Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-09-24


iulpairing fleece values.
That some wool-growers have been
slow in recognizing this and tardy in
response after facts We're admitted, is
no fault Of the Gazette, for its columns
have always urged that the produc-
ton of no desirable quality of fleece
was incompatible with an improved
carcass; that though the very best of
each might not be attainable in the
same animal, the extremes most com
monty observed were without warrant
either in the possibilities of breeding or
the necessities and surroundings of the
majority Of owners.
In many respects Australia may be
considered the typical woolproducing
country, Nowhere else in the world
have focks attained such numbers,
and in no other country is so large a
percentage of the intelligence and capi-
tai of the people directed toward the
attainment of maximum results in the
economical production Of desirable
feeces. Their success in this line is
attesttd by the popularity of Austral-
ian woods with manufacturers in all
countries and the severity Of their
competition in American markets
though handicapped by a tariff equal
to more than one-third their ultimate
selling price. Sparseness CT domestic
population and remoteness from any
foreign market for mutton combined to
develop in Australian tlocks phenome-
nal results in tleece-production, until
rapid transportation and improved pro
CCsSes in Refrigeration opened a door
for partial relief in n market for sheep
carcasses full 10000 miles away, and
in few years Australian mutton was
to be seen in the shambles of English
cities as regularly as Australian tleeces
were found in the wool marts of Lon
don and Antwerp But with a few ex-
ceptions coming from New Zealand
this was MerinO mutton, and had to
encounter the prejudices and preferen-
ces Of buyers accustomed to the flesh
of animals Of far different breeding,
and had to be sold for less than the
average price Of mutton. Accustomed
to respond to every demand from the
buyers of their products, some Aus
tralian breeders at once begun expert
ments Mt crossing Merino ewes with
rams Of the British types, with the
view TO determine how far efforts at
meeting the demand for croSs-bred
mutton might be safely and prOfltably
adhered To- The results of these ex-
periments were alluded TO at some
length in the late annual report of the
Chief Inspector of Stock for New
South Wales, who has eyinced a deep
interest in the foreign meat trade of
that colony since its inception,
4 feature Of this report that will
have peculiar interest for breeders in
| this country is its reference to the
comparative results from a series Of
| crosses upon Me1ino ewes by rams Of
different British types. OF course
these are by no means conclusive.
| Equally certain it is that the accuracy
of results arrived ut will be challenged
by the admirers Of the different breeds
mentioned At the same time an in
teresting line Of inquiry is opened up
! by the suggestion: Why is it that in
"a series of experiments with both weth
crs and ewes, separately conducted,
with animals six, twelve twenty-four
and thirty-siX months Old, The result
should invariably show in favor of tbs
Lincoln breed? Crosses giving next
best results follow in this order: Bor
der Leicester, Romney Marsh, Hamp-
shire. Leicester, SOuthdown, Cotswold,
Shropshire The differences between
the best Of these we're not very great,
but in all of them the Merino-Lincom
is reported TO be the beSt-value Of
wool and mutton considered.
This no more determines the relative
value Of mutton rams for crosses on
Merino ewes in this country than the
presence Of one swallow will prove that
spring has come; but if the results as
recorded will serve TO stimulate the
managers of experiment stations TO
take up and follow the line indicated
much will be done i'm the direction Of
securing a more general recognition Of
the merits of all breeds in their purity,
as well rs their value for advancing
the standard of the many millions Of
sheep now handled without adequate
profit to owners and with too little be
nefit TO the country.