628 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Oct., 1907. 



&c., increase, the demand for the half-bred and three-quarter ewes will 

 increase also, and so this demand, brought about by the freezing trade, 

 will counteract the sole objection to these coarser grades that existed 

 before, viz., growing a wool that was often of low value. 



English and Border Leicesters. 



These breeds of sheep a,nd their merino crosses come next from a 

 grazier's point of view of wool producing, and now we get into breeds 

 of sheep that have been bred by our English fathers with the view to 

 shape of carcass first and wool second. This is one reason why the larger 

 grazier who relies on natural pasture to get his lambs away, is beginning 

 to value these two breeds. I'hey are level shouldered and good girthed 

 naturally, and good thrivers consequently, and being clean faced and 

 legged, and tall lengthy sheep, are good travellers for water and feed, 

 and to market. They are fairly early maturing as lambs, perhaps a little 

 leggy, and if anything rather inclined to more fat in proportion to the 

 lean than the Down breeds. As a rule, they are finer in grade of wool 

 than Lincolns, and consequently finer in grain of mutton, but not so fine 

 and firm as the Downs. The Border Leicesters are not quite so well 

 covered from a wool view as the English Leicesters, but are generally finer 

 in grade of wool, although when the influence of the ewes they are mated 

 with is taken into account, there is but very little to choose between them 

 for the lamb-raiser. These are two breeds that are very suitable indeed 

 for the graziers and the larger farmers, who mix farming and grazing. 

 The crosses by these breeds are good wool-cutters, and very hardy ; the 

 secret of their thriving and hardiness is the inherited thickness of ribs and 

 girth especially. 



At the present time there are to be seen many sheep called by these 

 breeds that have no right whatever to the name, although perhaps pure 

 bred and pedigreed. They are wretchedly shaped and as badly fleeced, 

 having shallow fore-quarters, and being thin and wasty in the wool. These 

 much to be desired breeds are now coming to the same thing that has brought 

 the Shropshire a bad name ; we must have shape and fleece both to succeed. 

 Better to ha\'e a. good shaped and fleeced sheep of aaiv grade or cross for 

 lamb-raising than be tempted to take an inferior weak girthed one of a 

 fashionable breed for this reason only. These pure and pedigreed ill- 

 shapen rams are the most dangerous of all, usually throwing truer than 

 grades, and consequently throwing more ill-shapen offspring, whereas 

 in actual practice a well-bred grade of correct shape throws better and more 

 even lambs. 



Shropshires. 



Of the Downs breeds the Shropshire is the better fleeced, and has the 

 advantage of being in grade of wool between the Merino and Loogwool, 

 although of not the same style a,nd character. The chief desire of the breeders 

 of this sheep has been to maintain qualitv and firmness of flesh, and to have 

 lean meat greater in proportion to fat, at the same time encouraging early 

 maturity and ability to thrive ; and further in regard to wool, to main- 

 tain it at a medium grade, and to cut as much as could be made possible 

 without neglecting these other good qualities. Of late years there has been 

 a desire to breed Shropshires to what was termed suiting Australian 

 conditions ; that means more wool and better covering. A few of our best 

 breeders raised a sheep with a verv woollv head and well covered arm 

 and thigh, &c., and still kept a strict look-out not to neglect girth and 



