LONG AND FINE WOOLLED SHEEP. II 



finest wools, and hence the Merino has never been success- 

 fully propagated with us. It was soon found that the dry 

 climates of Australasia were eminently adapted for the pro- 

 duction of fine wool, and hence the vast flocks of Australia 

 and New Zealand are composed of Merino and Merino crosses, 

 and the wool which reaches us from these colonies is all of 

 the finest description. 



The Merino is eminently a wool sheep, as distinct from a 

 mutton sheep. For feeding purposes it is inferior ; and as 

 the production of the finest wool is best attained by feeding 

 on rye straw and a spare diet, it is evident that where fine 

 wool is the object, heavy feeding is at a discount. Since the 

 frozen mutton trade has attained its recent proportions, in- 

 creased attention has been given to the carcases of sheep in 

 the leading sheep-farming colonies, and the Merino has been 

 largely crossed with Lincolns, Shropshires, Leicesters, and 

 Southdowns, with the effect of greatly improving the value of 

 the animals, although at a sacrifice of the quality of the wool. 

 The bulk of the wool, however, imported from Australia is 

 decidedly of the Merino type. 



English farmers have but little idea of the importance 

 attached to the quality of wool by Merino breeders. The 

 dividing of a flock according to the varying qualities of the 

 wool is not attempted by the breeder of Austro-Hungary, 

 but is committed to competent experts, who visit the stations 

 at the proper time of year (April), and carefully examine and 

 place the animals in classes. Rams are selected chiefly for 

 their wool, and the care and amount of discussion over 

 this product would surprise some of our sheep breeders. 



Merino sheep have been divided into Rambouillet, Negretti 

 and Electoral. Respecting this classification, the " Weiner 

 Landwirthschaftlicher Zeitung," when reporting upon the 

 Vienna Exhibition of 1873, said: "We found the names were 

 often wrongly applied. We could only discern two principles 

 or ideas the production of clothing wool and combing wool. 

 The difference between Electoral and Negretti which existed 

 fifty years ago is lost." 



