152 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



country breds average from 9 to 1 2 lb. and has already 

 fetched u^d. Too much care in preparing and sort- 

 ing wool can hardly be taken. In this direction South 

 Africa furnished an example and a warning to sheep 

 farmers. Writing in the Cape Journal for August, 

 1909, Mr. Price, one of the largest exporters of wool 

 in South Africa, complains that South African wool 

 has so bad a name that were the very best Australian 

 wool exported from South Africa it would not fetch 

 within $d. of its true market value. This bad name he 

 attributes almost entirely to the fact that the early 

 wool-growers of the Colony paid such scant attention 

 to the get-up of the clip. 



During his pupilage or educationary period the 

 intending sheep farmer will naturally spare no pains to 

 make himself familiar with as many forms of disease 

 as possible. Besides scab and footrot, the latter 

 usually the result of yarding at night in wet weather, 

 the only disease which is likely seriously to trouble 

 him is one known to the Masai as Ngaaruti. The 

 mortality, however, even from this has not up to date 

 proved severe ; further, the results from the patho- 

 logical laboratory now show that it is inoculable, and 

 that there is every hope that by the end of the year an 

 effective antidote will be available. Worms are 

 constantly in evidence, especially among the young 

 stock, but regular dosing is an insurance. Mild out- 

 breaks of Variola and Blue Tongue have been 

 attended by a negligible mortality. A very much 

 heavier loss than from each and every form of disease 

 may be, unfortunately, anticipated from the depreda- 

 tions of vermin, both of the four-legged and two-legged 

 varieties. 



A most satisfactory portent to flock masters lies in 



