324 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



It will be seen from this, that the best Australian wools already excelled 

 the best Spanish, and were more than midway between them and the best 

 Saxon. When we consider the almost infinite difference in the care, both 

 in bi'eeding and management, bestowed on the Saxon and Australian sheep, 

 it shows most conclusively tlie adaptation of the climate of Australia to 

 ihe production of the finest wool — or, at least, that the adverse efi'ects of 

 its warm temperature, and the incidents to tliat temperature, are easily 

 overcome. IrK-Saxony, sheep are numbered, oftentimes their separate ped- 

 igrees registered, and each breeding ewe is stinted to a T'am carefully se- 

 lected with reference to her individual qualities. In Australia, where less 

 capital and labor are e4nployed, fiocks of about three hundred breeding 

 ewes* — where the country is destitute of timber, sometimes a thousand! — 

 loam from one fertile and watered spot to another over the vast plains, in 

 ( harge of the convict shepherd ; and this system is fallowed throughout 

 the yeai', including the tujiping season. Three flocks are always penned 

 together at night,| so that as many as nine hundred bleeding ewes, of va- 

 lying quality, must be promiscuously bred to, say, fi'om thirty to thiiiy-five 

 lams, running promiscuously among them. 



The Cape of Good Hope is in south latitude 34° 23' 40". 



Mr. Youatt, in describing the sheep husbandry of this region, overesii- 

 rnated, I think, the heat of the climate. Separated by lofty mountain 

 ranges from the interior of Africa, the iertile regions adjoining the coast 

 are not swept by its scorching winds, and the temperature is comparatively 

 mild. " In a meteorological register kept at Cape Town, from Sept. 181S 

 to Sept. 1821, embracing a pei'iod of three years, the highest heat marked 

 is 9(P, the lowest 45°, Fahrenheit. The mean and amuial temperature 

 scarcely 68° — of winter 61°, of summer 89°." i| l->ut sheep and their wool 

 suflfer from the fine sands which are lifted and driven by the prevailing 

 winds. Says Malte Brun, " the wind blows often fi-om the south-east with 

 gi'eat violence. Nothing can be secured fi-om the sands which it drives 

 before it ; they penetrate the closest apartments and the best-closed trunks. 

 At this time it is not prudent to go out without glasses, lest the eyes should 

 be injured."§ 



Though the climate can scarcely be designated a " toirid " one, as Mr. 

 Youatt speaks of it, the mean temperature of its winter (61°) conclusively 

 shows that cold can have nothing to do here with rendering the wool finei 

 by a contraction of the pores. If, therefore, it can be shown that the wool 

 of the fine breeds does not deteriorate in (juality, it snfliciently proves that 

 Australia is not an incidental exception in the testimony which it presents 

 on the point under examination, but that it illustrates the uniform opera- 

 tion of the physical laws which ]icrtain to the growth of wool. 



After one or two unsuccessful attempts, the Merinos were accliinated 

 at the Cape by the English colonists. In ISO 1, the colony numbered 536.- 

 634 sheep. In 1811, there were 1,293,740. In 1810, the import of wool 

 into (-Jreat Britain was 29,717 lbs.; in 1833, it was 93,325 Ibs.'f 



In Willmer & Smith's " Liverjiool Animal AVool lie]iort." for 1846. it 

 is stated, " The shipments from this (|uarter (Cajie of Good Hojie) show- 

 great improvenunit, amply testified by tlie high rates the best flocks have 

 commanded during the season. . . The best parcels now take rank 

 with those from Australia."** The system of bree<ling and general man- 

 agement at the Cape closely correspond witii those of Australia. 



Let us now, sir, turn to the experience of our own country. I do not 



* Cunninstiam's "Two Yours in Soulli Walr-i."' t lb. t ">. 



II MiiUf liiun, vol. ii. p. 110. ^^ 11). vol. ii p. 110. 



11 Youiiit on Slioup. p. 1S4. ** Williuci >S. .-^iniili'b lOuiupciin Tiiin.s of Jan. -I, IS-Ib. 



(OOU) 



