1 cannot conclude without a few re marks on the shearing of lambs. The practice, hitherto, has been to do this at three or four months old. I think this a grave mistake. In five years out of six it could be avoided with ad vantage ; in the March or April land ings it may be necessary, but in the May or June lambings (and these are the majority ) it is nearly always in judicious. The wool from lambs of three or four years old rarely pays more than the expense of shearing sending to market, &c., and the opera tion completely destroys the ensuing hogget-fleece. I admit, nevertheless, that there are seasons when it becomes necessary to shear the lambs at this early period of their existence ; for ex ample, after a heavy fall of rain in the winter, when there is likely to be a flush of grass, and therefore of grass seed. With this exception, however, if the lambs were left unshorn until the com mencement of the following season, they might be shorn, say in August or early in September, when they, should have an average of about fourteen or fifteen month’s wool on them, which would be of the most valuable descrip tion. This arrangement would assur edly pay the flock-masters. In the northern parts of Victoria, and through out Eiverina, several squatters have, on my recommendation, adopted this sys tem, and they are quite satisfied with the results.
