LONG-WOOLLED SHEEP.

Waikato Times, 22 February 1873, Page 2

LONG-WOOLLED SHEEP.

Mil BROWNE, who ia raising a new breed of sheep, known as «*• Nuuah Lincoln," having -written to Mr Oddy, the chair- | man of the, Wool Supply Committee of tho Bradford Chamber of Commerce, requesting to bo informed why tho committee had f»o generally recommended the fester rather than- the Lincoln oroaa inaiumerous instances ior the calonies, received the followingfToply, which 13 lull of interest # to colonial bredora :—: — . "In reoomraendihg"th« Leicester cross, this chamber has been gained by a number of practical considerations, most of which I will endeavour to give you. It 19 necessary in the first place to understand that for purposes ot general classification wool is divided into three great classes, viz , Leicester, by which is understood all pure, Seep-stapled long wool; Southdown, or all pure short staped wool, such as Sautlldown proper, merino, &c ; and half-bred or middle wool which ia the cross between the other two. When, therefore, wo speak of Leicester, we mean the general breed which ha* improved or superseded— as othei circumstance suited-all the other kinds of *00l except the very short, iiv this country. As you will no doubt be aware, there arc many things to be considered m tha growth of sheep used in crossing The principal of these arc climate and the character of the the natural lood. For instance it is found in this country that tho Lincolnshire sheep and more particularly .the old Lincoln, cannot be kept— with advantage either for wool or mutton outside of its owiP county. It is also found that Wlth oc&cxocption (North and West Norfolk) it ia not advantageous to cross any of tho finer wool breeds with strong Lincoln sheep, as tho kind of sheep and wool produced are uncertain and irregular. On the -ther hand, in nil attempts to obtain a longer staple the cross with the new Leicester has proved universally advantageous, imparting the properties of the long wool without deteriorating tho valuable qualities of the finer wool The animal itself is also much improved, and is much sooner ready for the butcher; this is the present state of sheep husbandry (in this countcy all events), the property of retair-iig its fleece to exti erne old age is not ol so much accent. Another matter that enters into the considcratftn of^ the chambe* is that, other conditions being equal, fine wooP is more valuable, and consequently is preferred to coarse, in half=bred'wools. It, is a rule that the heavier the fleece tho coarser the wool, and in all crosses between long and shortwoolled Sheep in thia country, the new Leicester cross produces a lighter and finer fleece than tho Lincoln cross, being also as valuable in other . respects. Tho committee belicto that up to the present time it has not been found possiblo in any of the colonies to keep up for a number of years tho growth of pure lnstro wool, but that a considerable amount of success has been realised in tho giowth of wools of a halfbred character both in New Zealand and Victoria, and to a smaller «xtcnt, in South Australia They can assure jou that they will be delighted if the persevering efforts you have put forth should overcome the difficulties that have hitherto been found insuperable, and they wish you most heart ilg every success in your enterprise With regard to you!J query 'Is the English Leicester wool more valued by jou than the Lincoln «" we answer, 'No : because it is not quito so bright and lustrous ;' but we muit also add that we very much prefer the modern Lincoln, which, as you truly Bay, bi»»acroBB of Leicester in it, to the old Lincoln, as it is lighter, finer, and has the same lustre. An illustration of bomo of the proceeding statements may be found 111 the comparative valtfe of the Ybrkihiro find Lincolnshire wool. Both are alike in point of lustre and length ; but Yorkshire is consulerably lighter per fleece, and finer in the hair, and is worth in tho market Id to 2d per lb. more than Lincoln. The introduction of Cotswold blood into finer woolled flocks is generally bad, ns it does not impart Lustre, and deteriorates the softer qualities of the finer wools, making them rough, coarse, pud heavy. Tins class of s'leeo can only bo kept to adjutage on the high Gloucester hills; and wherever they hate been tried In other parts of this country, either pure or to cross with, have proved a failure "