MERINO RAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1160, 21 February 1874, Page 15

MERINO RAMS.

We had recently an opportunity of inspecting four merino rams at Mr Scott's Commercial Stables, which li.ive been imported from Tasmania by Mr W. A. Toltnie. The rams are all two-tooth. Two of them were bred by Mr David Taylor, of St. Johnston, aDd the other two "by Mr Thomas Parramore, of Beaufront. The flocks of those breeders are of about thirty or forty years' standing, and are considered to be second to none in the Colonies. As evidencing the value of these sheep, it may be mentioned that one of them cost the large sum of £200, the lot having cost £500. The wool of this high-priced sheep is as soft and fine as that of any ram we have seen in this Province, and his fleece, we unders'and, was of great weight when shorn two months ago. This ram and one of the others were got by Mr James Gibson's Sir Thomas, upon whom a reserve of 1000 guineas was placed when he was sent to Sydney. The sire of Sir Thomas was the well-known ram King Billy, for whom 500 guineas was refused when he was an aged sheep. The sire of the other two rams was Sir Robert, tho champion merino ram of his year in Tasmania. These sheep will be taken south to-day, their destina- ! tion being Clifton, Waiwera, wheie they wil join Mr Toloiie's justly celebrated stud I Hock. By the Taranaki Mr Tolmio lias also received the second nstalment of the Lincoln stud flock, which ho purchased from Major Jackson, of the Waikato, some months ago. On the arrival of the (irst lot, we gave a notice of the pedijjn <of the sheep, which ,iro from tho well-known flocks of Mr Marshall and Isles Brothers, of Lincolnshire. The lot just arrived consists of 7o ewes, and a further shipment of about 70 or SO yuny sheep is expected to arrive by the next boat from the North. The importance of tho introduction of lirst-cla.ss sheep such as we have noticed cannot 1)0 overestimated, and one result of those shipments no doubt will be that Otago will continue to bear a good name as a district in which sheep of the best blood, both long-woollcd and merino, aro nroduccd.