IMPORTED STOCK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6491, 16 December 1881, Page 5

IMPORTED STOCK.

The following details of the recent shipment of pedigree stock, ex Lady Jocelyn, have been supplied to us;— One Border Leicester ram, for Mr Boag, Burnside. This ram was bred by Mr W. Wilson, Wolf star, Ormiston, near Edinburgh, and combines the best Border Leicester blood in Scotland. The names of Lord Polwartb, Mr Clark of Oldhamstocks, Mr Smith, of Castlemain, and Mr Stark, of Mellendean, occurring in his pedigree. At Dalkeith, in 1981, he was first in shearling class as a single ram, and was also one of a pair which took first prize in their class, betides gaining the silver cup. At the Highland Society’s show at Stirling he took second prize for wool. He is a splendid representative of the Border Leicester breed, and is particularly noticeable for his beautiful fleece, combining evenness of quality, density, lustre, and length, so that, high as Mr Hoag's flock already stands, ho is likely to raise it still higher in public estimation.

Five Southdown ewes and one ram, shearlings, for Mr John Deans, Biccarton. These six sheep are splendid specimens of the Southdown breed, which in England occupy tho premier place as mutton shesp. The ewes were bred by H.B.H. tho Prince of Wales at Sandringham, and the ram was bred by Mr Jonas, both flock j of the highest standing. Two shearling Lincoln rams for Mr C. T. Dudley, IrwelL These rams were bred by Mr Cartwright, Dunstan Pillar, Lincoln, and show all the excellence which may be expected in sheep coming from such a flock. Their chief characteristics are weight of fleece and vigorous constitutions. For some years past Mr Cartwright has not exhibited, but when he did exhibit he was most successful, and at the present time owls one of the mest successful flocks in England. That of Mr Wright, Nocton Heath, is a branch oi the Dunstan Pillar flock. There are also two Hampshire Down ram lambs and ten ewes of the same breed for Mr Dudley. The rams were purchased at the annual sale of Mr William Parsons, West Stratton farm, Micheldown, Hampshire; and the ewes at the sale of the entire flock of Mr Anthony Budd, Quidhampton farm, Overton, Hampshire. The Quidhampton flock claims to be the oldest in the County, and Mr Budd has been particular in keeping it unstained by any cross whatever. Mr Budd has not exhibited at shows of late years, but he can score to his credit as an exhibitor in former years thirtytwo prizes in plate, besides a large sum of money. Mr Parsons is one of the most successful exhibitors in Hampshire at the present day, and at the last meeting of the Boyal Counties Society, at Salisbury, which was the larg- at and moat influential Show of Hampshire Downs ever held, Mr Parsons was quite the champion exhibitor, being placed first in every class for lambs, and awarded the champion prize far the best pen of ewes in the yard. The Hampshire Down bread of sheep is attracting a great deal of attention at the present clay in England, and gome of the leading newspapers speak of it as the coming breed. There can be no question that it is a very fine breed of sheep, producing mutton of a quality quite equal to the Southdown, and being very much larger. Mr Dudley appears to have been rerj fortunate in the specimens of the breed, which he has acquired, and it is to be be hoped that this pioneer importation of Hampshire Downs will prove successful both to the importer and to the Colony. The shorthorn boll Duke of Gunterstone (43101), for Mr John Deans, Biccarton, is a beautiful anidSal of a deep red colour, with perfect symmetry and a splendid handler. He is of the Duchess tribe, being from the herd of that celebrated breeder, Colonel Gunter, Wetherby, Yorkshire. He is a beautiful dark-red in colour, and was calved on April 4,1879.