1922.] 



Suffolk Sheep. 



883 



the necessit}' of doing this and reap the reward — both as a goocl 

 advertisement and also in prize money and sales — but as a rule 

 they are not done " well enough. 



It is reasonable to believe that the Suffolk would not have 

 spread as it has done nor won such success in competition with 

 other breeds were it not for the combination of fine qualities 

 it possesses. Its hardiness is proved by its success as a 

 coloniser. In point of early maturity, well-grazed hoggets, 

 under usual farming conditions, at the age of 8 -to 10 months 

 yield 78 to 84 lb. of dressed carcass, and the leading position 

 maintained in the Smithfield carcass tests at above detailed is 

 proof positive of it. The fecundit}^ of the Suffolk, due to its 

 ^N^orfolk ancestry, is proverbial. As a New South Wales breeder 

 well puts it : 



•'The beauty of this breed (I am referring to its bank account 

 beauty) is that it produces both quantity and quality. My experience 

 has been that single lambs are unusual, twins usual and triplets not 

 uncommon." 



The average for all registered flocks for 33 years is 133.01 per 

 cent, of lambs reared. 



Wool. — The fleece as described above spin^ 56 's in Bradford 

 counts. Mr. W. T. Kitch, Technical In>-tructor, American 

 Wool Improvement Association, writing on January 15th, 1921, 

 says : 



"Your samples of Suffolk wool, both ewe and hogget, are the best 

 types of medium Down wools which I have tested during th& past ten 

 years, either in Australasia, South Africa, South America, Canada or tiie 

 United States. The length is good, the character excellent and the 

 density is wonderful, while the colour, strength and elasticit}^ leave 

 nothing to be desired in Down wool." 



Writing again on February 14th after testing the second 

 prize fleece at the Darlington Koyal Show , lie says : 



" The crimp and lustre is good enough to satisfy the most fastidious 

 judge of Down wool," 



My. J. Thomson Stephen, wool expert, Leicester, wTiting 

 in the Mark Lane Express, December 1st, 1919, said : 



The various crosses of Suffolk sheep yield fleeces of graiid character. 

 Suffolk rams ate very impressive in imparting their characteristic, to the 

 wool of the sheep with which they are crossed. During the wool sales, 

 where fine wools of the highest character in the kingdom are shown, a 

 very large proportion were half-breds by Suffolk rams. I made a very 

 careful inspection of these half-bred Suffolk lots, and in every instance 

 they commanded the top prices of the day. They produce yarns of what 

 is known as 57 to 58 ♦unts. and these are the very qualities most in 

 favour for all the finest grades of sound and durable liosiery fabrics." 



B 2 



