SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY OF AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 15

SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY OF AUSTRALIA.

AN INTERESTING NEW WORK. A practical handbook for sheep-farmers and wool-classcrs shoifld meet what is generally recognised as “a felt want,” and Mr H. B. Smith’s book, just published by Messrs Whitoombe and Tombs, should therefore moot with a good reception. Mr Smith in his preface says he has endeavoured to provide information useful to both the large station-owner and the man grazing a few hundred sheep. “Many farmers,” he says, “in addition to wool, have skins, hides, and rabbitskins, of which they wish to dispose, and they will find in these pages valuable information about this class of produce and the best methods of preparing for market.” Mr Smith’s opening chapter deals with the history of Australia’s first sheep. The story has often been told, but a few notes from this book may be of interest. The first sheep were imported into Australia from the Cape of Good Hope about 1788. They were native Cape sheep and had very fat tails, which would weigh about 101 b. The Spanish merino is the sheep that has made Australian farms, and the credit for bringing the first sheep of this type into Australia is due to Captain Henry Waterhouse. He bought 32 Spanish merino sheen from a widow named Gordon, and reached Australia with 29 of them. In 1803 a sample of his merino wool was valued at 6s per lb in London. Nevertheless, when he tried to float a company with a capital of £20.000, to carry on sheep-farming in Australia, the English capitalists would not listen to him, as they said sheep couM not live on Australian grasses, and it would not pay to sow English grasses for them. It is satisfactory to learn, however, that ho did very well on his own account. Another pioneer of the industry was the Rev. Samuel Marsden, the missionary whose centenary is to be celebrated this year, and who in 1801 had a flock of 1200 sheep. The author has nothing to say about the introduction of sheep into New Zealand, which is pity, as though the history is not so romantic as that of Australia, still a very interesting chapter or two might be compiled, and the present is a good opportunity for doing so, as in another few years the facts _ will be lost. The second chapter denis with sheep and localities and the third deals with the various British breeds and their characteristics. The method of selecting or classing sheep comes next, and then something is said about suitable sheep for breeding fat lambs. Shearing, characteristics of wool, wool-sorting, manufacturing, wool-classing, prising, scouring, buying and selling, and are

each dealt with in separate chapters. After this the methods of preparing sheepskins, farmers’ produce, and the killing, skinning, and dressing of sheep receive attention, the concluding chapter being devoted to terms and meanings. A lot of useful information is contained in the chapters on -wool-sorting and wool-classing, which are two very different things, and manufacturing, giving an insight into many matters of some importance to the wool-grower. The book is profusely illustrated with, half-tone plates, and in this way its value is greatly increased.