THE MERINO BREED. 151 



mals. The importation of Bengal Sheep was soon after 

 followed by that of superior races from the mother country. 

 Individuals of the Leicester and South Down breeds were by 

 degrees imported, affording the kinds which were wanted by 

 the infant colony, namely, animals that should supply food 

 rather than wool. This experiment was entirely successful, 

 and the intermixture of the new Sheep enlarged the size, and 

 increased the economical value, of the original race. The 

 wool even of these crosses, notwithstanding of the most 

 slovenly treatment on the part of their owners, was found 

 equal or superior to the finest produced in the mother country ; 

 and in twelve years from the first landing of the settlers, the 

 Sheep of the colony had increased to upwards of 6000. The 

 result of these trials, and the growing prosperity of the 

 settlement, produced a desire on the part of the wealthier 

 colonists to try the fine-woolled Sheep of Spain, which had 

 been introduced into the British Islands. A few of this race 

 were obtained from England, and the result, like all the pre- 

 vious experiments, proved the admirable adaptation of the 

 country to the rearing of Sheep, and in an especial degree to 

 the production of a fine and soft wool. After a few crosses 

 with the existing race, the wool produced was found to be 

 nearly equal to that of the pure Merinos of Spain ; and when 

 the original race was preserved without intermixture, the 

 wool became more fine and soft than that of the same race 

 in their native pastures. Merinos were now imported direct 

 from Saxony, and this experiment likewise was successful. 

 When the breed was preserved pure, the wool preserved its 

 essential properties, with that increase of flexibility and soft- 

 ness which is the distinctive character of the Australian wools. 

 Some of the wool of these Saxon Sheep, when it had been 

 properly cleaned and attended to, brought the highest price 

 of any other in the English market, and led to the belief, that 

 these rising colonies were destined to supply the manufac- 

 tures of England with wool superior to that of any other 

 country. These expectations were formed chiefly in con- 



