The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-08-30
Letter from Judge Elliott.
On Pennsylvania and Vermont Sheep,
and Wool Groicing in Ohio

On Pennsylvania and Vermont Sheep
and Wool Gro1cing in Ohio.
For the last twelve or fourteen
years, l have kept from 500 to 800
sheep. They were of family known
here as the Pennsylvania Merinoa.
They yield from / IA to 3 IA lbs.
Of fine wool per head.
In the month of January last, my
attention was called to an examination
of the comparative merits of my own
flock, and a flock Of Spanish, and
half French and Spanish, and full
French ewes and bucks, brought here
| by Mr.. Il. J. JONES, of Addison Co..
Vermont. The appearance Of the
sheep pleased me from the first. The
only question was, whether they were
intrinsically worth the prices asked,
for wool growing purposes. From the
premises laid down by Mr.. j., that
100 of his sheep would shear yearly
500 lbs. Of washed wool, l at once
saw that after deducting Sl,25 as
the cost of keeping year, there re-
NAMED in my pocket the interest men.
ey Of some $50 per hcad-while the
Pennsylvania merinos, on an aver
age, would not pay the owner but a
fraction (if anything at alD over the
cost of keeping. My attention was
also called to their capabilities Of en-
during the seyvcrities Of the climate.
l observed that in cold, bleak wealth
er, when the Pennsylvania sheep were
shiyoring, and their feet drawn into
the circumferenc of a dinner plate,
the Vermont sheep stood up bold and
square, and chewed their cuds, and
seemed to say to the horth~westers.
Blow on and do your worst !; / am
quite well protected against your as
saults. have a heavy and warm
coat that wraps quite around ma
nice muifler around my neck and chin
"A WOODEN cap upon my head-a
cowl upon my shouldcrs-a veil with
eyclcts over my face, and my leggings
descend from my hips down to my
wcll-shoed feet. can smile at the
waiings Of the tempest"
The build and formation Of the
sheep also pleased me. Instead of
long legs, goose nccks and roach
backs, with narrow chests and thin
ears, the very reverse Of all this is
true Of this family of sheep. In ap-
pearance they denote, and l think pos
soss, hardness Of constitution quite
superior to any other variety of sheep
with which l am acquainted, The
quality of the wool is good-fne c.
nough for all ordinary purposcs-aud
enters largely into those fabrics call
ed for by the masses, and actually
preferred by four-Gfths Of the consul
mcrs.
1t is bat justice to myself to state,
that for some years, have been
zealously and conscientiously enlisted
in favor Of the Pennsylvania Merinos.
and have done something to give them
name and place in my own county.
Hence, prejudces and long cherished
opinions had to be overcome before
submitting to that change, which my
conyic tons and Judgment promtcd
Inc to ADOPT. 1t was stated by Mr.
Jones that il ten ewes were bred for
ten years, they would increase to up.
wards Of four hundred, and would
yield their proprietor (with common
prosperity over 1000 ieeces Of wool;
and if each fleece brought 81 extra
money, it would give him rising of
S7OO, after paying the cost aud inte
rest on the sum during the whole time.
This statement, as any one can see,
is correct, and worthy tho attention
Of ali growers Of light fecces. If this
large gain is made on ten and their
increase, any school-boy can tell the
gain on ten or twenty times tina, nun.
ber-quitc enough to buy one of the
model farms of this country.
In short, | came to the conclusion
to purchase and give trial to this fam
ily of sheep. l accordingly purchased
200 Spanish and half French and
Spanish cwes-also eight full French
ewes and FIVE bucks. My Spanish
and French and Spanish ewes nearly
all had lambs, and although shorn
some two weeks and ovor short of a
years growth, they have averaged of
clean washed wool 5 lbs. per head,
thus coming up to the representations,
and fully meeting my expectations in
the case. My eight French ewes
have ten fine lambs by their sides, and
gave yield Of 10 lbs. 3 OF. per head E,
Of unwashed wool-also meeting my
expectations. All Of these sheep prove
to DO good nurses and bring up their
lambs finely. Many of my lambs are
very fine Wool Gro,eer.
How TO GET THE REAL FLAVOR OF
CoFFEE.-In Knighton's Forest Life
in CovIon - ora tho f,llo,,.;,o l:..,