638 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



The first-gTade lambs born showed the following- results : The 

 best stapled and curl pelt lambs were obtained from the low-grade 

 Avoolled Persian ewes, due, doubtless, to the length of staple of these 

 ewes. The next best were from Namaquas, and the third from black- 

 head Persians. The half-bred Namaqua-karakuls liad better lustre 

 due to the softness of the dam's covering, while that of the kempy 

 black-head Persians was not as good. The high-grade woolled Persian 

 ewes all dropped either white lambs with black points, or black 

 "nigger" curl lambs, while the grade Persian-merinos all had 

 "nigger" curl lambs. By far the greater majority of the first-cross 

 lambs were black or piebald. In the Namaqua crosses the charac- 

 teristics of the karakul were much more plainly stamped than in the 

 black-head Persian crosses. In this latter breed the lambs are in 

 physique exceedingly like their dams, but are bigger, and black 

 instead of white. The shape of the head is much more that of the 

 dam's breed, and even in the second cross this is usuaJly the case 

 (see Plate 20). The first cross from woolled Persians are very like 

 the pure karakul in both body and head, due to this sheep being very 

 similar to karakuls in conformation. The resemblance to the pure 

 karakul is even more marked when these crosses are full-grown, when 

 they can easily be mistaken for pure-bred karakuls at a casual glance. 



The three-quarter bred or second-cross grades show that the 

 T^amaquas or black-head Persians are must better as foundation stock 

 for pelt-breeding than the other more woolly breeds, although some 

 of the lambs from the low grade Persians have pelts quite equal to 

 those of woolly pure-bred karakul lambs. There are indications, 

 however, that the black-liead Persians are better than the Namaquas. 

 and the conformation of these sheep is also better thnii the latter breed. 

 Plate 21 shows a group of first-cross karakul-black-head Persian 

 ewes just cutting their first permanent incisors. 



It would, therefore, appear that the black-head Persian ewes are 

 the best of the breeds, tried to date, to use as foundation stock for 

 grading up lambs with fur pelts. As Mr. Thompson lias already dealt 

 with how to set about building up a flock, there is no occasion to add 

 anything* on that subject, except that our experience leads us to 

 recommend the use of A-type rams only, and that tightness of curl 

 can well be left until quality of hair and lustre are thoroughly estab- 

 lished in a flock. If it is found that good prices are not obtained, due 

 to lack m tightness of curl, while quality and lustre are being estab- 

 lished, the male lambs should be castrated and sold as slaug'hter- 

 stock in the usual Avay. Later, when the curl is tighter, still through 

 the use of tight A rams, the high prices will come, and by that time 

 the breeder will have sufficient expei'ience to know whether he can 

 risk using a good AB ram to tighten the curl yet more. In tlie mean- 

 time the investigations at Grootfontein and Otjituesu will liave yielded 

 some definite results, which will also be at the disposal of the breeder. 



A breed with which grading experiments have not yet been made, 

 but which appear in many respects the most likely for the production 

 of pelts of high value, is the " ronderib Africander," and it is hoped 

 to obtain sufficient ewes of this breed very shortly to commence an 

 investigation into their possibilities as foundation stock. 



When we come to the second portion of the investigation, namely, 

 the influence of karakul sires in producing offspring which mature 

 quickly and which show an appreciable increase in weight over their 



