SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 617 



began soon after to attract notice, and in 1835 and 183G to excite the attention even of foreign 

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

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

 of sales in 1825 ; and for some years afterward -100 bales were considcrctl to ibrm a very ex- 

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

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

 Merino and the Saxon. The fonner 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 Diemeu's 

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

 tiom either locabty transported their flocks to her pastures. This mixture of breeds was 

 still farther increased by occasional 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 pi-incijiles, earned 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 aflect 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| lbs. ; of the Sydney fleeces about 2| lbs. There has been 

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

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

 qualities of wool. 



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

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

 those processes.] 



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

 is cleared of the locks and clip()iugs 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 amval in town is now generally classed and re-packed at an establishment 

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

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

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

 •0!i 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. 

 Bakewell, in Melboiu-ne, the wool is assorted first into the two leading divisions of clothing 

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

 l)eing the coarse Leicester breeds. Extra fine lots are classed by themselves; S7ipci--greasy, 

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

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

 scorning 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 fiom the interior, in which condition it 

 is in danger of heating and even of oiigiuating 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 duiing that month. Considera- 

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

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

 ix»rts of the district.! These arrivals begin to fall off" in February ; but during that and the 

 two succeeding monthsconsiderable quantities continue to be shipped, including the later shorn 

 fleeces of the young lambs. The shipment of other exports, which are comp;uatively 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 propoition from Australia and Van Piemen's 

 Land on this occasion was 'Jtj,134 bides. The early sales were held at Uarraway'a, and continued there 

 from 1817 to lg4:i. when the locality was transfcucd to ihe IL-ill of Commcice, where thoy slid continue. 

 The first hale at the first sale, from the novelty of the circumstance, realized 10s. fid. per pound. 



(Mark Lane Express, 7th, Hth, and i'li-t Oct. 1844. 



t There are fivp shipping ports in Australia Felix ; namely, .Mtlboumc, or its port of Williamstown, Gee- 

 lone, Pi.rlliind, Belfast, and I'ort Albert, or Albcrton, in (iipps'a Land. The quantity for the present year 

 (1847) may be estimated at about 28,000 bales, of which livc-ei-Mhs are shipped at Williamstown and 

 (irelons. 



(1137) 



