NEW ZEALAND WOOL.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2808, 26 July 1866, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND WOOL.

Wool is undoubtedly one of the most important productions of New Zealand, and its value in export is only second in annual amount to that of gold. We are glad to perceive from the report of the jurors at the New Zealand International Exhibition, held last year, t that the subject of wool- production, and especially of longwools, is receiviugthe special attention of the colonists. Through the exertions of the Exhibition Committee, seconded m"st heartily by wool-growers fiom all parts of the colony, a collection of specimens was shown, which was undoubtedly one of the most valuable features of the exhibition. The exhibitors of wool numbered forty, many of whom furnished a number of specimens of the various varieties of wool. The exhibits comprised every description of wool cultivated in the colony, and thus illustrated at one view the progress and improvement that have been made in this important branch of colonial production. The principal provinces of New Zealand were well represented. From" the number of exhibits of long wool, or of wool from crosses of long-woolled animals, the cultivation of wool for combing purposes is evidently growing more into favour ; and, judging from the excellent quality and great weight of fleece of the samples shown, this branch of wool-growing will doubtless become an extensive and profitable one. Of late years the demand for combing wools has vastly increased, and is apparently limited only by the supply, which is not equal at present to the wants of the British manufacturers. The exhibits of 6ne wool were not so numerous as might have been expected ; but some were of superlative excellence, both as to quality and length. The evidences of attention in the matter of careful breeding were not wanting, and the quality of the merino wools«was, as a whole, equal to any thing that the jury had ever witnessed. In 1851 there were but 233,000 sheep in the possession of Europeans in New Zealand ; in 1858 the number had increased to 1,523,316 ; and in 1864 there were close upon 5,000,000 in the nine provinces. Of these there were about 1,500,000 in each of the two provinces of Canterbury and Otago. In 1855 the expoitsbf wool from New Zealand were 1,772,3441b. value £93,101, and in 1864, 16,671,6661b., valued at £1,070,997. In the first six months of 1865 the exports were 17,995,0431b., value £1,069,746. It has been a long-standing complaint with English manufacturers that the New Zealand wool is sent home in a dirty condition. Owing to this defect in preparation, the New Zealand wools, although fully equal, and in many instances superior, to the Australian in quality, have not commanded so high a price as they would have done if greater pains had been taking in washing the Bheep. This fact has been often and constantly impressed on the New Zealand wool-groweis, and within the laßt year or two a great improvement in this respect has taken place. The plentiful supply of the purest water which abounds in every district of New Zealand mvkes it a matter of surprise that the very necessary Operation of washing has been so much neglected, or at least attended to in a very indifferent manner. The difference discernible in the Cleanliness of the wool from different stations shows that many of the wool-producers may yet with advantage pay greater attention to the subject of washing. The apparent hit*h price obtained for some of the wool exhibited is attributable not so much to the extra quality of the wool as to its cleanliness. It stands to reason that a manufacturer will give more for wool that is clean than for ill-conditioned wool. r lhe jurors give their opinion that it is a mistake on the part of the colonial scourers to attempt the production of a very high colour, to the sacrifice of some of the most important essentials of the wool. The point to be arrived at should be to produce a clean well-washed wool, but still retaining the natural character of the. wool. Well washing the sheep before shearing seems amply sufficient for all purposes until the wool reaches the hands of the manufacturer. When scouring is resorted to, it is of paramount importance, especially with combing wool, tha^t the staple should be kept free and open, and not felted or matted together. This is a very serious evil, and one that entails loss on the grower by the reduced prices he can obtain for such wool. Of the English long-wools introduced into New Zealand, the Linco n, Leicester, Cotswold, and Romney Marsh may be considered as the best-known types, to which may be added, as a sort of intermediate class, the Cheviot. The Lincoln is generally accepted as the standard type of the coarser wools suitable for oombiug purposes. It is a class of wool to the production of which the soil and climate of New Zealand are very suitable. In fact it may be asserted as a rule, that the long-woolled sheep of Great Britain improve with the change ; the length of the wool is'increased, and all its valuable properties preserved, owing doubtless to the genial climate and the absence of exposure to the extremes of an English temperature. Scarcely second in repute as a combing wool is the Leicester. Of all the long-wolled sheep this has received the most attention in New Zealand, and the success which has attended the efforts to introduce its production in the colony affords every encouragement to the promoters, and there can be no doubt tnat in a few years the growth of the Leicester wool will be largely prosecuted. The Leicester appears to be the favourite breed of the Auckland sheep-farmers, nearly all the exhibits from that province consisting of wool of this class. Of pure Leicesters there were many specimens from almost every province, and in eadh 'instance the exhibits were highly satisfactory. The Leicester is valuable as a cross

with the shorter and fitier woolled sheep, example! of which were shown fiom OUgo. The Gotswold appears to be quite us much in favour with the New Zealand breeders as th* Leicester, and probably its habits and character are more generally adapted to the climate of the Middle Island and the mountain pastures of the colouy than any other long-wool led sheep. The value of this breed as a cross with either Leicester or short-woolled sheep cannot be too much spoken of, and the favour in which crosses with the Cotswold are held is a sufficient proof of their excellence. The Cots wold-Merino undoubtedly possesses the moat valuable quali,ies. The best features of the respective breeds are maintained in a most remarkable degree, the result being a long clean combing wool, equal in length to the pure Cotswold, and still preserving the extreme finene&s'of the Merino. There can be no doubt that wool of this description of cross deserves the attention of New Zealand breeders, and that its production would be attended with profit The Romney Marsh has been introduced into New Zealand with great success, both with regard to the improvement of the crosses with close-woolled Bheep. The short-woolled English sheep in New Zealand are the Southdown and the Shropshire Down. Some breeders have crossed the Southdown with the Merino, and with crossbred Komney-Marsh-and-Merino. The Merinois the most valuable and.imoortant breed cultivated in Naw Zealand, andfof sheep of this class the flocks of the colony are chiefly composed. The Merino wool hw become finer and softer in Australia, and in New Zealand the length of the staple and weight of fleeces have been increased, without any deterioration in the quality of the wool. The German Merinos have also been cultivated with remarkable success in the Australian colonies, judiciouscrosseswith whichhave materially improved the character of the wool of the Spanish Merino. The Merinos adapt themselves easily to c very change of climate, and thrive, and retain with common care all their fineness of wool under a- burning tropical sun and in bold mountain ranges. Foremost amongst the breeders and importers of pureblooded Merinos in New Zealand stands Mr. Rich. The celebrated Mount Eden flock of this breeder enjoys a most extraordinary and well-deserved popularity throughout the Australian colonies. The fleeces exhibited by Mr. Rich prove what can be accomplished by scientific culture. The great weight of some of these Merino fleeces is astonishing — 211b. , 161b., 201b., 151b., 1041b., and 7U>.,being;the weight of one year's growth fleeces in Mr. Rich's exhibits. When we consider that with this great weight of wool is combined the utmost fineness of fibre of the Spanish Merino, the great value of Mr. Rich's breed becomes at once so apparent as to need no further comment. Po much has Mr. Rich improve! this original Blood, that some of his rams have been exported to Europe. When his father was on a visit to Europe for the purpose of inspecting the finest flocks on the Continent, he showed some samples of h ; s Mount Eden wool to Baron Damier, superintendent of the Imperial French Merino flock at Bambouillet ; and the Baron was so struck with the superiority of this wool, that he lequested Mr. Rich to scud him a few of his rams, in order to improve even the famous "Rambouillet" fleck. The New Zealand sheep-runs have been stocked chiefly with the Australian-Merino variety, improved through the importation of pure Saxon-Merino rams Germany. Although there is every reason for believing that the grbwth of long- wools will be largely increased, the Merino will always occupy the chief position in the flocks of New Zealand. Ihe excellence of the Merino consists in the unexampled fineness and felting property of its wool, which in fineness and in the number of serrations and curves exceeds that of and other sheep the world produces. — Mark Lane Express.