MEBINOS.] 



AND TIIEIK VARIOUS BREEDS. 



[UEUINOS. 



With a view to acclimatise this valuable 

 breed of sheep iu En!j;laiul, fretjueiit utteinpU 

 have been made. The lir.st took |)hice in the 

 reign of George III., who, himaelf, made the 

 experiment, and took a deep interest in its 

 uaturalisation iu our island ; but tho fates 

 proved adverse. Tlie losses were so j^reat as 

 not to be eompensated by the extra value of 

 the wool ; while the absence of mutton would 

 have been a want to which the English Ucsh- 

 loving people would never submit. Tliey pre- 

 ferred the line and short wool of the Down, 

 though far inferior, because it was accompanied 

 by a superior class of mutton. The wool did 

 not, however, degenerate ; but tho lowland 

 pastures of England, witli their rich luxuriant 

 grasses and succulent herbage, were too strong 

 for the Merino. The first experiment was 

 made in 1791, from a very fine flock presented 

 to his majesty ; but in this country they 

 degenerated, and seemed to become less hardy 

 than when they were imported. The next 

 was made by the then Marquis of Breadal- 

 baue, who resolved to adopt all the skill and j 

 care that could be suggested, in order to 

 secure the safety of the fl.ock. Tho sheep 

 were housed, or shedded, at periods when 

 other breeds were exposed. They had the ' 

 best of keeping — perhaps an error arising from 

 the endeavour to increase the mutton ; but the 

 three shear wethers could not be made to i 

 exceed 61- lbs. each, except in very rare cases, ; 

 and these not more than 72 lbs. ; while less! 

 pampered breeds realised nearly double these 

 amounts of weight, and at an earlier period of , 

 their lives. The humidity of the climate seemed 

 to bear hard upon their constitution, as they 

 became weak under it. Lord "Western also ! 

 devoted considerable time and attention to the 

 breeding of Merinos in this country, llis 

 chief efforts were directed to crossing with 

 the Leicester ; but while the frame and mutton ' 

 of the animals seemed to improve, the wool in 

 some degree varied. He obtained it, however, 

 of a beautiful texture, and of great length ; 

 but it was not quite the Merino wool. 



An experienced and well-known agricul- 

 turist favoured Mr. Milburn with the follow- 

 ing remarks on the Merino breed, which are 

 wortliy of the deepest consideration : — 



"Although the importance of this breed of 

 sheep, at the fi.rst glance, may not be fully 



recognised (for they are little known ; ond, 

 since tho deaths of Lonl Wi-sttTu and Mrs. 

 Dorien, have only been bred by -Mr. Sturgeon, 

 of Grays), a littlo reflection will show that it 

 can hardly bo overrated ; for it is this which 

 8ui)plie3 our colonists, at tho Cape and Aus- 

 tralia, witl> tho fresh blood which tho nature 

 of their climates renders periodically necessary. 

 In the latter colony gold may now absorb tho 

 greatest attention of its population ; but wo 

 must not forget that wool was the foundation 

 of its rapid growth and prosperity, nor over- 

 look its importance in finding employment for 

 our ships and our manufacturing artisans, by 

 its successful cultivation. Tho Merino sheep 

 is more distinguished for tho quality of its 

 wool than for other excellences. It presents 

 a very peculiar appearance — the face is beau- 

 tifully soft and white; a little rise is percep- 

 tible on the points of the shoulders, as also on 

 the back of tho head; the knees incline sliglitly 

 inwards, and the legs are covered with wool to 

 the feet. The rams are horned, and the ewes 

 almost invariably polled. The Merinos exhibit 

 a remarkable tendency to throw out horn, 

 their feet growing so rapidly, that it is neces- 

 sary to use the knife where they have not tra- 

 velled much — a provision of nature, seemingly 

 designed to fit them for the migratory life of 

 their ancestors They endure wet weather, or 

 low situations, with ditficulty ; but, in hot 

 weather, no sheep appear in better condition." 

 It is stated by Mr. Sturgeon, that our 

 climate seems to affect both the carcass and 

 wool of imported sheep. Nature would, there- 

 fore, appear to refuse to give the Jlnest wool to 

 the largest carcass. Mr. Sturgeon's exertions, 

 for many years, appear to have induced some 

 relaxation in his favour; for on sheep that 

 would, if fatted, weigh ten or twelve stones, 

 we find a quality of wool that can hardly be 

 surpassed ; and such sheep as (possessing the 

 requisites of size and form, and the constitution 

 peculiar to JEnglish-hred animals) must always 

 be in request by our colonists, and have the 

 preference over the German-bred animals, 

 which seem to want the size, form, constitu- 

 tion, and length of staple they are sent to 

 restore. Mr. Sturgeon's Merinos were tho 

 result of an amalgamation of the flock of his 

 majesty George III. with tliose of Lord "Wes- 

 tern aud ]Mrs. Dorien. 



701 



