HEAVY FLEECES.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 408, 5 October 1889, Page 8

HEAVY FLEECES.

A recent issue of the American Sheep Breeder contained an offer from lieynolds and David, of Mnl vane, Kansas, whose flocks have the reputation of cutting very great weights of wool. Hearing, however, that a number of woolgrowers had doubts regarding these Leavy fleeces, they made a singular pro. position^ They offered, to deposit with the editor of the Sheep Breeder £30, and to anyone depositing the same amount they were prepared' I<V ship a throe-yrar-old ram that they- would. guarantee to shear a fleece weighing 401b. of wool for 865 days* growl h. The -ram has been shorn at the puhlic phearings for the last two years, his first fleece weighing 21b., and his second 85|lb. If the fleece weighed 401b. thoy were to receive £30. For each pound less than' 401b, however, £10 was to l»e added to the prize. They would guarantee that (he fleece contains nothing but what nature gave it. If found otherwise, they would make the person' proving 'tliis a present of the ram. In addition to this, they extended n cordial invitation to .woolgrowers to attend their public shearing on M»y 20. The same newspaper contained an article on the subject of raising the average of the flock. The writer recommends growers whose flocKß are not too large to keep a yearly record of the weight of each fleece, and to reject all those sheep whose fieeceg do not come up to the required standard. The radical objection to these methods of estimating the values of sheep is, of course, the well-known fact that in rams, and, indeed, stud ewes, greasy weights only afford a roagh guide to the actual quantity of real wool grown by eLeep.