OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

Otago Witness, Issue 2669, 10 May 1905, Page 8

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

(Fbom Our Own Correspondent.)

THE SHEPHERD AND HIS WORK.

BRADFORD, March 3.

The calling of a shepherd is as old as human history. Abel, the child of our first parents, the first victim of hatred and malice, was a herdsman and shepherd. That his avocation received divine approval the Book testifies.

Noah, a man of obedient spirit and wise precaution, at one time owned the best flock of sheep in Asia Minor, and could boast of the best stock ram in the world without provoking the jealousy of other breeders.

Abraham, the father of the faithful, knew a good merino ram when he saw it, and Isaac rejoiced that the race was on earth. Moses, the divine law-giver, was too flashy and hot-headed to be a leader of Israel until he had received a shepherd's training in the employ of his father-in-law, Jethro.

David, the brave champion and sweet singer of Israel, was the best shepherd of olden times. In defence of the flock he gave battle to the lion and bear, and when he had led his charges into verdant glens and hy sparkling brooklets, and witnessed their contentment and sense of security as a result of his vigilance and painstaking 1 care, in joy and ecstacy breaks forth: ".The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadetb me beside tho still waters." Blessed faith ! "Verily, the shepherd's calling fits men for law-givers, leadei-s of men, for kingly honour and duties as well.

Job, a man of patient endurance, the most profound thinker of the generation, who solved many of the great problems in science and Nature, was the proud possessor of 14-.000 sheep. "~ If the achievements in the arts of peace that benefit and bless mankind are those to be most highly esteemed, then the proudest distinction .Spain can set claim to is her merino flocks, which sprang up amid the % blaze and glory of an ancient Roman civilisation, and which she maintained intact for 2000 years or more, and whose blood to-day oermeates the great bu'k of the sheep of the world.

The English people to-day are justly proud of their export trade in fine sheep, that are bringing world-wide fame and wealth to her breeders. American people have always honoured the names of Humphrey, Jarvis. Crowninshield, and others whoee early Spanish importations laid the foundation for their superb fin» wool producers, the American merino ; while we noint with pride to the achievements of Hammond, Sanford, Stowell, Rich, Stickney. Burwell, and others in thejield of live stock improvement. Wherefore the time-honoured and universal appreciation of this race or kind of domestic animals.

Ever since the edict that by the sweat of hi« brow man should eat bread the problem of food and raiment has been the heritage of man in all climes and amidst every generation of man, and the sheep solves this problem more fully than any other animal. Every civilised nation esteems its flock as a means of national defence, and the dejjxee of civilisation - attained is largely t

gauged by their excellence and the esteem! in which they are held. Tfou can both freeze out and starve out an enemy. Cold conquered Napoleon's army in Russia, and threatened starvation drove Pemberton td» surrender Vicksburg. Are we as a n^tiod alive to our needs in this direction? Is our* Government planning as wisely and well concerning our clothing material as she is t<% secure the best battleships and guns of matchless calibre? If such were the case,would the rag picker, with his shoddy material, be allowed to cripple the shepherd and his flock, and block the way for the expansion of the industry commensurate with our increase of population? Successful agriculture in our own country largely dependls upon the maintenance and expansion of our live stock industry, and the sheep is the king of animals fotf fertilising and conditioning a farm, and I believe that experience has fully demonstrated the fact that for a steady pull for 50 years the sheep is the safest and most profitable animal to keep.

COURSE OF PRICES.

There is not a great deal that is new to< be noted in connection with wool, the most significant feature being i/~e continuous sagging of prices. No single quality of wool is as firm as it was a week ago, even: merinos feeling the effect® of the pronounced weakness in crossbreds. Business has almost been reduced to the vanishing point, and users are holding off for the time being. It is now a oertainty that prices will b# down next week in London, and unless the Continent and America are in good buying trim even merinos must respond to the weaker tendency h&re manifest. There id . little to stimulate business, and all sections seem to be agreed to await London's verdict before operating further. Not until it is generally agreed that the bottom has been touched can we hope for a resumption of healthy business. The following table shows the general course of values during the past month : —

OQ s ~ ss " Description. I 4 A «• d - k W d. Lincoln hoggs ... ... Lincoln wethftrs Deep-grown hoggs Deep-grown wethers White super hoggs White super wetaers Irish hoggs Irish wethers Shropshire hoggs Shropshire wethers Ordinary halfbred bogss ... « ordinary half bred wethers Wpt»hire Down tegs Wiltshire Down ewes Super 60*3, col. tops < 'rdinary 6o*B, coL tops ... Ordinary 50*8* coL tops ... Ordinary iO's, col. tops ... Ordin'y 60's, Buenos Ayres tops Turkey average mohair . . . Cape firsts, mohair 121 12 12 lit 12 Ui 12 12* 121 12* 12 131 13 24J 171 16 12 llf 111 Hi 12 llf 12J 12 m 12i m n* 131 13 24i 23J 171 15i US Hi Hi 111 113 m 12 st 12 12 Hi 13i 13 vi 23J 17* 15 ?? 1? 8* 113 Hi 12 m a* 13 211 23 17* 14* li* !i* Hi II 4 lOf 12i 12J 2*23 17 24 16 15 24 15J Mi 23* 18 23J 15* Hi 23* 15i Hi