THE MOST SUITABLE SHEEP. FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1441, 27 September 1881, Page 4

THE MOST SUITABLE SHEEP. FO R NEW ZEALAND.

The climate]^arid *poil of this Wand (remarks .1 writer in the Canterbuiy Weekly Pi tins), or of Ihe whole of the Colony, does not prosant no muny variations as to require a different breed of sheep for every district or county. It still remains for some breeder vi judgment and per*e f verancc to produce a- distinct breed of sheep, which will meet the requirements of thogeneial rim of- stockowners. But this will never be done by the haphazaid system of crossing pursued by many sheep fanners, the majority of whom keep on ciossing without having any definite objeot in viow, buying or hiring a few rams every season, and of a different breed perhaps every timo. Mr Blake well, one of the most celebrated English breeders, was of opinion, after long and attentive experience, and confirmed by the perfection to which he brought nia own breed, that it is unwise to take a cross of any animal that is not better than the breed to be crossed ; when this could be gained he was a warm advocate for crossing, but contended that all other crossing and all ideas of crossing for the mere sake of crossing are not only useless but mischievous. The only way to improve a breed of sheep is to set up some standard, to steadily keep in view certain points, and gradually work up to the desired end. Experience has shown that, by carefully delecting animals which have the desired features most strongly developed, u class of sheep can be produced, in course of time, which form a breed quite i distinct from the original stock, without recourse to crossing with other breeds at all. Groat differences of opinion exist with regaid to the question of in-and-in breeding. Some maintain that it is a most Biiicid.il plan, tending to detenorato the wool and weaken the constitution of the sheep, rendering it highly su.sueptible to disease, besides the danger of jh-i petuating the defects of individual animals. Whatever truth there may be in thebo ahseitions, the fact lemains that some of tLe most important improvements th.it have been effected not only in ftlieep, but stock of all kinds, have been the lesult ot in-breeding. It is well known that the Leicester bieed was produced by a long and judicious cour&e of in-breeding. But it is a system which should only be cariied out by the most experienced breeders, who can devote their whole attention to their flocks. In the hands of careless or inexperienced men, in-and-in breeding uTmorc likely to bo productive of evil than good.

If his love lies dreaming', what show is there for getting any truth out of her when she is awako P Mos^ Flat .Station is at present tho scene of the unprecedented slaughter of poor bunny. Mr Kitching at piesent employs 107 rabbiteis in (he work of extermination, and no less than 100,000 rabbits succumb every month to the tempting bait. The Tuapek.i Times i» informed that Mr Kitching has al'eady expended £4000 m tho work of extermination, and his preheat monthly outlay cannot bu set down at a fraction less than £1000. The riibbitois aio paid 2d a skin, and at this rate they oam from 10s to £3 a week. Some of them cannot earn as much as keep them in tucker, while otheis make a good wage. Stkamjl Cask or Amputation. — Mis Bryan, an old lady 77 yeais of age, lives in tho township of .Stephen. In November last she was seized with pain beneath the knee, which the doctors said was caused by a clotm therein, and in a short time her log fiom tli.it point downwaid began to mortify. Tho medical man thought it best not to interfeie, alleging that an amputation would ceitamly kill the old lady, and that had bhe sufficient vitality the leg would amputate itscit in proper and icdsonable time. Shnngc to i elate, tho leg did amputate itself just below the knee after four months, bones and flesh being completely scveied, without the loss of a drop of blood, and the leg is now about healed. No mtpifiucucc of any kind was attempted, and nature completed the cure. This case may not be rare to medical men, but to tho general public it is certainly remaikable. An American Leech Farm — An article in the Sandijit Ama ica>> desciibes a leech farm in Long Island, founded in 1811 by aMr H. AVitte. It covers thirteen acre.s, and is the only one in Ameiica. The breeding ponds aie oblong, and each is an acic and a h ilf in extent. The bottoms are of clay, the margins of peat in which the leeches lay their eggs in June. The eggs are deposited in 'cocoons,' of a gelatinous material, at fii st fiothy, but which becomes firmer and moie gluelike after the eggs are deposited. Fiom each cocoon thirteen to twenty-seven young leeches are developed, and i,sue from tho cocoons in .Septotnbci, being hatched by the heat of the tun. At fiist they are no thicker than a pin, but even then are capable of cutting through the skin of a horse. They aie not ready for the market until thieo years old. The leeches are fed once in six months on blood placed in linen bags Sometimes a year will elapse bofoie a full meal is entiiely digested. This method of feeding certainly seems more humane than that adopted by a leech fanner at tho foot of JH.ai^ mountains, who was accustomed to hire men at lid a day to stand in tho water for half an hour daily, so that the leeches might have a full meal of human blood. The gieatest enemies to young leeches are water rats and shrews. A high temperature kills them ; but they may be frozen in ice, and if thawed gently be found uninjured. Mr Witte's sale average a thousand leeches a day. About thirty thousand are imported into the United .States every year. '} he Western States and California are the heaviest buyers. In the Eastern and Southern States tho demand has fallen off of late years. — The Lancit. An American Tornado.— By tho last i mail American papers have been received giving some particulars of the tornado which, on tho 19th ulc, visited tho district of New Ulm, a pretty German town in the ' Minnesota Valley, demolishing some 200 houses and killing many people. The information says that the wind blew from tho west, bringing with it a peculiar darkness that prevented friends recognising each other even at a distance ot but 10 feet. The northern portion of the town was vifcited with the greatest severity. In this district the poorer people lived, and in the short space of two minutes all the dwellings were swept down and laid level with tho ground. The scones of terror and confusion were described as terrible, which was added to by horses and other animals breaking loose from their fastenings and tearing through the city mad with fright. The Lutheian church and the Catholic church and schools were totally demolished. The wind was also accompanied by vivid Hashes of lightning, which struck about a bcore oi buildmgß. The tornado lasted about 15 minutes, after which there was a slight hill, bucceedod by another terrible »torm. The total extent of the damage could not be a^jertained at latest accounts but tho corpses of some thirteen people were found, Amongst these were six members of one family named Fuly. Only one of the family escaped alive. It was estimated that at least 600 people had been rendered homeless by the visitation, and there was said to be much suffering amongst them in consequence. The town of New Ulm has a population of 3,500. The f ary of the wind was fearful, houses being hurled along at a rapid late and dashed to pieces.