THE WOOLS OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 894, 25 September 1866, Page 6

THE WOOLS OF NEW ZEALAND.

( From the Mark Lane Express, May 14.) Wool is undoubtedly one of the most important productions of New Zealand, and the value in export is only second in annual amount to that of gold. We are glad to perceive, from the report of the jurors of the. InternationF.l Exhibition held last year, that, the subject of wool production, and especially of long wools, is receiving special attention of the colonists. Through the exertions of the Exhibition Committee, seconded most heartily by wool-growers from all parts of the colony, a collection of specimens was shown undoubtedly one of the most valuable features of 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 improvements 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-woplled 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 lateyears, the demand for combing wools has vastly increased, and it is apparently limited only by the supply, .which is not equal at present to the wants of the British manufacturers. The exhibits of fine wool were not so nuinerors as might have been expected: but some were of superlative excellence, both as to quality and length. The evidence of attention in the matter of careful breeding were not wanting, and the quality of merino wools was, as a whole, equal to anything that the jury ever witnessed. In 1831 there were 233,000 sheep in the possession of .Europeans in New Zealand ; in 1858 the ber had increased to 1,523,316; and in 18<M 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 exports of wool from New Zealand were 1,f72,3;Li1b.> value £93,10.1 ;. and in I.SG4, 16,071.6601b5., valued at £1,070,997. In the first six months of 1865 the exports wero 17,995,4301b5., valued, £1,0G9,740. It has been a long-standiug complaint with English manufacturers that the New Zealand wool is sent home in a dirty condition. Owing to this defect iu preparation, the New Zealand wools although fully equal, and inmany instances superior to the Australian in quality, have not commanded so high a price as they would have done If greater pains liad been taken in washing the sheep. This fact has been often and constantly impressed on the New Zealand wool growers, and within the last year or two a great inipfovement in this respect has taken place. The plentiful supply of the purest water which abounds in every district of NeW Zealand makes 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 dlfTerenco discornable in the cleanliness of the wool-producers may yet with advantage lead them to pay greater attention to the subject of washing, The apparent high price obtained for some of the wool exhibited is attributable not so much to the extra quality of the wool. The 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 gome of the most important essentials of the Wool. The point to be arrived at should be to produce a clean, well washed woolj 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, that the staple should be kopt 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 ho can obtain for sueh wcoj. Of the English long Wools introduced into New Zealand, the Lincoln, Leciester, Cotswold, and Epinney 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 lor combing purposes. It is a class of wool for which the soil and climate of New Zealand are very suitable. Iu fact, it may be asserted as a rule, that the long-woolled sheep oi Great Britain improve with the change ; the valuable properties are preserved, owing doubtless, to the genial climate and the absence of exposure to the extreme of an English temperature. Scarcely second in repute as a combing wool is the Leicester, Of all the long-woolied sheep this has received the most attention in New Zealand, and the success which lias attended the efforts to introduce its production in the oolohy affords every encouragement, to the promoters,, and there can be no doubt that in a. few years the growth of Leciester wool will be largely prosecuted. The Leicester appears to be the favourite breed with the Auckland, sheep-farmers, pearly all the. exhibits from that province consisting of wool of this class. Of pure Leicesters there were many specimens from almost every province, and i" each instance the exhibits were highly satisfactory. The Leciester is valuable as a cross with shorter and finer woolled sheep, examples of which Were shown from Otago. The Cotswold appears to be quite as much in favour with the i(ew Zealand breeders as; the . Leicester, and probably its habit and character are more generally adapted to the climate of the Middle Island and the mountain pastures of the colony than any other longwoolled sheep. The value of this breed as a cross with either Leicester oi* short-woolled sheep cannot be top much spoken of, and the favour in which crosses with the Cotswold. are held is, a sufficient proof of their excellence. The Cotswold merino undoubtedly possesses the most valuable qualities. The best features of the respective breeds are niainfained in a mpst remarkable degree, the result being, a long clean combing wool, equal in length, to the pure Cotswold, and still preserving the extreme fineness 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 liomney : Marsh has been introduced into New Zealand. flritk great sucess, both, with regard to the iafc» k

Iprovement pfttevrool and crosses with - close-.' . wppllecL sheep,. The sKort-TCoqlled 'English ; sheep in. are .'the' Southdown;; and-/ the Shropshire ..dovrh. . .'spme- hreeders.'; haTe : . crpssed the Southdown vsriththe merino; and' cross-bred with -BomneyrMarsh .and"Merino s ;'. The Merino is-' the. most, valuable and. important ■;. | Breed cultivated iiri New..Zealand, and'of, sheep of this class the flocks of' the colony are chiefly.. composed. Th.e:merino wool has become ...finer and softer in Austraiia, and in New Zealand the length of the staple and .weight of/fleeces have, been increased,, without deterioration in ; the : quality of thq: WooL The Germanmennoshaye,' also been cultivated with remarkable success in : Australian colonies; judicious crosses with.which have materially improved the character of the?: wool, of the Spanish merino. The merinos adapt themselves easily to every change, of climate, and thrive, and .retain with, common care all their fineness of wool, under & burning tropical Sun and in. cold mountains ranges. !Pprempst ampngst the breeders and irh- : ' porters of pure-blooded .merinos.ih New Zealand stands Mr. Bich. 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. Bich prove what can be.accomplished. by scientific culture. The great weight of spine of these merino fleeces is astonishing, 121b., 161b. -, 201b., 151b., iOMb., arid 71b., being, the weight of one year's growth fleeces in Mr. Kicli's .ex* hibits. When we consider that with this great Weight of wool is combined the utmost fineness of fibre of the original Spanish merino t ihe great value of Mr. liich s breed becomes/at once so apparent as to need no further Comment. So much, has Mr- liieh improved this 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, lie showed some samples of his Mount. Eden wool to Baron Dainier, superintendent of the Imperial French merino flock at Eambouille.t; and the Baron was so struck, with the superiority of this wool, that he requested Mr. Ilich to send him a few of his rams* in Order to improve, even the famous "Eambouillet■ "■ flock. The New Zealand sheep-runs have, been stocked chiefly With the Australian-merino variety, improved through the importation, of pure Saxan-merino rams from. Germany. Although there is every reason for believing that the growth of long wools wfll be largely increased, the merino will always occupy the chief position in the flocks pf New Zealand. The excellence of the merino consis.tsin the unexampled fineness and felting property of its wool, Which in fineness, and in the number of serrations and curves, exceeds that of any other sheep : the world produces.