ELEVENPENNY, WOOL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 248, 13 July 1908, Page 3

ELEVENPENNY, WOOL.

A SECRET FPR THE ASKING. ; DON'T SHEAR THE LAMBS. <; • Mr, A. P. Whatman, of "Abbotsford," the well-known Taueru sheep farmer, has just received the pleasing news from England that his wool .clip of 105. bales (purebred Romney), brought lid. per lb. at tho May sales, and picces 6Jd. The,Abbotsford wool is described r as being particularly long, and lustrous, and of a remarkably fine type. ' ~ Mr. Whatman was asked ,by our W'airarapa representatives if ho could givo any information regarding, his treatment of' his flock, so that it might; givo a lead to other farmers. He stated that.ho could hardly do that,' because it was, in a way; a secret. Farmers'might apply to him, however. He had. beeiv informed by an American buyer that tho "Abbotsford" staple was tho sort which they wanted in the States, and that it w.ould bo bought every time by them., Mr.; Whatman surmised that it was on'account of, this domand for a long, bright stapjo that his wool had brought such a good price. - "I will tellyou this, however,",' said Mr. Whatman, "I think that a great mistake is made by sheep farmers in ; shearing their lambs. I never shear 'mine/ and. the result undoubtedly' is a better class;, of 'wool. 'No doubt they may require a little more attention; unshorn, but they keep just as well as those which are shorn. If Noiv Zealand'farmers wish to improve their staple, then they slibflld stop shearing their lamb's.'. I do not sayithat that is all that is, wanted to secure quality, but , it is something which will go a long-way to secure the desired object."