ENGLISH LEICESTERSKR

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1302, 4 December 1911, Page 10

ENGLISH LEICESTERSKR

QUEENSLAND. '•'• 'a visiting buyer. Mr. A. C. Thompson, formerly of f Tiinaru-and Christchurch, who, purchased • a-.propcvtv hi Queensland a. tow years J ago,, is on" his way over'to New Zealand, - savs the "SydriewMurJ," to'purchase sonic J English . Leicester sheep" for" tho purpose ■. of establishing a stud flock. In haying 1 the merino to cross with tho longwodls, i Mr. ..Thompson:considers tho Australians 1 have a great advantage over their follow'- I farmer's in-New Zealand, and oh this point { he is in thorough agreement-With, Pro-- ; feasor Lowrio, - who, hns had .experience i iii Both., countries. ",'The best,.owe is a j half bred or threc-(|uarter-brcd,'- and using i the' English S-ith the advantage, of .'the blood';f,rom':,tho excellent merino sheep available--in Australia,. Mr. Thompson considers that lafiib-raising in • Australia should havc;pi, bright future. Ho qualified that remark with7tho statement that the necessary works for. treat- j mont. should bo available. In Now Zea- - 1 land, the' breeder has the advantage ;tliat j if' ho does, not like the prieo' offered j by ,tho buyer.-he.can.deal direct .with the ' ■works. -That is,not' so- in parts of Aits- . : tralia, and especially on parts; of' the I Barling Downs, whore he is settled 'at < .present.' On tho wool side.Mr. Thomnson..gave his.support to tho. English Lei- - 1 cester for crossing, purposes. "The Linw'n 5 is regarded as the best'of all lustre wools; .' but ;.tho. two.breeds .are, closely .related. < In fact, it., is said'to bo. impossible, to .; .ascertain dbfinitaly • i where,:in. tho; early '.- days'.of the • liineolri, .'it''bolTowe'd'~niore .;. from.-the- Leicester than the Leicester ae- ; fiuirc'd ■ from the ,'Lincoln. At any .rate, Mr, 'Thompson is' enthusJustic;.pver.:..tho , wool', which results from . thV''cross -with tho English Leicester ram, while the popu- .. lari.ty 'of. this breed among Canterbury. '- lanib-raiser's;is, eloquent.testimony-to.'itbo ;' value" .of: the cross for-lniitton ' purposes. ..' It.ViU'bd'very"intercstihg, remarks'"The {' .Mail,", to '/.observe the .effect in the"fairly '! drv climate to which Mr.- Thompson'will -.- take his little stud of:.Leicester?, : as .com- 1 pared.; with ~rh£; comparatively ; moist cli- ' mate-from which they will, be. brought > : in' New Zealand. .The chances are that . •the: advantages,claimed .911 the -niutton » .'side of 'tin's cross .wiH''repc£t themselves- ',' on the wool,side,.for the breeder'.'willinot -1 'only be, working on tho large-framed '; r\rid healthy' type of nierino, but sheep , with -a-tendency to produce superfine wool.; It is difficult .Co say exactly at ,'. this* stage what" (ho effect will bo, but ' there are good chances of success.- Mr. ( Thompson has already experihienfod with .] some halfbred Lincoln?, which were tip .; only ones available; and although the 1 season.was very dry, ho states that the'' result-was splendid'. It was partly-this .! ficfc which deferminpd hini to go to the ,; Dominion and purchase a number of , English Loice'stcrs for stud purposes. : • - - : ' •- 1