CHAPTER X. 

 THE MERINO. 



A notable feature of the Merino is its fleece of com- 

 pact, abundant, fine and yolky wool, which adheres 

 tenaciously to its body. The Merino is a hardy, long- 

 living animal, and, if well looked after, will 

 breed up to 12 and 15 years. Long life means late 

 maturity, and the Merino, both from a carcase point of 

 view and its lateness in maturing, is not suitable, except 

 in crossing, where sheep breeding for mutton is the aim. 

 It is a restless sheep, disliking confinement, and natur- 

 ally therefore it matures slowly. It is not at all suited 

 to confined areas and the cultivated farm, but its useful 

 qualities can be availed of there in crossbreeding it with 

 the English longwool. Fnadapted as the pure Merino 

 is for mutton export, crossed it has contributed a lot of 

 the meat frozen and shipped to England, the strain of 

 this breed giving the fine grain in the mutton, and 

 establishing the famous " Canterbury brand " on the 

 London market. The bulk of the crossbred flocks of the 

 Dominion of New Zealand have the Merino strain in 

 them. It is a sheep with a great Australasian history, 

 but the policy of subdividing large estates is seeing its 

 numbers gradually thin out. Wide settlement and the 

 Merino, close settlement and the longwool and mutton 

 breeds, is the rule. 



The Merino, by reason of its superior hardiness, is 

 better adapted than any breed to the poorer pastures 

 of rough country. 



