THE MERINO BREED. 153 



Town ; and, some years later, pure Merinos were imported 

 from Saxony. Thus the basis of a fine-woolled breed of 

 Sheep has been laid in this interesting island, although as 

 yet the wool produced has not equalled in value that of the 

 sister colony. 



The progressive increase in the numbers of sheep in these 

 noble possessions is without example. In the year 1810, only 

 167 Ib. of wool were imported into England from the colony 

 of New South Wales. In 1820, the quantity had increased to 

 99,418 Ib. ; in 1830, to 973,336 Ib. : in 1832, the quantity 

 brought from both colonies was 3,516,869 Ib. ; in 1838, 

 8,067,243 Ib. ; and since this period the importation has been 

 proceeding in a constantly increasing ratio. Other settle- 

 ments have been established on the coasts of New Holland, 

 at Swan River, at Port Philip, and elsewhere ; and more re- 

 cently the tide of emigration has flowed into the lovely islands 

 of New Zealand, which, however, being covered with dense 

 forests, are less suited to the multiplication of sheep than the 

 vast plains of New Holland. Thus, in regions almost un- 

 known to the civilized world until within the memory of the 

 living generation, are to be found the means of supplying the 

 woollen manufactures of England with the raw material in 

 boundless quantity ; and it is gratifying to humanity to think 

 that the foundations of this great storehouse of public wealth 

 have been laid, not on violence and bloodshed, but on agricul- 

 tural prosperity, and the improvement of the fleece. 



The attention of the Australian colonists has been natu- 

 rally directed to the cultivation of fine wool ; but it is evident 

 that there are limits to the profits to be derived from this 

 commodity, both from the increasing production of the coun- 

 try, and from the rivalship of the districts of Europe where 

 the Merino wool is cultivated. It is a question, therefore, 

 whether the colonists should not now direct attention to the 

 long or combing wools as well as to the short or felting. It 

 is probable that the long wools of England would acquire, in 

 these favoured climes, the very properties which would benefit 



