LESSONS FROM THE WOOL SHOW.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 920, 23 February 1881, Page 2

LESSONS FROM THE WOOL SHOW.

(By

“Anglo”

in the Australasrian).

Thb samples of greasy wool seem to me to give us a truer insight into the different breeding systems of the Colonies than the other wools. We here learn the kind of wool grown by New South Wales, South Australian, and Tasmanian growers, as well as by Victorians. We would say that Clive of Collaroy, and M‘Donald of Wollabahah, are getting on to the Victorian track of long, fine, sound wools, while Mrs. Bowman —with reverence to a lady breeder be it spoken—and Vincent Dowling are retaining the old system of New South Wales—breeding for clothing wool, not aiming at the true product of Australia, which is the most valuable combing wool in the world. We have here two types of fleeces—short, mushy, fine, watery, commonplace wool, which any country can grow, and a blind man could breed. In the Collaroy we have a striving after better things, the fleeces seem as if a Victorian breeder, fresh from the westward, had taken the matter in hand, and commenced by infusing a lot of the grand old Camden blood. The fleeces are not equal, some are stronger and yellow-yolked, some are finer and white-yolked—the very image of the best Camden wool which did so much good in this country. We cannot speak so highly of Mr. McDonald’s, but we are glad to notice that he has left the old jog-trot of antiquated Sydney breeding and gone in boldly for wool of length, staple, and character. Mrs. G. P. Bowman’s wool reminds me of the class of sheep shown in the Sydney Exhibition styled “ clothing rams ” —sheep which would disfigure any scow in the world —no wool, no mutton. The South Australian fleeces are of an entirely different character to any others shown. Mr. Pitts, of the Levels, takes away the palm in several classes for value per fleece, and the Canowie sheep are well to the front in this kind of merino wool. The authorities here might have taken a hint from the Sydney folk. There they make a separate class for strong - woplled merino fleeces and sheep. It would have been well had this been done here, for certainly the character of the wool is as different from our finest merinoes as the Southdown is from the Lincoln. The size of fleece, the thickness of fibre proclaim these sheep to be a peculiar merino. We have seen many specimens of Rambouillet, and they astonish for size, but these must be larger, they must be bullocks among sheep. Those who suppose such size and weight of fleece can be obtained on inferior country, unfed by artificial means, are much mistaken. In Mr. Pitt’s sheep we see a heavy, coarse sheep improved to the height of its powers, and shown to the best advantage. In the Canowie we see rather less weight, rather more quality, but-still strong-woolled merino. Were we *6 judge the South Australian breeding by these two samples we would say that their breeders do not know what a merino sheep truly is, that they cannot show a true merino fleece, f hat they have to learn what is the most profitable wool to grow, as we contend that the same care and food spent on a better and purer-bred merino would produce more money returns, not per fleece, but per acre. From Tasmania we learn a very different story. In the greasy wools from there we have the truest bred, the best breeding, the finest of fine wool, the cream of the best wools. Wm. Gibson and Son and James Gibson are evidently breeding with certain fixed principles, and their wools are a credit to the “ tight little island.” I lad not Sir Samuel Wilson overtopped everybody by his numerous and splendid exhibits, we would have expected a champion prize to fall to Messrs. Gibson and Son or James Gibson. To the fitness for which these breeders have always been famed, they have added sufficient length, and have improved the clearness and elasticity of their wools. Mr. Parramore shows a different exhibit, and creditable to his

Colony. Mr. Kermode does not compete, but shows a few fleeces which make one wonder be did not go in for the swim—ah, cautious Mr. KermodeT Half-a-dozen fleeces unpressed, unsullied, in a pretty case, is a beautiful exhibit. Mr. Keach’s wool evidently pleased the jurors. Queensland had its show-case, and opened the eyes of many who seem to think it cannot grow wool. The Messrs. Bell, of Jimbour, and others show they can grow good wool, and for first-rate quality, with length and style, the other Colonies must look to their laurels. To grow crossbred wools in Queensland is one of the perverted efforts of human ingenuity we sometimes read of. A country unsurpassed for merinoes can afiord to let other countries grow English wools. To eat Lincoln mutton in that hot country must materially assist the liver of man to become swollen and full of bile. Mr. Macansh, of Queensland, showed wool of “ good quality, and sound.” Well done, Queensland. New Zealand had its representative in merinoes. We expect that Colony to excel in long wools, but in merinoes we have not feared their competition, but from the view taken of Mr. Gallan’s wool by the jurors, we may expect serious rivals in that grand country. “Well-grown, superior condition, bright good combing,” that’s what the jurors say of that wool —a very high praise indeed. Mr. Gallan gives credit where due ; he enters his wool as descended from Lara and Carngham flocks, so we find that our best Victorian wools prosper in New Zealand. There were some exhibits from this Colony in long wools which, unfortunately, did not arrive in time. Had they done so, the long-wool exhibits would not have scarcely been one whit behind the merinoes for quality and quantity.