162 AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE. 



The Cheviot. The fact of this race of sheep inhabiting 

 and thriving well on the precarious and mountain pasturage- 

 of Scotland must stamp them as a very hardy race. The 

 Cheviot of the present day is a handsome animal weighing 

 from 1301b. to 1501b., capable of enduring great privations, 

 thriving equally well under the same conditions with 

 the hardy black-faced mountain sheep. On this account, 

 those who have had practical experience in their manage- 

 ment in Scotland, are of opinion that they would be 

 eminently suited to our broken, hilly country and coast 

 lands. . The wool of the Cheviot is coarser than that of the 

 South Down, but when crossed with the merino the 

 progeny has been found little inferior to that of the 

 Leicester, except that the fleece presents an appearance of 

 wanting yolk when on poor country or the feed is not 

 sufficient for their best development. 



Crosses. It is found that a first cross between the 

 merino and a long-woolled variety produces an excellent 

 crossbred wool and a valuable sheep for the butcher or for 

 export, a sheep that matures much earlier than the merino. 

 The Leicester crosses are superior in carcase to those of 

 the Lincoln, while the latter excel the former in length 

 and lustre of wool. Both crosses are fit for the butcher at 

 from 16 to 18 months. When these crosses were confined 

 to a few breeders, very little demand existed for cross- 

 wools ; since, however, large numbers have embarked in 

 its production in the different Australian colonies, 

 sound crossbred wool has been adapted by the manu- 

 facturers to special purposes. It should, however, be 

 clearly understood that only the first cross are safe 

 while the sire and dam on both sides are pure of their 

 respective families. Beyond this, results will be disap- 

 pointing. If ewes of a first or subsequent grade are bred 

 from, it should be to pure males, so as to breed back to the 

 pure stock on either side; and if to Leicester or Lincoln 

 rams, the fourth or fifth generation will be tolerably pure 

 for general purposes. It has been said that " an attempt 

 to unite the fleece of the merino and the carcase of a 

 Leicester, for instance, is an unqualified absurdity." No- 

 crossbred males should, therefore, be used for stud 

 purposes. 



