Page 1 Advertisements Column 4

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 965, 8 February 1862, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOE SALE AT AUCTION. VALUABLE MERINO SHEEP RECENTLY IMPORTED FROM AMERICA. MESSRS. TAYLOR & CO. desire to call the attention of Station Masters, Sheep Fanners and others to a late arrival of very valaablo pure bred Merino Rams, selected from Iho well known and highly esteemed flocks of Mr. J. D. Patterson, of New York State. These sheep are remarkable for the extraordinary weight and fineness of their fleece; their frame is of a size hitherto unknown as belonging to the pure Merino breed, and in every instance where they have been put ■to other flocks the result has heen at once visible in the enlarged size of the produce, and the increased yield of wool. The importers feel every confidence in asserting that they are by far the finest and most valuable lot of sheep ever imported into New Zealand; and whilst recommending them to the attention of all sheep farmers for the improvement of their flocks, would particularly do so to such gentlemen as are now commencing the business of raising high bred stock in enclosed paddocks. The rams now offered for sale are descendants of pure French and Spanish stock, imported from time to time during the last tenor fifteen years into America by Mr. Patterson, who, by the exercise of great good judgment in crossing, and continued care, has succeeded in developing the breed into its present extraordinary condition, During that period Mr. Patterson has taken the highest prizes at Agricultural Fairs throughout America, and his sales extend to all parts of the United States. The rams now imported by Messrs. Taylor & Co. in the Mary Merrill are as follows :— No. 21. 29 months old, £ French, $ Spanish Merino, shorn June, 1861 No. 10. 17 months old, f French, | Spanish Merino, shorn June, 1861 No. 3. 9 months old, pure French of extra quality, shorn June, 1861 No. 4. 3| years old, | French, £ Spanish Merino, shorn April, 1860. No. 8. 3£ years old, £ French, Spanish Merino, shorn April, 1860 No. 34. 3| years old, pure French Merino, shorn April, 1860 No. 36. 17 months old, pure Spanish Merino, never shorn No. 39. 17 months old, pure Spanish Merino, never shorn The following description of them is given in a letter from Mr, Patterson :— Boston, September 4,1861. Messrs. Taylob & Co. Gentlemen, —The Ram Lamb, No. 3, if he has good care, will make one of the most valuable rams I have ever bred, and I have sold here rams less than a year old for 1000 dollars not so good as I think he will be when he arrives at that age, if he has good care.' The largest Ram, No. 34, is a pure French Merino, but I do not recommend him as one of my best. His wool is fine enough, but is too white to yield a very heavy fleece. The rams that are crosses of the French and Spanish Merino (Nos. 21,10, 4, and 8) are the best selections of their blood, as are also the two pure Spanish Merinos, Nos. 36 and 39. These Spanish Merinos are the descendants of those imported from Spain in 1809 and 1810, and are very far superior to the original imported stock, or any that can be found in Spain at the present time. The French Merinos are also very much superior to any that can be found in France, as the stock has been greatly improved in this country. None of the sheep I have sent out have yet attained their full size, as I considered young sheep of the most value to you, there being a greater chance for them to improve. The Merinos do not mature so early as other breeds, but they live to a greater age than any other breed, and I think they will make a fine cross with the sheep of New Zealand. I am certain they will yield heavy fleeces of wool, but not so much for the time it has been growing as it would when sheared at an even year's growth ; for when they are allowed to run over a year without shearing, they are overburdened with wool, and they do not thrive so well, therefore they have less oily matter in their fleeces which causes their fleeces to weigh less, and if allowed to run two years without shearing their fleeces the last year would not gain over from \ to \ what they would if they were sheared every year. Respectfully yours, John D. Patteeson. The Sheep are now on exhibition at Messrs. Stoddart and Sprott's Paddocks, Diamond Harbor, Port Lyttelton, and Messrs. Taylor and Co. invite all those interested in sheep farming to visit and examine for themselves. Annexed are some remarks of Mr. Patterson in regard to his sheep, and some extracts from American Agricultural Journals, to which Messrs. T. & Co. feel they have nothing to addj The Sale will take place on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1862, At Messrs. Stoddart and Sprott's Paddocks. Sale to commence at twelve o'clock. Boats will be in readiness at Government Jetty, [CERTIFICATES.] New York, February 18, 1859. My Deak Sib, —Your favor of the 21st Jan. was received by to-day's mail. In answer to jour first enquiry, I would say, the improved French merino sheep have never in any instance, within my knowledge, fallen off or degenerated in any of their valuable qualities; on the contrary, they have continued to increase in size and weight of fleece each succeeding year, and still retain the fine quality of their wool. As their constitutions have improved, they have become more prolific and their lambs have become more hardy and easily raised. For the past ten years, the increase from my ewes has exceeded more than one hundred and fifty per cent at a birth, for the two past years over one hundred and sixty per cent. I now have one ewe raised by myself, that has bred me twelve lambs within four years and is now forward with lamb again, although she is nursing two lambs, a pair of twins. Another of my ewes has bred me five lambs within seven months, three at one birth and two at another. I allow my ewes to breed more frequently than most sheep breeders in this country, generally getting three crops of lambs from them in two years. In California and New Mexico they have proved even more prolific than here. Those of full age I have sold to go there have increased in size and proved even better than the purchasers anticipated, the climate evidently being very favorable for them. 2ud inquiry.—Rams of this variety weigh from 180 to 2501b5. each when of full age and in good condition. Some of them will weigh more, even up to 3001b5., though this is quite unusual. The owes will weigh when in the same condition lrom 130 to l7olbs. each, occasionally one will weigh as high as 2001 bs. but this is quite unusual also. 3rd inquiry. —- The value of their wool hore (brook washed) is now about 55 to 58 cents, perlb. say two shillings and sixpence. In London, I presume this quality of wool would be worth more, but I cuunot state its exact value in that market. 4th inquiry.—My breeding ewes and yearling ewes have never sheared on the averago less than 151bs. each in its natural condition (unwashed), and my rams have sheared from 18 to 26 lbs. each in the same condition ; occasionally one will shear more and others a trifle less than that. * * * Yours respectfully, John D. Pattejjson.