Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-13
HECK & BAKER,
Contractors and Builders
WIN nurniah estimates Of cost ON ali kline
of Duldingr, shelving. countsr. sto,
kORT WORTH. TRxAS.

importations was suspended by the au-
thorities of New South Wales and New
Zealand, and under the opportunity
thus afforded several hundred choice
Merlnos were sent from the United
States into both the colonies named--a
few In 1881, and the majority In 1883.
The total prohibition was re.enforced
as one of the results of the intcr-colo-
NAL conference held at Sydney In De-
cember, 1883, the prohibition taking
effect February /, 1884.
l am by no means assured OF the
wisdom of the policy. still less the ne
cessity, of thus excluding sheep from
every country outside their own col.
onies. While recognizing the high
standard attained by the stud ilocks of
Australia, feel convinced that they
can still be materially benefited by an
admixture of American Merino blood,
when selections are made with care
aud good judgment. The weak point
I'm every flock visited by me-and had
the privilege of examining animals for
which enormous prices were paid--was
generally lack of density on NIL parts of
the body, and especially weakness on
the belly and extremities. These de-
fects could, In my opinion, be more
speedily and certainly ameliorated by
judicions crossing with American Me-
rino blood than by in-breeding, even II
the latter is practicable In generally
mild climate and under IA system OF
management that confines sheep strict
| ly TO n pastoral sustentation. The few
experiments that have been made with
the American sheep admitted TO the
colonies go to confirm this conclusion,
for half-American yearlings and lambs
were pronounced by the majority OF
colonial breeders, who inspected them,
to DO superior to the average of the
tlocks from which they had been bred.
From this fact and certain collateral
circumstances, and partial admissions
from colonial breeders, j have been
forced to the conclusion that the re-
striction upon the introduction Of for
eign sheep has considerable backing
in the determination of proprietors OF
stud loeks to hold monopoly OF the
Australian ram market. The majority
of these men are wealthy and iniluen-
tial, and many Of them are members OF
the colonial parliamcnts. From THU
vantage ground they not only shape
the laws, but Mt the same time dictate
the tone of the public aud agricultural
press, which In their turn go far In
moulding the opinions Of the masses
The same influences are Mt work among
some of the owners OF herds of stud cat
tie. who, like their brethren in Eng
land, seem disposed to seize upon tn,
first pretext for cutting of n competi
ton which has already become embar
RAISING.
There is neither intention nor desire
to do injustice TO the breeders OF Aus
ITALIAN stud ilocks or English cattle
raisers by the foregoing reflections
They are doing only what they have
right to do--looking out for their owl
interests; protecting themselves agalns
foreign competition. IL Is a question
TO be settled by themselves. and viii
which outsiders have no right 10 inter
fere. As advocates Of free trade, how
} ever, when they exclude competition
in live animals from other countries
: and in the next breath demand the re
moval of all barriers TO the unrestricte'
! distribution OF theirown products iron
flock and factory, they involve them
, selves In an inconsistency too glsrin
to escape the notice Of the most cas'ii
observer.