Romneys in New Zealand.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 15

Romneys in New Zealand.

TO .THE EDITOR,. Sir,— l have been interested in reading Mr F. Brady's remarks on liomncyp, and Mr James Holms's interview with the Wyndham Farmer. Mr F Btady's remarks arc meeting with a good deal of consideration amongst sheep-breeders. The true type of the Romueys is hurd to find. Every lloniney breeder has a tj - pe of his own, which I suppose he thinks is the proper Itomney we should have. For instance, take all the Roinney flocks in New Zealand aud boxtheai, and anyone could draft off every man's sheep without the use of raddle. Now that should not be. It is not so with Leicesters. Climate aud soil change the general appearance of sheep, but not to such an extent as our Romney flocks have varied. The fashionable Romney is a coarse long-woolled sheep with as much wool ou his face as it is possible to get. In opening up the fleece one wants to look at his face to see whether he has got hold of a Romney or a Lincoln I don't think such a sheep should be called the imported Romney, as Mr F. Brady suggests. Why not call them the New Zealand or Jubilee long-woolled sheep, and that would not clash with the Romneys at all. 1 have no doubt the day will come when sheep-breeders will know whether ilia fashionable Romney or the old Kent Romney is the proper Bheep to breed. I remember a few years ago I was at the fii\>t agricultural show held in Masterton, Wairarapa. A Mr Cobb exhibited some imported llomneys, and the following day they were put up for sale. Very little notice was taken of them, and very few bids were forthcoming. A gsntleman I was then working for bought one ram for 50gs and ordered 20 ewes at sga apiece. The ewes were perfect pictures when they came home. They jesembled each other in every possible way. Mr Cobb informed me that he went home to England and bought and picked his sheep personally, and there was no doubt they did him credit. There was no improved colonial appsarance about them. There is another flock of Romneys I know of which belong* to two gentlemen in the Clutha district, and which is worthy of the name. Those sheep never appear ia a show ring or a sale yard, but they would bs hard to beat either here or at Home. Their wool got first honours at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, and some of the wool was sent to Kent to see if anything better could be found with a view to imparting fresh blood into the flock, but nothing there could be found to equal it. I consider they are the champ"on Romney breeders in New Zealand. There is no doubt but that Romney sheep will come to be the standard sheep in New Zealand. They are hardy sheep, and make excellent mothers, aud afpure Romney ewe crossed with a Liecester ram begets a grand lamb for freezing, and also for both wool and mutton.— l am, &c, John Welsh. Myrossßusb, Southland, June 7.