46 
THE SHEEP. 
THE MERINO BREED. 
and increase to the uttermost the valuable properties of the fleece. The matter of surprise is not, that, under such circumstances, 
the Australian production should be inferior to the Saxon, but that it should so nearly equal it. 
The island of Van Diemen’s Land, situated to the south of New Holland, between the latitudes of nearly 41° and 44° south, 
enjoying a cooler temperature, and being more exempt from the severe droughts of the sister country, was settled by two ships 
which had proceeded from England with convicts. The first destination of these persons was Port Philip, which they reached in 
the autumn of 1805; but it being conceived that obstacles existed to the establishment of a permanent settlement at that port, 
they were carried to the river Derwent, where soon after Hobart Town, the capital of the new colony, was founded. Sheep of the 
defective Indian breed were soon afterwards introduced into the colony; but it was not until the year 1820 that the cultivation of 
fine-woolled Sheep was fully established. A flock of 300 Merino lambs was imported from Sydney; but, in consequence of a dis¬ 
temper which broke out amongst them previous to sailing, only 181 arrived at their destination in September 1820. These were 
distributed amongst the colonists about Hobart 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 lb. 
of wool were imported into England from the colony of New South Wales. In 1820 the quantity had increased to 99,418 lb.; 
in 1830 to 973,336 lb. In 1832 the quantity brought from both colonies was 3,516,869 lb.; and since this period the importation 
has been proceeding in a constantly increasing ratio. Other settlements have been established on the coasts of New Holland, 
at Swan River, at Port Philip, and elsewhere; and more recently 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 unknown to the civilized world until within the memory of the living generation, in dominions 
exceeding in extent those of Rome in her glory, 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 in violence and bloodshed, but in agricultural prosperity, and the improvement of the fleece. 
The attention of the Australian colonists has been naturally 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 country 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 them the most, and that the heavier 
fleeces of the Leicester, the Cotswold, and the Old Lincoln Sheep, would yield a larger profit to the wool-grower than even the 
higher priced Merino. But the two classes of Sheep should be kept entirely distinct. The Merino breed should be selected and 
cultivated with all the care which the state of the country will allow. Merinos of the pure race may be obtained in England; but 
in numbers too small to supply any considerable demand. They would be more conveniently procured from Saxony, proper pre¬ 
cautions being employed in making the selection from flocks of established reputation. The best period for examining the flocks 
is the month of January, or even February. The cheapest mode of getting an improved stock is to purchase the refuse or cast 
ewes, but the proper mode to insure the obtaining of them of the best sorts is to make a selection out of the good flocks of the 
country. Unless, however, the purchaser is a very good judge of the quality of the wool, he will require an assistant in the country, 
who for a fixed amount per head, will make the selection; and it will be proper for those who are to make considerable purchases 
to send a trusty person to the country. The price for refuse ewes is from four to eight dollars, at 3s. per dollar; of selected 
ewes, from ten to twenty dollars, and of rams from L.3 to L.20. Some remarkably fine rams even bring prices so high as from 
L.50 to L.200; but this great expense can never be required except in the case of individuals who already possess highly im¬ 
proved flocks, which they are desirous of bringing to the greatest degree of perfection. In the case of Australian settlers, it would 
be well for a number to combine and purchase a considerable number at once, as from 1000 to 2000 ewes, with a corresponding 
number of rams. The best mode of proceeding would be, to collect the Sheep at Riesa on the Elbe, and ship them to Hamburg, 
a separate boat being hired for the purpose. Shipments might also be made from Dresden. The precautions to be used in 
making these purchases are, to deal only with persons of known character, and, as has been said, to obtain an assistant in the 
country to select the Sheep, and to send a trusty servant to take charge of them. The expense of purchasing and transporting 
the Sheep to England is not considerable; and when we consider the immense national importance of conveying to our Australian 
possessions the best of the race that can be obtained, it is to be trusted that the colonists will find it for their interest to resort to 
countries where the animals can be obtained in the greatest purity and perfection. 
