The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-11-10
Policy Of Addison County Agricul-
tural Society.

| tdAaA SOSAttys
Mr.. EDlroR
Allow me through your columns to
make few plain statements of facts to
the farmers of this county.
In the spring Of lS45 imported ten
| merino ewes from Lord Wester ms flock
the most celebrated merinos then in
England, at cost of $3.50 I exhibit
ed them at our County Show, in Septem-
Der of the same year, at Middlebury.-
The judges OH Sheep declined even to
examine them; and when their attention
was particularly called to the Shcep,they
replied "that they had no time to cx-
anime them"
In lS4S Mr. Scovell of Connecticut.
imported at great expense some Sheep
from noted Saxony flock in Germany !;
and having purchased from their stock
fine Saxony yearling ram, l entered it
for premium at the County Fair, held
at Vcrgcnnes in 1850 Three of the
judges this year had Sa1ony Sheep on the
ground, and each took premiums, while
mine was passed in silence. The wool
of this Sheep was. finer, of handsomer
crimp, and more thickly set all over the
body, than that of any of its competi-
tors. On representation to them of
this apparent unfairness, the reply was,
= that they never had seen SeaOny
Sheep of snch large size and so vooly."
Thus forcing on my mind the conviction,
either that the judges did not know what
a Saxony Sheep was, or had suffered
their interest 10 overcome their impair
tiality
In 1851, exhibited aud entered for
premium at the County Fair held at
Midalebury, ten very large French Mer-
ino Ewes selected by myself, from NJ
Cugnots flock. being one of the most no
ted focks in France. at cost there of
$1,000, and imported in the summer of
that year. The judges, to the best of
my knowledge, did not during the Fair,
examine them at all
At the Fair held this year at Middle
bury, ! entered for premiums a pen of
Is French Merino ycarling Ewes; FIVE
older ewes, and one superior Ram Lamb
for which l have refused $1,000.
The Ewes we're selected and imported
by me from France during the last sea-
season. The IS ewes were entered to
compete as Pen of the best variety y
and the Lamb as the Best ram Lamb" "
These Sheep met the same treatment
with their predecessors, were passed with
out notice of any kind.
About four years ago, ,Alonzo L. Bing
ham exhibited 25 French Merino Sheer
at the Show at Mi6dltbrry which Imay
bep,rnitted to say wera SIP 'r animals
and of more intrinsic value than all tho
other Sheep upon the ground. Mr. Bing
hams Sheep were treated with the same
neglect, and passed over without notice,
1t cannot be said in excuse of thesC
negligencies, that the different Judge.
had no power to award premiums on the
particular varieties of Sheep thus exhib
tied, since they have at all times discre
tionary power, to grant gratuities and tC
make honorable mention of all meritor
ious articles power so frequently ex
ercised by the Society, that hardly I
Fair has been held in which COMMITTEES
have not awarded gratui,ies, and some
times upon trivial articles.
Neither are these isolated cases Fo
to the best of my knowledge the polio,
Of our County has been uniformly to de
press and discourage all in its power, tn,
introduction Of French and other foreigI
Sheep, They have seemed to regarc
these Sheep, innocent as they are, a
dangerous and heterodOx animals ant
that it is their especial duty to hounC
them out Of the country, with as mucl
asperity as if they carried French NOR
ais, and not merely French wool, upol
their backs. l '-
i have sustained the society, in m.
humble way, under a supposition tina
such organizations were intended 70
purposes Of improvement in stock and
had supposed that steps, having a direc
and manifest tendency to better the con
dition of the oountyi and to extend it
reputation for choice breeds, would nat
Iurally NEE. with encouragement at tn