SHEEP FARMING IN GERMANY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19443, 31 October 1925, Page 23 (Supplement)

SHEEP FARMING IN GERMANY

A STUD MEKINO FARM. One of the oldest merino sheep studs in Germany is that belonging to Otto Steiger. It is situated near Aleisscn, in Saxony, and known by the name of Leutewitz. It was recently visited by a colonial traveller, who gives the present account of it to “Country Life “ (Sydney). The sheep were brought to Saxony as far back as 1787, and the same blood has been used ever since. They were brought there in the first place by the King of Saxony, from Spain. He did not have his heart ir the work of sheep-breeding, so, tiring of it, he transferred the lot to one of Otto Steiger’s ancestors. The wool grown is very high-class. It is fine, and of excellent quality. The crimps are evenly distributed along .the staple, and are well defined. It is thought a lot of by the buyers, and in Berlin last year it made 5s and over per lb. The sheep are hand-fed all the winter, and the studs are kept housed. There are about 1,000 of these altogether. Shearing is done by hand. All the work on the property is z carried out w’ith the greatest care bestowed on aL. the smallest details. There is method in everything that is done. The place is kept in perfect order. Atethod was even displayed in travelling out there. The chauffeur who took the visitor from Dresden did not know the road right out. He was told that he would be met on the way by a man waving a handkerchief. When the car came to that man he got in, and kept with vhem until they met another, who got in, and the first man got out. In that way they were shown the quickest way to Leutewitz as the time was limited, and the visitor had to get back as quickly as he could. When the farm was reached, all the sheep were in pens, classed up, according to their age and quality. They were thus easily examined, and when they left the last pen, the visitor came to a ‘.able on which were photos, wool samples, and pamphlets, etc. The whole thing was done rapidly and in perfect order. A remarkable thing about this old stud is that the wool has been so wonderfully good, without the introduction of fresh blood. The only sheep introduced there since the original flock were some Spanish sheep brought there about 60 years ago.' These were the same blood. The breeding since has been by careful handling ol‘ the sheep, as they have been so long in-brcd.

Many of the farms in Northern Germany arc unfenced. Their boundary is a road, or watercourse. Along these roads are miles and miles of a double row of fruit trees, such as pears, cherries, apples, plums, etc. The trees have been planted by the authorities, who look after them. They arc absolutely public property, and the fruit is available to any one who wants it, the orly stipulation being that they must not destroy the irecs in getting it. This seems a unique custom, but is no doubt a good one, although in that part of the world it would be no in ducement for a man to start as an orchardist.