VALUABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF CORRIEDALE WOOL.

The Corriedale fleece is, like the sheep that produces it, a thoroughly assimilated and evenly-balanced combination of the ibest characteristics of the Longwool and Merino breeds. It comprises much of the fineness and density of the Merino, the leiigth and weight of the Lincoln, with the lustre and elasticity of the Leicester. It is absolutely free from kemp, has no inclination toward harshness or the least tendency to "fuzziness—regrettable characteristics very frequently found in ordinary crossbred wool of a similar grade.

The best Corriedales, particularly those from flocks originally founded on a certain proportion of Leicester blood, are noted for the regular and sharply-defined "saw tooth" crimp in their fleeces. This highly-desirable crimp was produced by careful selection, scientific breeding, great patience, and steady perseverance. The successful accomplishment of such a. valuable characteristic cannot, be too highly commended. Some of the chief advantages of the "saw-tooth" crimp are: More elasticity, greater length when combed, increased density at the roots of the fibres, and more compactness at the tips. The latter advantage prevents the fleece from being readily parted by keen cold kinds, which chill the sheep and make it less thrifty, in addition to the fact that ft causes the limited amount of yolk necessary for nourishment to rise evenly and regularly without the least clogging or running into congealed "waxy" looking streak.

* The compactness of the whole fleece, due to this particular crimp, prevents the dust and alkali from sinking down into the wool, and causing it to become "mushy," weak, and brittle over the loins, with the additional disadvantage of a heavy shrinkage when the wool is scoured. This "saw-tooth" crimp is such a pronounced feature of the Corriedale that when halfbred ewes are bred to a registered Corriedale rain, the offspring rarely reveals conspicuous traces of weak, "wasty" wool over the loins, even when subjected to unfavourable climatic conditions.

Another reason for the compact-; ness of the Corriedale fleece is the natural inclination of one fiibre. to cling close to its neighbour, and thus resist separation by dry could winds. This is not due to the crimp alone, but also to the uniformity of the natural binders and the wonderful regularity of the scales of the fibre and their uniform pointed edges. When washed fibres of Corriedale wool are examined under a powerful microscope the uniformity of the scales not only surpasses that of most other breeds, but reflects great credit on the old established New Zealand breeders for their scientific study of the fine points of profitable wool production.

The commercial value of Corriedale wool beyond that of good average half breds is greater than most sheep-breeders imagine, quite apart from the fact that the fleece is heavier, denser, and more compact. The worsted spinning counts of a good halfbred ewe fleece are similar to those in a Corriedale fleece, viz., 56's, 50's, 46's; but there is a great difference in the proportion of these three spinning qualities. The more valuable quality;' 56's, is confined to the shoulders of the halfbred, with a major portion of the fleece running down to. 50's and terminating into rather.a large proportion of 46's on the britch and hips. The 56's quality in a Corriedale fleece is not confined to a small portion of the extreme britch. Manufacturers always favour wool .of this grade when it contains a large proportion of 56's, and gladly pay more for it.

In New Zealand, Corriedale wool is classed and packed separate from the best halfbred wool to insure a higher price, while in Boston (U.S.A.) it is called "choice % blood" when sold in the grease. This valuable feature, in addition to the unique crimp of Corriedale wool, deserves more attention from range flockowners in the United States, as it.has already done from growers in New Zealand and Australia. When an average firstcross 'halfbred ewe is mated with a purebred Corriedale ram, it is surprising how many of these valuable characteristics are found in the wool of their off-spring.

Although very little variation of the spinning counts is found in the

fleeces of well-bred Corriedales, occasionally the finer fleeces will almost run up to 58's on the shoulder and not lower than 50's on the britch, and fleeces of this description are now gaining in favour providing the general conformation of the sheep is up to the usual standard. Such fleeces, however, are generally found in flocks with some Leicester blood in their foundation, and they have the additional advantages of more lustre, a finer and more sharp-ly-defined crimp, more compactness at the tips, and a more refined type of head. These fine points can only be detected by wool experts and very observant breeders possessing long experience.

A Corriedale should not be regarded as merely a fixed type of halfbred and an established breed, but as a triumph in scientific breeding, after fifty years of intense study and great perseverance by some of the cleverest breeders in the world, who specialise in sheep of this class. The result is an ideal dual-purpose sheep. —W. T. Ritch in the "Pastoral Re-

view."