MADAGASCAR 261 



few years ago in this country by a Government ' vet.,' the 

 second cross is a great improvement on the first. In fact, I 

 have seen two absolutely distinct types of crosses resulting 

 from the experiments made in this country. One has white 

 wool and short brown kemp on the back, and only browa kemp 

 on the belly ; the line of demarcation between the two regions 

 is quite definite. Those sheep I take to be first crosses, viz. 

 half bred, or crosses between half bred. 



" The other type has very little or no kemp on the back, and 

 has also the belly covered with wool. Those are, I suppose, 

 second crosses, viz. three-quarter Merinos, and no doubt also 

 sometimes crosses between half bred, which have taken the 

 Merino characteristics both from sire and dam. Unfortunately, 

 the vet. who .started those experiments — and who is now dead — 

 was not able to carry them on himself, and distributed his small 

 flock amongst the military and other Government officials of 

 the various surrounding stations. There they multiplied, and 

 were appreciated on account of the superior meat they provided 

 the ' mess ' with, but systematic breeding was discontinued, 

 and no record kept of the crosses. 



" What I have seen of these small flocks goes to show, how- 

 ever, that improvement in the wool can be rapidly secured, 

 but also that with indiscriminate breeding there can be an 

 equalty rapid reversion to the native type. I have seen in 

 these flocks sheep which I was told were crossbred, but which 

 I certainly would have taken for pure native. 



" I tried at first hand-serving, and kept the rams separate 

 from the flock. I found, however, that this was very slow work, 

 and that the ewes were somewhat terrified by their unaccus- 

 tomed mates. I am, therefore, now letting the rams and ewes 

 run together, and breeding proceeds apace. 



" Summarising, I think that there are excellent prospects in 

 this country. The land difficulty may make it necessary to 

 adopt another system than in Australia. In fact, I am now 

 considering a scheme for working hand in hand with the 

 native — I providing the rams and they the ewes and the pas- 

 ture under their own supervision. I would thus limit myself 

 to the breeding of stud rams, for which sufficient land can be 

 secured. This or some other method must be evolved for 



