THE HINDER FARM FLOCK.

Temuka Leader, Issue 808, 31 December 1881, Page 3

THE HINDER FARM FLOCK.

On : i nesday last, 56. long-wool rams, belonging to Mr Wiliam Marcroft, of Hinder Farm, Wuitohi Howns, passed through here en route for Napier where they will be exhibited for sale at the Napier ram fair which wdl be held on the 26th of ne: t month. The flock consists of Lincolns, Leicester and Romney Marsh, and are a credit to South Canterbury. It is now five years ago since the same owner sent a flock of rams to. Napier for sale and on that occasion they were disposed of at prices ranging from £8 to, 50 guineas. Since then Mr Marcroft has attended most carefully to his flock having like the late Mr P. H. Russell used the Veasy strain qf breeding on the sire side, which is known to be the finest class of Lincolns, and his success at the late Timaru show ought to induce other breeders to follow Ins example. F. r the last five years M r Marcroft has not been much of an exhibitor at cattle shows for many reasons, although he held the premier position during the previous eight years. It having been remarked that his flock had deteriorated and that that was, his reason for not bringing them before the public, be determined to prove the incorrectness of this report, and at the last exhibition in Timaru he was so far successful. On that occasion his flock carried of the Champion prize in Leccisters, 5 first prizes, 2 second prizes, and 2 third prizes, 2 very highly commended, 2 commanded, the prize for the greatest number of points for horses, sheep, and cattle, the Timaru Herald special prize of £5 ss, the second pnze in yearling bulls and third prize in hack mares. Besides this there were two hoggetts, left unnoticed, which many said that if they were exhibited in Christchurch they would have won all before them whose fleeces when afterwards shorn weighed 22£and 20£ pounds of wool respectively. Of these a large breeder of sheep who has imported sheep from England was heard to remark that it was unnecessary any longer to import sheep from England so long as such sheep could be bred in the Colony they havb g on them the finest fleeces he had ever seen. Bo far therefore the assertion that the Hinder flock had deteriorated during the time that it was unrepresented at public shows was proved to have no foundarion in facts. When the great improvements that have been made in the breed of sheep during the past few years is taken into consideration the fact of the flock having won so many prizes shows how carefully they have been attended to by Mr Marcroft, and renders the victories they achieved far more creditable. Five } T ears previously at the largest and best show held since or before in Timaru, the same flock took the bulk of the prizes and their late success showed that their breeding had been carefully attended to. An assertion was made with regard to the last show, that the sheep exhibited were only fit for drawing rooms or glass cases, This could not be said of the Hinder Farm flock as no artificial means were used to force them, and the cattle were out all the winter. The flock has sustained a loss through the celebrated Leicester ram Standard Bearer dying during last winter and we are sure that many breeders of sheep will regret it. He was in his 11th year, and shore 12£ pounds of wool. The number of prizes won by this ram and his progeny from time to time entitles him to be placed in the same rank as a longwoolled sheep which the famous Sir Thomas held as a merino in the neighboring colonies. The champion ram at the last Timaru show is his grandson and the winning ewes in the various classes are descended from him, and the dam of the first prize ram in the pair of rams was got by Standard Bearer. For years the cream of the Inglewood flock were sent to him, and the superiority of that flock was in a pleasure due to this. Mr Marcroft may well be proud *f his sheep and we have po doubt that they will meet with attention at the hands of Hawkes’ Bay breeders.