SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN TH^ SOUTH. 295 



began soon after to attract notice, and. in 1835 and 1836 to excite tie attention even of foreign 

 manufacturers. From very small beginnings the extent of ihe periodical auction sales 

 gradually increased. An unprecedented number of 750 bales was announced for one seriea 

 of sales in 1825 ; and for some years afterward 400 bales were considered to form a very ex- 

 tensive sale. But in July, 1835, 8,746 bales were brought forward, realizing for the better 

 qualities the considerable rates of from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 8d. per pound ; and at the sales of the 

 same month in 1844, there were exposed no less than 31,358 bales.* 



The celebrated wools of Australia are derived from two principal breeds of sheep, thd 

 Merino and the Saxon. The former is the finest in quality, but it may be doubted if an 

 adequate price has been hitherto derived to compensate for the lighter weight of the fleece. 

 In the Sydney district, attention was chiefly bestowed on the Merino ; in Van Diemen's 

 Land, on the Saxon ; and the Port Philip district received a share of both, as the colonists 

 from either locality transported their flocks to her pastures. This mixture of breeds wan 

 still farther increased by Dccasional crosses with the Leicester and South-Down. In fact, 

 from the numbers of inexperienced persons who entered on the occupation of sheep farming 

 in this new settlement, and, without any fixed principles, carried on a mere random system 

 of breeding, the greater portion of the wool consists of every shade of quality that natural 

 accidents could produce. The abundant pasturage of Port Philip appears also to affect the 

 pure Merino wool of the Sydney district, which in the former locality acquires a more open 

 appearance, loses somewhat of its fineness, and increases about a quarter or half a pound in 

 the weight of the fleece. The average weight of the good qualities of Port Philip fleeces, 

 after washing, is from 2 to 2| Ibs. ; of the Sydney fleeces about 2 Ibs. There has been 

 for several years a desire to introduce a greater uniformity of quality in the fleeces of each 

 particular grower, and on the whole an inclination to adhere to the production of the finer 

 qualities of wool. 



[ Here follow details of the Australian method of washing and other preparations for shearing, which are' 

 omitted, as they conform in every important particular to the directions laid down in these Letters for 

 those processes.] 



The wool is now ready to be packed and dispatched to the port of shipment. Each fleece 

 is cleared of the locks and clippings or other unseemly portions, and is usually tied with a 

 piece of string, and tightly squeezed into bags containing about one hundred each, or from two 

 hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds weight. The ponderous bullock dray is now yoked 

 to its team of eight or a dozen oxen, and charged with an ample load of the golden fleece, is 

 dispatched from the station on its annual and protracted mission to the port of shipment. 



The wool on its arrival in town is now generally classed and re-packed at, an establishment 

 for that purpose, unless this process has already been competently performed at the station. 

 The classification distinguishes only the entire fleece ; it is not attempted to proceed to a 

 minuter distinction of qualities by breaking the fleeces. When intended for sale, the wool, 

 on its arrival in town, is conveniently exhibited in the various bins of the sorting establish 

 ment, and its quality and condition are fairly ascertained. At the establishment of the Messrs. 

 Bake well, in Melbourne, the wool is assorted first into the two leading divisions of clothing 

 and combing, and each of these descriptions is run out into five qualities, the fifth or lowest 

 being the coarse Leicester breeds. Extra fine lots- are classed by themselves ; /?er-greasy, 

 or kempy, or other defective fleeces, are also classed apart. The charge for sorting is j.I. per 

 pound. The usual charge for hand-washing is Id. per pflund on the weight returned, and for 

 scouring Id. to l^d. per pound. The system of re-packing is also of use in exposing any wet 

 or damp that the wool may have acquired on the way from the interior, in which condition it 

 is in danger of heating and even of originating fire in the hold of a vessel during a lengthened 

 voyage. 



The shipping season for the Australian staple commences toward the end of October ; but 

 only a few solitary drays have succeeded in reaching town during that month. Considera- 

 ble quantities have arrived by the end of November ; and during the two succeeding months 

 there is a continuous succession of vehicles pouring with their voluminous loads into the various 

 ports of the district.t These arrivals begin to fall oft' in February ; but during that and the 

 two succeeding months considerable quantities continue to be shipped, including the later short* 

 fleeces of the young lambs. The shipment of other exports, which are comparatively of un- 

 important amount, terminates with that of the wool. A solitary vessel may linger till July or 

 August, when the transactions of the season are finally closed. 



The following from a late number of the Sydney Herald may be well appended to the 

 above : 



* This included a small quantity of foreign wool. The proportion from Australia and Van Diemen'a 

 Lurxl on this occasion was 26,134 bales. The early sales were held at Garraway's, and continued ther 

 from 1817 to 1843. when the locality was transferred to the Kail of Commerce, where they still continue 

 The first bale at the first sale, from the novelty of the circumstance, realized 10s. 6d. per pound. 



[Mark-Lune Express, 7th, ] Ith, and 21st Oct. 7344. 



f There are five shipping ports in Ausup'aa Felix ; miner*, Melbourne, or its port of W illiamstow-j, Gee 

 lone, Portland, Belfast, tad fort Albert, <jr Alberton, In Oipps's Land. The quantity for the present year 

 (1847) may be estimated at about 26,000 bales, of which five-sixths are shipped at Williaeustown and 

 Upcteftf. 



