Mr Wheeler's Stud Sheep.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 83, 5 October 1896, Page 2

Mr Wheeler's Stud Sheep.

(By our Special Correspondent.) As requested I visited Mr Wheeler's stud farm on Thursday last, and was kindly shown the stud ewes and general flock by the owner. Owing to the wet and cold weather, the shearing, as advertised, had to be postponed. I might here say that Mr Wheeler's example of advertising the date of his ram shearing might be followed with advantage by other breeders, as it would do away with all doubt at the Autumn Ram Fairs as to the time of shearing and the length of wool left on the sheep purposely to deceive the eye of the purchaser in the sale yard. As a breeder myself I have carefully watched Mr Wheeler's flock in the show yards and on his farm for many years, and have come to the conclusion that as a breeder he would be hard to beat, and the best proof of this, in my opinion, is that his flock ail rouud is the best on this Coast. All sheep owners will, I think, agree with me that the chief points in all classes of sheep are (1) a broad, well-formed body, short neck and legs ; (2) density of wool from head to knee and hock without that very common tendency of running to hair ; (3) a good, well-formed head without being too large ; and where you see these through a man's flock you may be sure his stud sheep are of the best. One great feature in Mr Wheeler's stud sheep is, the ewes he has bred himself are a decided improvement on their dams, sent from England, both in form and wool, and I would advise those wishing to procure good rams for the coming season to make early application, as a gentle* man (a large flock owner in the district) was at the farm during mv visit, with the intention of purchasing twenty rams for the coming season, and on my asking him what he thought of the flock his answer was : " George Wheeler's sheep can't be beaten^" I also saw Mr Wheeler's pure-bred Herefords in describing which I do not feel so much at home ; but I noticed the same careful study as to form that is so apparent in the sheep, and the man who beats him in young bulls at the coming show will deserve all the praise and the prizes he gets.