Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-03-29
MONTPELIER, FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1874

character, derived from Spanarls the best inform
ed on the subject. The Leonesa are pastured in
the summer on the mountainous and billy country
Of Leon and the two CASTLES, and in the fall are
driven into the plains of Spanish Estramadura to
be pastured through the winter Many of their
1ocks are driven two hundred miles from the sum-
mer to the winter pasture, and vice versa. Some |
explanation will be necessary for the better under
standing of the cause of this management The |
plains of Spanish Estramadura are subjected to an
almost invarable drought from the latter part of A
pril to the autumnal equinox, but the rains COM
mence about the 2lst Of September and continue
to fall every two three days in very heavy show
ers till the latter part of March, when they gradu-
ally fall off till the end of April. In six or seven
weeks from the first rain, from apparently arid
waste, those plains are covered with beautiful
coat of verdure, and so continue till April, as The
thermometer rarely falls below 40 deg of Fahron-
helt at sunrise Whilst the plains are thus parched
up in summer by drought, in the mountainous dn
billy regions they have occasionally refreshing
rains which there keep the pastures good through
out summer.
Their Aocks are usually started in the month of
April from the plains of Estramadura to their sum
Gner pastures, and in October back again. They
generally sheared in the latter part of May, and
the wool is sent to ST. Andero and Bboa the two
nearest seaports to their summer Pastures for sale.
The proprietors of the flocks always own land in
the mountains and in the plains, sufficient for both
their summer and winter pastures. From the cir
cumstance of their sheep being fed the year round
| upon green fodder it the general opinion in
| Spain, that the Nerino would not succeed in any
other country. But by the experiments made in
! SaXony in l7G5 by the introduction in that year of
! the Spanish Merino it has been proved beyond all
| question, that with proper and management,
| wool can be grown quite fine as the Spanish
when fed upon dry fodder four to six months in the
year. In fact, they have succeeded in all countries
where they have been tried, except England; and
their deterioration there must undoubtedly be ow-
ing to the extreme humidity Of that climate. The
origin of the fine wooded sheep of Spain appears
to be question of much doubt. 1t is certain that
| Columella, Spanish writer agriculture in the
days Of Augustus Cesar, speaks of fine wooded or
covered sheep. 1t probable that they car
ried into that country by the Carthagenians or Ro
mans, the name Aarcno signifies, in Spanish,
from beyond sea. But it is of little consequence
to those who want soft warm, handsome garment,
whether those sheep were natives of Spain, or
whether the original stock imported from an
other country.
shall now call your attention to the first intro
duction of them into the United States. Soon af-
ter the accession of Mr. Jefferson to the Presiden
cy, Chancellor Livingston appointed Minister
to France; and in 1901 or 1902, he obtained from
: that Government three or four Mernoes of the
Rambouillet flock, which he sent to New York
and put on of his farms. This flock was OBJ
tanned by the King of France from the Kiug Of
A little before General Humphreys left Spain, he
was enabled to get two hundred sheep from SPAR
S into Portugal, and they were sent to Figuera, a
e the mouth of the Mondego, and thence shipped tc
r the United States. From what flock he obtained
e them, / never could learn, though inquired mum
t Der of times; but as Spanish Estramadura and LIE
on border on Portugal from 3S deg. Of latitude t
. the northern boundary of Portugal, and no othe
than the l-eonesa Trashuarntes are touns in tina
a part of Spain, there be but little doubt tina
: they belonged to that race.
4 | attempted in 1906 and also in 1907 to obta
d some from the most celebrated hocks but the law
e were so strict against their expectation, withou
n royal license, that | failed of success. After til
t French invasion in 1908 the laws became more re
Taxed, and in 1909, by special favor obtained tw
: bundled Escurials. At the second invasion of tn
h French, under Joseph Bonaparte, the rapidity
e the march of the French troops, hurried the Su
n preme Junta from Madrid, and they retired to Ba
dajos. Being without money, and being afraid
e disgusting the Estramadurans by levyng a tax W
on them, they were compelled to sell four of tn
G first tlocks i'll Spain, which had been confscated
consequence of the proprietors joining the Frenc
Il These were the Paular, previously owned by I'll
ID Prince of Peace-the Negretti, previously owne
l. by the Condo del Campo de Alange--the Aguei
t. ras which had been owned by the Condo of Il
same name, and the Montarco, owned by the Coz
de de Montarco and were such sheep could n
p have been got out of SPAIN had it not been for Il
at the country growing out of that invasion. Wht
ne the Junta sold it was upon the express condition
III their granting licenses to carry them out of Il
W kingdom -Four thousand of the Paular flock we
er sent to England for the King; and Col. Downie,
Scotch officer in the British service, but who til,
We held the rank Of General in the Spanish servic
Nv and |, purchased the remainder Of the flock, b
ce tween three and four thousand more; and of II
I'd purchase took fourteen hundred and he sent 4
n. rest to Scotland with the exception of two or thr
hundred which he sold to come to this country.
Sir Charles Stewart purchased the Negretti flo
= and sent them to England with the exception of
bout hundred got out of his flock after tn
reached Lisbon.
- purchased about seventeen hundred of the
gueirras flock Of the Junta and the remainder W
sold and sent to England. The Montarco flo
i'd was bought by Spaniard and Portuguese, and
we bout two thousand seven hundred were shipped
or this country. ! shipped to the United States II
me Pauals, 100 Agurras, 200 Escurials, about ]
lto Negretts, and about 200 Montarcos OF this nu
nc Der about 100 were sent to Wiscasset and Portla
ted HOO to Boston and Newburyport 1900 to N. Yo
est $50 to Philadelphia, $50 to Baltimore, 100 to Ale
of andra, and 200 to Norfolk and Richmond. BesiC
lu- those which shipped to the United States on
or own account, there were about 300 of the Qua,
va loupe flock purchased by Others and the two
ous three hundred of the Paular flock sold by q
ned Downie, shipped to Boston; and of the Monta
or flock shipped by others, about two thousand
I'VE hundred were sent TO Boston, providence, M q
Ter. Phadelp ha, Baltimore and Savannah The q
daloupes, Paulars and Montarcos which were sE
J. ped to Boston by others, were for the account
Gorham Parsons, Esq. Gen. Sumner, Deacon III
enor, and Il. IL. Derby, Esq. All these sheep W
to shipped in the latter part of 1902 during 1910
give the early part of 1871 and the only Leon
and Trashumantes, if we include Gen. Humphreys,
l., | Chancellor Livngston's (which ! have no do
ives were of the same stock) that were ever shipped
IDLY the United States. Badajos is but little over
the miles from Lisbon, and all the sheep purcha
ing there or in that vicinity were shipped from List
lrce was then Consul there, and from my Office
1led accurately acquainted with all the shipments
nan certificates Of property from me always accom-
ion MED them.
very have been thus minute, because writer, W
ted out signature, in the American Agriculture
Civ within two or three months, has pretended,