwealth. The New Ze'land climate is mora like that of Lngland than Australia or even South Africa, and the flocks of New Zealand being -;n-nay very largely crossbred, are destined to remain so to the end of all time. Mew Zealand Wools. We have not the figures at ham} slowing the percentages of the .'liferent breeds comprising the 24J- miliion sheep which'aro beiiig pastured in the Dominion, to look ;lt the wools from the standpoint of the buyer and user, New Zealand turning out qualities all the way from 38's to 6l's. We should say that in this respect they eclipse the wools of Australia, and while the latter is producing some very good crossbreds, 'they are largely troubled with burr, which makes tiie crossbreds of New Zealand far more acceptable to buyers. At one time Lincolns and Leicesters were the two classes of English-bred sheep used in making tho merino into a crossbred, tho writer well remembering the battle royal which was waged twenty to thirty years ago between these two English breeds of sheep. One never hears much to-day upon this subject, the Eomney Marsh or Kent bresi of sheep occupying at tho present time the most prominent position in New Zealand. , This breed is most largely used, the resultant cross producing what iuanv think is an ideal freezer, while undoubtedly the liomney is responsible for producing tho large quantity of medium crossbred. wool which is one of the outstanding features of the New Zealand clip. Possibly Bomney breeders of stud sheep have been a little more energetic than those breeding Lincoln.? and Leicesters, but it can be safely said that the production of crossbreds has got well beyond the experimental stage, and tliero are loyal breeders and upholders of these three noted English sheep throughout tho Dominion. Then Down stud sheep are also being largely used, the introduction of this sheep no doubt facilitating quicker maturing; but in the opinion of the writer, where a dual-purpose sheep is wanted, namely, a good freezer and a sound fleece of wool, the best English breeds to be used in the flocks of the Dominion are the English Lincoln, Leicester, and Homney. Everybody knows, that good lialfbred wool, say, TO's to sC's quality, has been a diminishing quantity in the Hocks of New Zealand, duo, of course, to the rapidly disappearing merino. A sheep of the name of the Corriedale has come, to the front during tho past ten years, it being the opinion of the writer that this new breed of sheep, which, of course, is a. manufactured • type, and for which fixity of characteristics is now claimed, will be the sheep in the future to supply the manufacturing world with good lialfbred wool. Wo are not here concerned aR to how this breed has been made. The writer has 6een for years that with the disappearance of the lialfbred the Corriedale is going to bo the sheep to supply spinners and manufacturers with 50's to oli's quality wool, it being a remarkable fact that the woolbuver does not care upon what sheep the fleece is grown providing the wool before him is the quality lie wants. If tho Corriedale produces 'a satisfactory carcass, then it certainly deserves to be put among the dualpurpose sheep, which has certainly brought great, wealth to the pastoralists of New Zealand, and there is room for this breed of sheep because of the class of wool that it is growing. It is of good, useful .length and sound in eiaple, which makes the wool very acceptable to topmakers, spinners, and manufacturers. Let New Zealand pastoralisls and others look well to their flocks, because mutton and wool are to-day. and in the future will be, very valuable.produces indeed.