WOOL-GATHERINGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 127, 11 June 1853, Page 4

WOOL-GATHERINGS.

(Communicated.)

The Sheep perhaps, of all domestic animals except the Dog, is most easily modified in its form, size, quality of fleece and other properties, to suit it to various situations and purposes for which it is intended hy man. We have accordingly at one end of the scale the long coarse wool of the Leicester Cotteswold and other long-wooled breeds, furnishing what is called by manufacturers " combing wool," and employed in making' blankets, rugs and coarse worsted goods, chiefly in Yorkshire and in Scotland ; —at the other end of the scale we have the short fine wool of the Merino sheep, fitted for spinning into the finest threads, of which the most lieautiful superfine cloth is manufactured in the West of England.

Upon examining these two classes of Wools with the Microscope a further and very curious difference is observed; viz., that whereas the fibres of the combing wools are mostly round and smooth, those of the clothing wools are jagged or barbed at the sides. There are intermediate qualities adapted either for combing or clothing, but this last mentioned property is essential in a wool intended for the manufacture of cloth, the threads of which require to be " felted" together in the fulling mill, by which a closer texture is produced than could ever result from separate threads, however closely they may be woven together.

Corresponding to the varieties of fleece possessed by different breeds of Sheep, there are varieties in the form and size of the carcase, and in the disposition of the animal. Whilst some breeds are adapted to rich and succulent lowland pastures, and are of a quiet and lazy disposition, inclined to fatten at an early age, but of tender constitution, others are suited to pick up a living by travelling over a wider range, and to endure the rigours of exposed hills aud mountains.

Now it will be evident that, in introducing a breed of Sheep into a new country, it is of the utmost importance to select that one which exr perience has proved to be best adapted by its constitution and habits to the soil and climate in which it is desired that it should thrive. t would be as reasonable, for instance, to take a fat Leicester sheep from his sheltered and succulent pastures, and expose him on the bare short herbage, to the sweeping blasts and snow storms of the Cheviot or the Lammermuir Hills, as it would be to transport a city alderman to the back woods, and hid him get his own living with the Rifle, of the American Indian. What breed of Sheep is best suited to New Zealand P To find an answer to this question we must consider in the first place whether the Carcase or the Wool is to be our principal consideration. It can hardly be questioned, that under present circumstances, of population and land in this country, the value of a breed of sheep will chiefly depend upon the qualities of its wool as an article of export. We have then (reverting to the principles laid down in the first part of this article) to consider which is the best wool-hearing breed adapted to the climate and soil of the country. The wild natural pasture of a new country presents a very discouraging appearance to those accustomed to the ciose verdant carpet of fine grasses which centuries of cultivation and of feeding down have rendered common at home. In their natural state the wide-spread wastes appear covered with the brown withered stems of grass and ferns, and when these are burnt off, or eaten down, the separate tufts of grass are found widely scattered over the surface, the bare ground appearing between them. This circumstance points out the necessity of selecting for this country such an active race of sheep, able to support themselves by picking up then- food by travelling over a Vide range, where a heavier sort of sheep would be starved. Ihe mildness of the climate luckily enables us to select the sheep of a warm country, and the most valuable breed known, adapted to such circumstances, is one originating in Spain and called the Merino. Of this breed there are two varieties, one a larger and hardier sort, producing wool adapted either for combine or clothing ; the other more delicate and bearing a short clothing wool, both qualities bein«r,° in well-bred sheep, of great fineness. In Germany the former breed is distinguished as the Negretti, the latter as the Electoral, breed of Merinos -

the Elector of Saxony, we believe, having first imported them. The former breed are more plentiful in Mecklinburgh. Our chief supply of the finest qualities of wool, so indispensable to the prosperity of the woollen manufacturers of Great Britain, is no longer derived from

Spain, but from Germany-and Hungary, where, in spite of the climate (of the former country especially), the skill and great attention which the patient and industrious Germans have bestowed on the improvement of their flocks, have succeeded in producing both qualities of wool of such excellence as to obtain the highest prices in the London and all other markets.

Mr. Mc'Arthur has the honour of having first introduced pure Merino sheep into Australia, and with more or less mixture with sheep of the Cape and other breeds, they are widely dispersed to the amount of millions overall the settled parts of that vast country, ft is said, however, that in most instances the Australians have aimed exclusively at multiplying their flocks to the utter neglect of the proper selection of the breeding animals ; so that it is only their splendid climate which has saved their flocks from rapid deterioration. So important has this point been found in Germany that the best flockmasters there do not trust to their own judgment or to that of their shepherds, but employ persons called "Sheep Classifiers," who make it their special business to attend to this part of the management of several flocks, and thus to preserve or if possible to improve the best qualities of both parents in the lambs. Now it appears to us that, as a given extent of run will feed many more sheep, and produce much more return, in New Zealand than in Australia, and as population, both Native and European, will be more concentrated in the latter country, it may be there worth while to take example from the Germans so far as to pay much more attention to breeding, so as gradually to create a breed possessing the. greatest weight of fleece with the best quality of wool which the pasturage and climate will admit of. As to what those capabilities are, we confess that we are most sanguine. We well remember the expression of one of the first wool-brokers in London, when conversing with him about the growth.of wool in New Zealand. He said—"The first specimen of New Zealand wool I ever saw was brought to me by a gentleman unknown to me, who, without saying whence it came, merely asked me what I thought of it. After examining it carefully, I told him, 'whatever country that wool conies from must be a Sheep's Paradise. 11" He afterwards told us that there were some peculiar and very valuable qualities in the best New Zealand flocks, and as for strength of fibre it was ": as tough as the native flax." The price of much of the wool which was sold in London ex "Midlothian," before we left England was as high as Is. Sd. per lb. With such beginnings we may surely hope much from the Canterbury Plains, and, as a commencement, we are glad to be able to announce that twelve Ewes and two Rams of the pure Negretti breed arrived in the " Minerva." These were selected in Germany out of some of the best flocks, by an experienced agent ; the considerable expenses incurred in the purchase, the transport to England, freight, insurance, &c, to Canterbury, have been borne by three gentlemen in the hope that they will form the nucleus of a Stud Flock, by means of which the proprietors hope to enjoy the gratification of introducing the best blood of Germany into their adopted country.

We have before urged upon flockmasters in New Zealand the example of the Germans in paying sedulous attention to the breed of their sheep. How important this is in a pecuniary point of view will be apparent from the following fact which we have on the authority of one of the largest flockmasters at Port Philip, who lately made a tour in Germany on purpose to study their system of Sheep management, and from whose notes,—the perusal of which was kindly allowed us,—we hope to furnish some interesting and valuable information. He says " the ordinary flocks in Saxony produce very fine wool, but much less in quantity than those of the improved breed ; the first yielding from 2 to 2U lbs., worth from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per Ib. -, whilst the flocks of M. Gadegast, and a few others, yield from 21 to 2i lbs., worth from 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. per lb." Thus whilst the yield of an ordinary sheep of the countrywould.be worth on an average 6s. per annum, the yield of an improved sheep would be as much as 10s. a-year. This large

difference in the produce of each sheep in a flock of some thousands would, of course, amount to something well worth some extra care and expence. It must, however, be observed that the German fleeces are much fuller of Yolk than the spout-washed Australian wool; on this account a considerable allowance of weight must be made when comparing the weight of the former with that of the best conditioned flocks of Australia. " There are flocks of the Negretti breed in Meeklinburg and Pomerania of undoubted blood which average 4 lbs. per fleece, worth 3s, 6d. per lb., and many rams are to be found yielding from 8 lbs. to 10 lbs. of washed wool! What are the most valuable qualities ivhich Wool can possess ? Having thus endeavoured to shew the importance of attention to breeding, it becomes necessary, in order to success in this art, to be well acquainted with the most desirable qualities or "points," in the animals proposed to be reared. Since the principal object of the New Zealand breeder will be, as we before observed, the fleece; we will confine ourselves to the qualities most valuable in regard to it. These are the six following:— 1. Fineness; 2. Fullness ; 3. Freeness ; 4. Soundness; 5. Length ; 6. Softness. 1. Fineness of the fibre of the Wool can be judged of by practice when a lock of it is laid on the cuff of a coat of a dark colour. A deficiency in this quality will shew itself by an abrupt falling off in fineness either in the neck or breach of the animal, or in both. The difference in fineness between these parts and the rest of the fleece should be so gradual as to be almost imperceptible. The '* Settler" cannot exert himself too much to breed ' • close up," as it is called, i. c. to make the whole fleece as nearly as possible equal throughout; otherwise the character of his flock as -' good breed" will never be established, and the wool will invariably prove bad in the manufacture. No hair must be anywhere visible on the animal, esper cially under the fore legs. 2. Fullness means the closeness with which the ftaples, or locks, of wool grow together on the skin. Upon opening the wool of a sheep possessing this quality in perfection, only a thin line of skin, as fine as a pencil stroke, will appear round each staple; but if deficient, a space almost bare. This is a point in which the Australian sheep are generally deficient, and of course the weight of the fleece suffers mater rially. Some of the German sheep have great rolls or puckers of skin under their necks and on other parts which give them a singular appearance, but the extent of wool-bearing surface is thereby increased. 3. Freeness means that the separate staples or locks of wool, and also the separate fibres of each staple are distinct, and by no means entangled together, or what is called " smushy,'' like cotton wool. A deficiency in this quality shews itself most plainly along the ridge of the hack. In a well-bred sheep the wool on being opened should fall apart under the hands as clear and broken as the leaves of a book. A* want of knowledge of this quality has caused infinite mischief in Australia from people having mistaken an absence of freeness for fullness or closeness of growth which we have already explained. 4. Soundness or strength of fibre, is a quality in which New Zealand wool, like its native flax, is said to be pre-eminent. Along the ridge of the back is a sort of division between the wool of each side. Tenderness, i. c. deficiency in soundness, invariably first shews itself there. Take out a staple from this part and give it a strong steady pull, holding one end in each hand. If this proves sound, depend upon it that the whole fleece is so too. This is an indispensable quality in a combing wool, such as New Zealand is fitted to produce, as the process of combing tries the soundness especially. It is one also in which the Australian wool is liable to be deficient, arising from a check to the growth of the wool from the sheep having been half-starved by drought, an affliction to which those countries are so often liable. For though the wool begins to grow again as soon as the sheep recovers his flesh, there is always a weak place in that year's clip at the point where the growth recommenced, by which it is materially damaged, for combing purposes at least. 5. Length of fibre must be most carefully regulated by the nature of the pasture and

climate ; for any, the least, excess will cause a proportionate deficiency in soundness, by which the wool will he depreciated for clothing, and rendered utterly useless for combing. If the length of the wool be too great for the nature of the country, it will be known by the twisting of the wool into hard bands like pieces of twine which break almost like rotton thread. It is an error as mischevious as the short cottony wool and cannot be too carefully avoided. To judge of the length of the staple in a fleece the best part to examine is the division along the ridge of the back, as it is there usually somewhat shorter than in other parts. 6. Softness sufficiently explains itself. A want of this quality is most conspicuous between the points of the shoulders aud up the neck. Directions for Breeding. Having now given the best idea in our power of the most valuable qualities to be aimed at in the fleece of a sheep, we may proceed to give a few hints as to the practical method of improving a flock, so as to gradually secure the requisite points. The writer of an excellent little treatise on wool growing, published at Melbourne, from whose pages we have derived much of the matter contained in the above description of the qualities of wool, gives directions derived from his own experience which may be thus summed up. He first recommends settlers to spend more time than they often do amongst their stock, not contenting themselves with mere galloping about with a cigar in their mouths, but as often as possible to pass part of a flock, sheep by sheep, through their hands, examining each individual point by point, and they will soon be able to class their own flock. Then, and not till then, they will take pleasurein, and devote proper care to their improvement. It will be evident how much many persous, who find themselves suddenly possessed of a flock of sheep, have to learn before they can really understand the points on which their value depends. The retired military officer, the medical practitioner, or the embryo lawyer, will surely do well to follow this excellent advice, and not be ashamed to confess an absence of practical knowledge which it is impossible they can possess. The ewes must first be classed. Look carefully through them, and pick out all that possess the proper qualities, which have already been explained. Place these ewes in the first class. Second Cl_ss. In this are to be included all ewes which have only a moderate deficiency in one or more of the six qualities above specified, but still are not deficient in soundness, or strength of fibre. Third Class. In this are to be placed all the other ewes, provided they are of a healthy constitution; if any are not so, let them be drafted for slaughter. Their fleece may be most defective, but with good rams they may produce better stock. The first class must not be made by one Marger than to admit all which are as perfect as -possible in all the six points of quality. To! these select ones put the very best ram which can be procured for love or money, and carefully mark the lambs dropped by them. If the other classes be put to good rams, some lambs will be produced worthy of being admitted to the first class, and thus gradually, and in an increasing proportion every year, inferior sheep will be replaced by an improved race. To carry out this system properly, it is evident that some sort of register must be established by the fiockmaster, and a system of marks so that he can easily ascertain the degree of relationship between his breeding animals, and to which rams the ewes may be put. We will therefore give a sketch of* the German method, which, though it may be thought to require more time and attention than can be afforded iv a new colony, may nevertheless afford useful hints to those desirous of establishing some system for their own use. A person in Germany wishing to commence an improved flock, purchases, say 20 ewes of an undoubted race, which are numbered from 1 to 20, and all the lambs of each of these original ewes ever after bear the number of their mothers. Thus No. 1—45-10 means that No. 1 is an original ewe, lambed in 1845, its sire being No. 10, whose pedigree, as well as the mother's, are ascertained from the person from whom they were bought, and so all the original ewes are distinguished up to 20 \

The descendants of these original ewes should be numbered as under; for instance—24-i — 48-5 would mean that No. 24 is the lamb of No. 1, bred in 1848, its sire being No. 5. This lamb therefore'bears the numbers of its family, viz., 1, and has a small 1 over to signify that it is the first lamb which No. 1 has had; so again 37--—SO-7 would mean that No. 37 was the 2nd lamb of No. 3, bred in 1850, its shi being ram No. 7. The family marks such as — or ~ in the above example are tattoed in blue on the inside of the ear, on the bare part where there is no wool, and the year in which it was lambed is marked in a similar manner inside the other ear. For the numbers' of the sheep, which requires to be visible, as by referring to the studbook the other particulars are then ascertained without the necessity of catching the sheep, a system of marks is adopted which is very ingenious. It is managed by notches on the ears, and any combination of numbers may thus be obtained, which the shepherd having learned can read as easily as ordinary cyphers. Suppose we are looking at the animals in front, the notches in the right ear in No. 1, it will be seen, signify, when under one hundred, ten times what they do on the left ear; and above one hundred the right ear notches are tivice the value of those on the left. Thus, No. I means 100+200+30-1-10+3+2+1 i. c. 300+40+8=346, and by adding notches on the upper and lower edges, it will be seen that the numeration can be carried up to 399. In the same way No. 2 shews the numeration from 399 up to 1299. No. 3 means the number 444 and so on, by a combination of notches and holes in the ears, any number required for a single flock can be expressed. As an example of management in breeding the practice of Mon. Gadegast, one of the most successful flockmasters in Saxony, may be instanced. His breeding Ewes are kept at about 400. They produce about 380 lambs yearly— one-half being Ram lambs. These are carefully examined when about nine days old, and all which do not promise well are rejected, their tails being left long, whilst the others have their tails docked. Those rejected do not usually exceed 10 per cent. All delicate looking ones, with small bones, or bare faces and red inflamed eye-lids, are at once condemned; as also all which are not well woolled down to the knee and hock. Black spots are always objected to, though they seldom occur amongst the highly bred sheep ; but a few yellow or light brown spots on the legs and ears are considered to be rather a beauty. Thus, Mon. Gadegast has generally about 140 ram lambs left yearly. Of these he selects 20 for his own use, of which perhaps he might sell one or two as a great favour at prices ranging from £40 to ,£400! The rest are divided into " reserves," —sold at about £20 each, —and Ist, 2nd, and 3rd class worth respectively, £8, £6, and £5 each. He will sell few but old Ewes which have had two, three, or four lambs, which bring from £4 10s. to £5 each. The reason why he reserves so many rams for his own use is to obtain certain peculiar properties : some Rams possessing particular points being only put to, perhaps, a dozen Ewes. Having above given such hints as we have been able to collect from-the best authorities as to the qualities most valuable in a Colonial flock, and the methods of securing a gradual approximation to the beau ideal, we will conclude this branch of our subject with a description of what the pare New Zealand Merino ought to be. See how lively it looks ; how bright yet gentle is its eye; what a fine frame, square, deep and compact, yet how light and active in its carriage! How beautiful and even is its fleece covering the whole body from eye to hock. When it moves what an even wave it has as it rises and falls, no one staple projecting above another. On closer examination its fleece proves as valuable in its qualities as it is beautiful to the eye. See how slightly its fineness decreases towards the breach ; so gradually as almost to be imperceptible, and without the least falling off in any manufacturing quality. Look between the shoulders and up the neck; it is still perfectly free and soft. Look down the centre ol the back; the staples are a little shorter, but not in the least tender or smushy,

they are fperfectly sound and free. Open the fleece in any part, it is free, bright, and closely set on. It has then every quality which can be desired for beauty and profit; it is in fact the Pure New Zealand Merino. A strong constitution such a sheep must have, for the wool described will never be produced but by a lively healthy animal ; and as to weight of fleece, if with fineness there is fulness and length (and there is no reason why there should not be), there can be no loss of weight, as there will be numbers of fibres to fill the space otherwise occupied by thickness of fibre, and with due atteution to the specified qualities the breeder will obtain both weight of fleece and weight of carcase. On Washing Wool. Next to obtaining, by careful breeding, an excellent quality of wool, it behoves the flockmaster so to prepare it for market that it may not fail to bring the full price which it is fairly worth. This is a point in which we have understood from London Brokers that New Zealand wool has not generally had fair play. It has hitherto been grown in such small quantities in most of the Settlements, that it has not been possible to ship it direct to England. It has generally been sold to intermediate dealers at Wellington or Sydney, who have mixed various qualities in the same bale, and have had no particular interest in the character it acquires in the English market. Now this at once is ruinous to the success of a country's wool. The London Broker who buys for the great manufacturers goes to the Docks previous to the periodical Wool-sales, and requires to be able, by pulling a single sample from a bale, to ascertain the quality of the whole bale. If it is known that wool imported from a particular country, or under a particular brand, cannot be depended upon to correspond with the sample, the Brokers at once reduce the price, in order to make a liberal allowance to cover the evident chances of loss. Thus an Australian flockmaster is as jealous of the character of his brand as any other producer, knowing that its character in the market will virtually affect his interests. This is, therefore, a point on which it behoves the New Zealand growers to be very careful by having their produce properly sorted and establishing a good character for particular brands. It is essential also that the wool, whatever its quality, should be skilfully handled, so as to free it from dirt and impurities, without damaging it in other respects. Here there is no doubt that New Zealand possesses most important advantages over Australia. The abundance of the purest water which finds its way to the sea, fed by the exhaustless reservoirs condensed in the shape of snow aud rain by the lofty inland chains of mountains, affords to the New Zealand flockmaster a natural advantage for washing his flocks above his Australian fellow labourer who has nothing, perhaps, within reach but a fickle torrent, which at one time rages with destructive violence, at others stands 1 for months in widely distant stagnant pools— locally called " water-holes." We have also understood that New Zealand wool is not subject to be discoloured by a sort of impalpable dust or sand, which is blown into it on some of the arid pastures in Australia, and of which it is almost impossible to free it before it is shorn. Another great plague from which the New Zealand pastures are free is a sort of spear grass, which having serrated edges like an awn of barley, insinuates itself not only into the wool, but even into the skin of the animal, producing great pain and irritation. To such an extent is this sometimes the case that a large flockmaster informs us that after a sheep had been shorn he has sometimes passed his hand over parts of the skin and found it quite rough with the spicula of this grass which had pierced the hide. We now proceed then to describe the process of washing the wool previously to its being shorn, on which so much of its value in the market depends. The sheep has three skins, the second producing the secretion called " yolk,'' which rises through an immense number of pores in the outer'skin. This oily secretion is absolutely essential to the preservation of the wool, not only in its growth, but after it is shorn. Hence will be seen the necessity of so managing the washing of the animal that, when the old yolk and every impurity has been washed out, sufficient new yolk should rise before the sheep has

accumulated a new supply of dust and dirt in the wool. To accomplish this, the washing must be performed without in the least impairing the functions of the skin ; which is so sensative that any sudden or continued exposure to cold will close the outer pores and put a stop to the secretion of yolk. Should the sheep therefore be shorn too soon after washing, the wool being without yolk is hard, dry, and unpliable, and never regains the soft kind of feel so desirable in the process of manufacture. This would be a loss to the grower in two ways, as, not only would his wool fetch a lower price wethout yolk than with it, but as the wool is sold by weight, he also loses the weight of the yolk itself, which is very considerable. This yolk is a sort of natural soap, and being soluble in Avater of moderate temperature is easily washed out of the wool together with all the dirt which is mixed with it. The first object is to soak the sheep properly, and to preserve the yolk washed out of the first lot of sheep, as it combines with the yolk in subsequent lots and thus much facilitates the process. ' The soaking pen should be 16 feet square, and from 3 feet to 3 feet 6 inches deep, confined on all sides from the stream, excepting having a sluice at one end to admit the sheep into the cleansing pen. A slight current should also be admitted over the surface of the soaking pen, so regulated as only just to clear off the dirt, without carrying off tlie scour or yolk. The cleansing pen may be of the same size as the soaking pen, only allowing the stream free sweep through it. There must also be a space of soft, clear, running water, through which the sheep are made to swim. The operation of washing may be thus conducted. Fill the soaking pen as full as possible with sheep, say 50. These should remain in it till the yolk is quite dissolved, which, after the scour is formed, will be a very short time. This pen must then be emptied of sheep, by shoving them as speedily as possible, through the sluice into the adjoining cleansing pen. From this they are to be passed one by one into the swim. In finishing them off there, or under the spouts, every one must judge for himself, but never keep them in the water a moment longer than is necessary to make them clean, and always take care that they shall land from clean water on to clean ground. By following this plan the wool will be beautifully clean ; and as the production of yolk is not checked, a sufficient quantity will have risen in the wool in three clear days after the washing, to give it a soft, kind handle, when shearing should immediately commence, as nothing would be gained by delay, and the wool might be damaged by dirt. In Port Philip, tepid water has been applied to washing sheep, a large boiler being made to discharge a regular stream of hot water into the washing pool. The gentleman to whom allusion was made above as having allowed us the advantage of his note on German sheep management says,—r- " M. Gadegast conducted me to his wool-store, where his fleeces,, tied up in bundles of four, with cord as thick as what sailors call Marline, were built up like a pile of shot in. an Arsenal, and it certainly was a beautiful sight to a connoisseur. It was worth at least 4s. 6d. per lb.! We cannot better conclude our humble at-, tempt at making the keeping of sheep in New Zealand a profitable pursuit, than by wishing all our readers^similar success.

An Olive Tree and Bbanches.—A correspondent of the 'Family Herald' says, that after Her Majesty Queen Victoria came to the throne a present was sent to her, from Jerusalem, of an olive tree. "It was shipped at Bevrout, kept on deck, and appeared to die on the passage. In this state it was intrusted to the gardener. On the day of the coronation this young olive tree put forth twelve blossoms." Ihe correspondent concludes from this that the twelve tribes of Israel will be gathered in Victoria's reign ! The ingenious editor adds, that some less theological and more genealogical seer might infer that Her Mujesty would "have twelve children. So Many and One Over.—An American paper remarks that there are four thonsand fi.ve hundred languages throughout the world besides the language of the eyes. '