The following is worthy of notice, as exemplifying what may be done,
by judicious attention, to improve an important national staple:--
'In a lecture recently delivered by Mr Owen at the Society of Arts,
the learned professor detailed the particulars of a highly interesting
experiment, which resulted in the establishment of one of the very few
instances in which the origination of a distinct variety of a domestic
quadruped could be satisfactorily traced, with all the circumstances
attending its development well authenticated. We must premise it by
stating, that amongst the series of wools shewn in the French
department of the Great Exhibition, were specimens characterised by
the jury as a wool of singular and peculiar properties; the hair,
glossy and silky, similar to mohair, retaining at the same time
certain properties of the merino breed. This wool was exhibited by J.
L. Graux, of the farm of Mauchamp, Commune de Juvincourt, and the
produce of a peculiar variety of the merino breed of sheep, and it
thus arose. In the year 1828, one of the ewes of the flock of merinos
in the farm of Mauchamp, produced a male lamb, which, as it grew up,
became remarkable for the long, smooth, straight, and silky character
of the fibre of the wool, and for the shortness of its horns. It was
of small size, and presented certain defects in its conformation which
have disappeared in its descendants. In 1829, M. Graux employed this
ram with a view to obtain other rams, having the same quality of wool.
The produce of 1830 only included one ram and one ewe, having the
silky quality of the wool; that of 1831 produced four rams and one ewe
with the fleece of that quality. In 1833, the rams, with the silky
variety of wool, were sufficiently numerous to serve the whole flock.
In each subsequent year the lambs have been of two kinds--one
preserving the character of the ancient race, with the curled elastic
wool, only a little longer and finer than in the ordinary merinos; the
other resembling the rams of the new breed, some of which retained the
large head, long neck, narrow chest, and long flanks of the abnormal
progenitor, whilst others combined the ordinary and better-formed body
with the fine silky wool. M. Graux, profiting by the partial
resumption of the normal type of the merino in some of the descendants
of the malformed original variety, at length succeeded, by a judicious
system of crossing and interbreeding, in obtaining a flock combining
the long silky fleece with a smaller head, shorter neck, broader
flanks, and more capacious chest. Of this breed the flocks have become
sufficiently numerous to enable the proprietor to sell examples for
exportation. The crossing of the Beauchamp variety with the ordinary
merino has also produced a valuable quality of wool, known in France
as the "Mauchamp Merino." The fine silky wool of the pure Mauchamp
breed is remarkable for its qualities, as combining wool, owing to the
strength as well as the length and fineness of the fibre. It is found
of great value by the manufacturers of Cashmere shawls, being second
only to the true Cashmere fleece in the fine flexible delicacy of the
fabric, and of particular utility when combined with the Cashmere wool
in imparting to the manufacture qualities of strength and consistence,
in which the pure Cashmere is deficient. Although the quantity of the
wool yielded by the Mauchamp variety is less than in the ordinary
merinos, the higher price which it obtains in the French market--25
per cent. above the best merino wools--and the present value of the
breed, have fully compensated M. Graux for the pains and care
manifested by him in the establishment of the variety, and a council
medal was awarded to him.'
We find the above abstract in the _Critic_ (London Literary Journal);
and our chief object in making the quotation, is to bring the subject
under the notice of wool-growers in the home country, as well as in
Australia. What, it may be asked, could not be done by every
store-farmer following the example of M. Graux?