The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-11-12
From Walton's Daily Journal.
Farmers in the State House.

The Legislative Agricultural Meeting met
at the Capitol, Oct 20, 1916. Lieut. Gov.
Sergeant was called to the chair
The subject for iscussion-Sheep Husbandry
Mr.. Gregory, ofWey bridge, being called up
on said, if he must be the first 10 remark upon
the subject, he would open the field wide, and
leave it for others to fill he would divide
the different kinds of sheep with which he was
acquainted into six classes, though he should
not touch upon every variety. 1st. Native
breed-2nd. Native crossed with Merino-3d.
Native crossed with Saxony-4th. Saxony
crossed with Mcrino-5th. Saxony, full blood
9Th Merino, tull-bood.
Native breed, common sheep Farmers
ought not to breed such sheep: while they
shear light fleece it is at the same time a
coarse one, neither profitable to the farmer
nor the manufacturer.
Native crossed with Merino. Tolcrably
good shccp,-thc best cross that can be made
with our common or native sheep.
Native crossed with SaXony. Not good, it
should never be attempted.
Saxony crossed with Mcrino Good sheep,
if the eve be saxony, the buck should not be
of our largest class Of Merino. The difficulty
will be in rearing lambs if the buck should be
of the larger class.
Saxony full-bIood Too tendera sheep for
Vermont, unless the breeder is willing to
subject himself to extra labor and expense in
his care of them, and in providing good
shelter and protection in winter. (Though
any sheep should have shelter in winter in
| Vermont)
The Saxony he would put into two classes
The first, the long, white, open wool, free
from oil, light fleece, profitable for the manu-
tacturer; yet the purchaser does not encour-
age the raising such wool by the price he is
pleased to pay. This wool is fine.
End Glass about us fine as the other, not as
profitable to the manufacturer, but more so to
the farmcr-they are more hardy, better pro-
tected be heavier fleeces, the wool not as long
but more compact, darker shade ON the sur
face.
lEcrino. The first class which he would
notice is the gummy, rather short wool, com
pact, rather harsh to the tcel-uncven fine
on the shoulder, but coarse on the nank-ob-
jected to this kind of sheep; it cannot be
washed clean in the ordinary mode of wash
ing. 1t was great mistake that farmers
bred this class Of sheep They have been in
duced to do so from the fact that the purchaser
has made but little distinction in his purchas-
cs The farmers of Vermont have aimed to
secure weight of fleece, regardless of what it
was composed.
I'd. Anotherclass, even, fine on the shout
der and flank, long open wool, not much oil,
no gum, not very heavy feeces, bat profitable
to the manfacturer-easilyw wet through by
rain and slcet in winter-need good shell
ter.
Sd. Another, medium class, equally as
fine as the last mentioned, nearly as fine as
the Saxony wool-thick long staple, and oily,
and dark surface, may be washed clean in
the ordinary mode of washing-should not be
allowed TO run long after washing. The best
kind Of sheep for The Vermont farmer; while
it gives to the farmer good fleece, it cannot
BE- objected TO by the manufacturer. The
Wool will command price nearly equal to
the SaXony.
Mr. Conant Of Brandon being called-was
ready to say, he took any interest in farming
il was in sheep husbandry. He started a now
ice in the business but soon found good sheep.
lie could not recommend Saxony sheep
they needed protection by shelter, as their
wool afforded no shelter at all The class re-
commended lastly by Mr.. Gregory was the
best.
1t is the interest of Vermont to raise fine
wool, and the merino with fine wool and oily
is the right kind.
The Rambouillet have great uniformity in