ENTERPRIZE IN SHEEP-BREEDING.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1413, 16 March 1860, Page 5

ENTERPRIZE IN SHEEP-BREEDING.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald.} Our numerous readers who are interested in pastoral affairs will be gratified to leak*. that a. new'ionn of conimeice is likely to arise which . will, tend to improvement both of the Austra- : liau,and European flocks. ■ ... It has be,en long known that sheep as well as other animals un* . dergo -important changes by blending" different i races or when transferred irom pne ; climate to another... In the early history of this. country the> examples were' extremely striking. * 'The orjgmalsti&ep, weie imported here' from. Bengal and their: Wool' was of the ebaructer pf the bajr ol goats. Captain Macarthur, the founder .of 4»ur pastoral' wealth,, first 1 imported three. .Merino rams jand a few ewes. . improve- : ment^f the wiool produ.ce. w^ astounding, and sbbri pointed put to the colonies that, this was the 'true source ©f- Australian iflocktnaster. to draw from the flocks of Europe , 'the best stuck which moriey, could buy. ■ We. are glad to iiiidthat'we are> about to return some of the.benefits Which 1 we'have received from .Europe, . in the that from the Australian flocks*, it is n'6ttm})i»hable those of Europe, wilK de.; rive the ineaiU of sustaining their former repu?. iutum, artd iu/some instances -of prerenting degenerauyl i ,' ... r. . • • Mr. 'Georgie Bitrb, for eighteen years, a settler' in New Zealand, • and for: many, years . the-, possessor pi' 4 pure merino floek r has. communicated to Us sbme.. important facts. He left for Engtahd in the Salsette in Ee)>ruaxy last, and has > recently returned by the" • same .; ressel. There [\s, as p?I persons interested in *bis suhjeci know, l u 'splendid flouk at ftambouillet, near ■Faris, belonging to the Empetor.; .The uiraovSt . care has for a long series bf years^eeajbejs^o.wed;. upon its prekervatimi-ft«d purity. It is now under the management of Baron .BtiuneF.-Some of the jwe are told, are valued -a£ji)lOOO. Mr. Rich, having letWrs- 6f;intioductiwn. .from/ ] : tlje Colonial .Secretary,. vpf.JSffiw; Z&lland, was, by Jjprd Caernarvon, introduced to the Amhas.f: sado^a :of JSngland' ion 'the v.Caoiinent, who ■ facilitated his Communication : with ."establish- - iaetttk'&'prbail. - < : -. j- „; ; • ■

I; '• tri a lettef from Batou Dauiier to Sir.? Utah, Ultere are riaticed'iijfidentaHy sumV.imporiAut inatteps-'in reference- tor the imperial^oekunder j'his'ca^e. "• He remarks that . tile :" naaguiiicence i of tbe>rain would'-'nojl justify- its , preference : un>. fleSswe'couljd bV«ure of thepurity of. its. blood,, because in the produce, the faults of the ancestry would reappear without the high points which were accidental. He lays stress, too

upon the importance of preserving the parity of the Rambouillet flocks, "so ancient and pre-. cious."- Baron Daurier, however, asks whether •it wou\d be possible. 1 for Mr. Rich to stipplyj him with specimens of rams of beautiful conformation, bred for many generations from pure*? merinos, with the wool fine, long, thickly^ laid, in square locks. These he states are the ; {print cipal qualiites to be sought for. |The opinion of a judge so imminent of what things constitutes the highest value in even flocks of the finest j breed is of some consequence to all who are engaged in pastoral pursuits, arid still more interesting to know that the colonies produce them. ■Mr. Rich, after having corresponded with the Baron, visited the flocks of Germany— of Berlin, Leipsic, Dresden, and the surrounding pastoral districts. The result of this general inspection was Hot very satisfactory. The flocks, though possessing very fine wool, exhibited febleness of constitution ; no selection was, therefore, made from them. He afterwirds visited a pure Spanish merino flock, located on the borders of Prussia. These were found, to. be of the finest description. Hitherto the proprietor had refused to sell any ewes, but at this particular time the danger of war with France was imminent. . Troops were passing through the place for strutagetical purposes^ suggested by apprehensions of war.. It was therefore possible to obtain from this proprietor a large number of ewes and rams. . These have placed chiefly in Lavaht Park, part of the estate of the Duke of Richmond. The plan intended is to select from this dock fiom time to time such as may be adapted for exportation to the Austra. lian colonies.

Ou his return to Paris, Mr. Rich entered into an agreement with Baron Daurier to send from his New Zealand flock a sufficient number of rams foi the imperial flock, the Baron being determined in this step by the superior quality of the specimens of wool submitted for his inspection, .and which are now in the Crystal Palace for exhibition. ■

We aye informed that Egypt will not improbably have the benefit of this- " friendly intercourse of nations." On the bfnks of the Nile the sheep have maintained their type unaltered for ages. The wool, though plentiful, has but little marketable value. It is, however pos^>ible l by the introduction of foreign sheep,, to change it into a most valuable export. /W A.^ the Paclia possesses absolute powei in all matters of internal improvement, a movement in this direction would probably be attended with very extensive and. rapid results.... ; . . ' The^eculiar fact to which we direct mote' particular attention is the growing importance of that system of exchange which is now clearly established. The superior qualities acquired in the Australian pastures will thus be imparted to the European flocks, while the strength and purity of the original breeds will be available to vs — thus constituting an important and. novel traffic, which must i.i the long run improve the general resources of these colonies, as Well as add to the wealth of the old world.

It is thus from small beginnings that great results aie ultimately secured. No one imagined, when England was totally dependant upon, the Spanish and German Hooks, that her manufacturing industry could exist by the supply of raw materials from her own- dominions. The happy enterprise of the Maoarlhurs, and gentlemen of the same spirit, so successful for themselves,, so advantageous to their fellow colonists, and not less so to England, goes far nyl. _ only .to place the manufacturers at home in a state of independence of the flockmasters of the Continent, but also to enable us to restore to foreign countries those advantages once derived from them, against their will, and which we are so happy to reciprocate.— « Free trade is a. grand truth!

On the above, the Lyttelton Times makes the following appropriate comments.

New Zealand has had a fitting representative iv Europe at last. Not one or her political leaders approaching the fountain of honour, nor one of ber keen financiers petting what he can from the Imperial Government ; not one of her mijlionures rivalling the opulent of the. old world. Jii display ; nor one of her free spirits holding the slavish customs of English society in contempt— a, prototye of the artist^ of "ruiiied: London that is to'beV New Zealand : has TiKely 1 had,. not only in England but in the principal capitals of Europe, a much more usefuJe^d honourable representative than auy of -these, one who does ample justice to the intelligence; enterprise, and resources" of the men of our country, by demonstrating, not only what they have done. for themselves; but.wbat they are now ready to do for the advantage of the laqd from which they sprung and of tbe world at large. New Zealand's, first step into tbe position of a benefactor to the great kingdoms, of the earth has been gained by that representative of. whom we speak — Mr. George Rich, to .whom the, best thanks of bis fellow colonists ought to be given. 1 .. ■

We give in another column an account, com*piled, no doubt, from : Mr. Rich's own modest' statements of what he has been doing in Eug laiid, France, and. Germany, for the benefit of wool cultivation. ib New Zealand ;at present, a,nd certain. for years to come to continue, our mast important branch of industry. It is worth observing; in the account given : by "theiS-yd-ney paper liow^Mri Rich's, successis held to be a triumph to Australia, We here .count it specially, honourable "to New Zealand. Auckland, again, ought "to take souie exclusive credit to her eiimatts and soil. But* the chief part of the 1 onour is after all due to Mr. Rich littns elf for his enterprise, perseverance, and , skill. ' In. the pleasure of bis success, nevertheless, we can all 3hare ; for if. nearly ajl the. credit Jbis due to one man, all may derive advantage in the fu-" ture by follewing hi his steps^ enlightened by his example, tfnd. making the best use of those, natural advantages. which be has proved .to belong to the new land we are colonising. .. . , We have known .Mi*.. Rich very w d ll in this province. Though a northern settiery he has not confined; his enterprise to one district,- hut extended. the benefit of his knowledge and.suecesS at least as far as Hawkes Bay.uud Canler■litivy. - Many of our sheepfarraers are ..now engaged ili improving their flocks by the use of 'that blood which Mr. Rich introduced ; and ifi New South Wales rains bred by him%v#~of, late been highly valued 'and have commanded jsoine.of the highest prices'; given. MiVißicb went to England, therefore,^* uoc ignorant- ft* uukuovrninaoi accidentally provided with * few g&otf samples of our produce. • He went as a : 'representative of our sheep breeding. interest, and his cabinet o[. Wools was a New- Zealand. Exhibition. •.' '••.' •''; '■>. '- .- .- \ -■, -.• >i_~

-" Id this journal a few months ago we recorded the professional opinion., of the- highest rpractk cal on wools in": England-rrMr. Hughes—ais to ' Mr- Eich's specimens :..an opinion which .was In the. highest degree Eatisfactory. We were, told tbeo $hat .he was about to search Fiance and Germany for the best possible bloud to add to his already excellent •lock. But it seems that the nearer he ap-

preached to the fountain of purity, the higher did the merits of his own flocks appear. In the meadows of Rambouillet, where the most care,fu|ly^tended/flock of the best bred sheep pernaps iiTail the world is nurtured for the Emperor'of the French ; ( in, the sheep^ districts o( .Berlin, Leipsic* a,nd Dresden; the^eyV of the »Jj[ew Zealand sbeepfarmer saw nothing to make him jfbrget the old ram " Shakespeare" and his descend jifn'ts ; ho wool with, which he need be ashamed to compare tbajt^abiwet of samples grown under the shadow of Jdount Eden. Only in ene spot— where extreme attention had been paid to the nurture of meiinos — where the flock was so unique that only in fear of the extremity of war the proprietor would part with his stock — did the cultivated taste of the NewZ-a'anderfind something tetter.than he had been accustomed to on his own farm. From these first class animals a selec tion was made to mix with and improve the stock in this colony. But, not to be under too great an obligation to the flocks of Europe, Mr. Rich returns the compliment by promising 1 to oblige Napoleon the Third with some of bis Auckland rams ; Barou Daurier, the manager t>f his Majesty's flocks, being satisfied of their superiority by. the specimens of wool shown by Mr- Rich. . .

The story sounds rather romantic, but it is all literally true. And the moralis, that if the sheep farmers in New Zealand pay attention t» breeding, they have got advantages in their favour which will enable them to command the market in' any part of the globe. And if it be the case with sheep, why not with cattle and horses?