MERINO SHEEP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1806, 2 February 1884, Page 4

MERINO SHEEP.

A San Francisco paper states : — "Fiom what we ha\e seen of Spanish merino sheep bie>l in California, especially those exhibited at the late fair at Sacramento, wo think they aie as near perfection as any of the kind in the Unitt d States. Our attention wai called recently to a lot of animals of this breed said to have been biou»l»t direct from Veiniont, awaiting shipment to Australia. We examired tlieni \e-y closely, as we did tho'-c at the Saei.imento fair, and we freely bay that we think the latter ecjual to the Veimont sheep in every respect. Of the two lots, for breeding pm poses, we should piclor thobe raised in this State. It ib b.iid that the buyers coming here fiom Australia pabs through California and go on to Veimont because we cannot give them a pedigiee on California blicep. Tliis objection will soon be remedied, with assistance of the Wool (howeib' Association. As it is, if the pai ties coming to buy understand their business, they will see that sheep cannot be pin er or nearer pei fection in every respect for what they are wanted than those bred in this State. We are in eliiied to believe that if shcepbieeders would mAu more effort to coin iuce these gentlemen of this fact, they would purchase here instead ot going further east. The Australian sheep exhibited at the State Fair in Saeiamento were said to lu\c been imported only about weeks picMous to the time they weie shown at the fair. They are very fine specimens of the Austiiilian meiino, and where bi ought here to cross with the Spanish meiino. What is to be accomplished by tins cioss is as yet to bo developed. One of the best fe.ituios of these animals is their e\ eiiiiess ; they are as smooth as a Southdown, and clear of wrinkles. If ciossing will reduce these excrescences on our sheep without injuting the stock, it will certainly m.ike a mucn needed impiovement. As to improving the quality of wool, it is difficult to sec in what way such a cioss can biing about the result. If the Australian sheep are a fair specimen, and have not had the black top washed oft their wool befoie shipping to this country, it may be that tlnscioss will 1 educe the shiinkage of wool fiom Spanish meiinos in scouring. This would be agieat improvement ; but as to the quality of wool on these animals, m fineness, length, and stiength of staple it is no better than that of our Spanish meiino. The e\peiiment, however, is wci tli tijing : and in \ iew of the tact th.it the Austiabans are proem ing Spanish inenno sheep in this country to cio->s with then own bieeds, we may as j well imitate then example."

L\in Mukabri-n will contiibute some papers on tlio " Cultivation of the Voice" to the foithuomiiit,' numbers) of the Gills' On i) P.ipui. M Zi>ly\ novel, "The Ladies' Patadisc," tian&lated by Mi Fiank Beaumont, with the author. 5 ) special pel mission, Ins been published in three volumes by Messis Tmsley Bios. It has been decided that a scholarship shall be founded m TourgiieniefTs name at the Univeisity, as well a<* a distiict school in the Russian capital. Ay astonishing discoveiy is reported by the American conespondent in the Allgemeinu Zeitung. He states that in vngin foiest ot Sonoia, a pioviucc of Western Mexico, near Magdalcnn, a pyiannd lias been found measuring 4,350 ieet at its base, and rising to the height of 750 feet Tiil champion sneezer has been found in Baltunoie, Ma., m the peison of John Gookel. duvei of a beer waggon, who, while hitching up his team on Sept. 20, sneezed so haul that he discolated his hhouldei. Tins trial of Miss Booth, Miss Chailswoith, and four other Salvationists, chained with violating the Swiss law by holding illegal sei vices within the canton, has been held at Bouudiy. Miss Booth and the other accused declaied that they had obeyed their consciences in pi aying tofiocl, notwithstanding the deciee forbidding them to hold meetings. After an eloquent addioss for the defence, Miss Booth and her companion were all acquitted. A it mi \kk u;l,e phenomenon has been obaen ed lately at several places in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies, and has caused much inteicst, mingled with not a little alarm among the superstitious. For some days the sun presented a distinctly gieen colour. Several explanations have been put forward, of which the most plausible appeals to be that ofTcicd by the Government astronomer, that it is due to the passage acioss SouMiein India of clouds of sulphurous vapour f i om the Java volcanoes. CvTi'ij, PLA(.uji iv Krssi v. — Russian papeis wiitc fiom Odessa that the cittle plague is still inciea&ing, and that lately 20 In ad of cattle a day jiave fallen a prey to the disease. In the disti'ict of Samara it is still woisc, and m Samaia alone 3000 cows have died within a few days, while the plague is spicading further day by day. Set ions danger is inflicted by the imposition of the hides of diseased cattle, w Inch hay c been found among the law hides sent to Samaia. Iv the City of London Court recently, befoie Mr. Commissioner Kerr, Mr J. Tollcy, ]un. 6(5, Cannon-street, sued the South-Eastern Railway Company to recover the sum of oneguinea for damages to a hat while travelling on defendants' line. The plaintiff stated on the 2oth August he was a passenger on the line and on ariiving at London Bridge station he lose to get out of the caiiiage. In doniii so his hat, a new white one, came into contact with the lamp. The outside was very greasy, and consequently made a maik on the top of the hat, which could not be lemoved. Ths solicitor for the company s-aid the plaintiff should have exeicised more caie, and could not recover for his own negligence. His Honor— Aic you bound by statute to carry lamps ? The solicitor — Yes ; I think we aie. His Honor — Then you must make your carriage higher. I must liiul for the plaintiff, with costs. An Awkward Bathing Companion. — TheWarinamboolbtandard (Victoria) repoits that recently " a gentleman had a rather unpleasant encounter with an octopus whilst bathing >>olns on the southern side of Middle Island, in one of the many daik and silent pools of salt water which remain trapped after each leceding tide. He stiuck away to explore a grotto-like opening in the rock which he observed on the opposite side of the pool. He penetrated the cavernous aperture, but no sooner did he attempt to regain his footing than he felt himself seized by theleft leg. Tlrnking it was a loop of seaweed he shook himself, and repeating the process with some violence, he found his action resisted, and the next moment he was prone on the floor of the cave. No sooner was he down than both legs were entangled, and sitting waist-deep in water he saw, to his intense horror, the spreading arms of an octopus, and quickly felt the suckiug tentacles on his unprotected limbs. In another moment the head of the repulsive monster was seen dimly through I a surrounding of mirky fluid. Its parrot beak touched the breast of the adventurous swimmer before real gravity of the stuation was experienced. Realising his peiil, the bold exploiterer tore with fierce energy at the manifold stripes of slimy flesh which were darting forth to enfold t him. The struggle was a long one, bnt at length the horror-stricken man had the gratification of seeing some of the long arms of his foe paralysed, and drop from his nervous grasp. With a vigorous wrench he managed to free himself, bleeding, breathless, and well-nigh beaten in his terrible battle with the sea monster, and regaining the upper earth, he lost no time in making his way to the opposite shore, well assured of having escaped a deadly peril." One Shilling. — Francis «T. Shortts' Popular Art Union. — Ten first-class Oil Paintings by celebrated artist*. 5000 tickets at Is. The prizes are magnificent and costly. Country subscribers sending- stamps or otherwise will have tickets by return post. Enclose stamped envelope for reply.— Francis J. Shoutt, 140, Queen-street, Auckland.— -[Advt,]