SHEEP FARMING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 198, 20 August 1872, Page 2

SHEEP FARMING.

(From the Daily Telegraph ) , Graziers in Hawkea Bay have now become fully alive to the advantages to be derived from breeding long-woolled sheep, but there was a time when no other but the so-called merino was considered of any value. The high prices obtained in years gone by for Australian merino wool, exercised such an influence upon the settlers of New Zealand, that a prejudice existed in the minds of many sheep-farmers against the introduction of English blood into their flocks. It was hoped, without taking any measures to secure the object sought to be obtained, that New Zealand wool would fetch the same prices as those of Australia; for no other reason can we account for the prejudice that existed for so many years ajrainst crossing with the long-woolled English breeds. The feeling in favor of (he merino was so strong that in a great measure the fact was overlooked that (be flocks in this province, if not throughout the colony, with perhaps hardly an exception, were composed of a mongrel breed tiiat scarcely deserved the name it bore. Notwithstanding, to keep their flocks " pure " was the desire of all sheep-farmers, yet neither the climate, the character of the herbage, nor pther and even more important points to be considered before entering into the business of sheep-farming, received proper attention. If a person held a block of country, no matter of what description, it jsvas deemed sufficient to purchase one merino ewe for every twenty acres possessed, and, for the purpose of keeping the flock free of all cross, to exchange rams periodically with one or other of his neighbors. No discriminating care was, in the majority of cases, exhibited in selecting sires, for the simple reason that very few sheep-farmers at that time possessed the requisite knowledge; certaiu points were insisted upon as being necessary for a ram to show, bai so long as a sheep was not glaringly crossbred, every wool-growing animal was considered a merino. This want of all system at length resulted in the only manner in. which ifc could, very many of the Hawkes Bay merino flocks clipped but from 2|lbs to 3|lbs of washed wool per heac^ l?or remainder of news. see fourth page.

and was of a quality described in the London market as ill-conditioned and of no character. Previous to the late rise in wool, much of that exported as merino from this province fetched a price at which it would not pay to grow it. There were of course other sheepfarmers who, having taken the proper measures, possessed valuable merino , Slocks, but in a great many instances no pains whatever were taken to really breed a first-class merino. A large portion of the province, moreover, was ill-odapted to the growth of fine wool, and it has long been discovered that the occupation of a large extent of fern country as a sheep run. is not ao remunerative as permanently improving a few hundred acres and paddocking the sheep. At the lime, however, when the farst Leicester ehepp were imported into this province, the success of 'the . speculation was considered rather doubtful, and that breed was some years in the country before it got into favour with many. Lincoln sheep were next introduced, and they slowly won their way to public estimation, but with one or two exceptions they were strictly,confined in paddocks. By this time several sheepfarmers had crossed their flocks more or less with Leicester blood, but in the majority of cases, the same want of systqm was shown in this attempt at improvement as was apparent when the maintenance of the purity of the merino was considered of .paramount importance. Disappointment was the natural result, and the prejudice against crossing with coarse wools wns, if anything, strengthened. The high prices which long wools, compared with merinos, maintained during the period of commercial depression, that ended last year, again brought the English breeds of sheep into favour, and when Mr. Canning, of Oakbourne, imported his Cotswolds he could not have chosen a better time, nor a better breed than that which he selected. These sheep are now highly prized for their many excellent qualities, a better proof of whiuh could not be afforded than by the fact of two, ten-months old rams, being sold at £50 each to one purchaser. Several other sheep farmers have also crossed their flocks with Cotswolds, and by avoiding the mistakes made when a similar cross wa3 attempted with Leicester?, there is no reason to believe that the introduction of this strain will not be followed by the most satisfactory results. (T-lii mill i... i. || I li