MERINO SHEEP IN ENGLAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3485, 30 October 1894, Page 3

MERINO SHEEP IN ENGLAND.

| A sale of unique character will be held on September 20th, when Messrs John Thornton and Co. will, at South Ockendon Hall, between Romford and Grays Essex, one mile from Ockendon Station, dispose of the only remaining flock of . pure Negretti Merino sheep in England, comprising about 150 ewes and lambs, 40 yearling ewes, 23 yearling rams, 15 magnificent two-year-old and older stud rams, the property of Messrs Sturgeon and Sons, in consequence ot the dissolution of partnership. This celebrated and widely-known flock .of merinos has been in the Sturgeon family upwards of 80 years, the late Mr T. B. Sturgeon having purchased the original ewes after the death of George 111, who imported them direct from the King of Spain's Royal Negretti flock in 1891. The sheep were'kept at Kew, and experiments were made with them by the most eminent sheep-breeders of that period with Southdovvns, Leicesters; and Rye-., , land sheep. The first annual sale from the Royal flock took place in . 1794, and high prices were realised, in 1810 33 rams averaged £SB, and the Merino Society was established the following year. After Mr Sturgeon obtained ' the remainder of the Royal flock they were taken to farms in Essex, where the sheep have since been bred perfectly pure. About 45 years ago it was thought advisable to introduce a little fresh blood from the purest Continental flocks j consequently the best stud rams . were purchased from Prince Lischnowsky and from Baron Bartenstein in Silesia, a province that had become famous for the excellence of;its sheep and fine quality of their wool. A few rams were later obtained from Count , Plessen, in'' Mecklenburg-Sch werin. First prize and gold medal, as well as second and third prizes, were obtained for the sheep at the International Exhibition at Paris in 1856, and an increased demand arose for the rams from Australia and New Zealand,arid-more recently from the Cape; in, fact, at one time the demand was so ; great that the whole of the ram Jambs were sold as they were bomj but the ewes have not been sold. In breeding'this exceptional and only pure flock the object 1 in 1 view, has been to'preserve the.purity and character of the merino, for it is ; probably the oldest pure breed of sheep in the world. In many European, provinces the race has become small in. stature, and very fine and short in wool, but the object of the Sturgeon . family; has been to combine increased size of the sheep with length and fineness of 1 ; wool. Rams at two years old have ' upwards of 201b. weight of wool won them, and weigh about 1901b. The flock has been reared on a very healthy farm; and bred free from .wrinkles, so as to avoid kemp" or " hair." They are of good size and strong , constitution, and the fact of the sheep retaining their form, a deep carcase on short legs, ; with length of staple and very fine quality of wool, as well as the other characteristics of the breed 1 for upwards, of 80 years, is the best proof of the purity of the blood and careful management of the flock, which is now to be unreservedly dispersed, in consequence of the death of one of the .older members of the firm, the increasing years of theobher • members, and dissolution of partnership.,—Live Stock Journal.