The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-18
From the Vermont Stock Journal
Introduction of Merino Sheep into
Addison County.

Forty-nine years ago the Merino was
first introduced into Connecticut. Col.
Humphrey, and Mr.. Taintor Gather of j.
A. Taintor, ESQ.,, of Hartford, widely
known as successful importer Of choice
sheep,) were concerned in the importa-
ton of seven Merino Sheep in 1S08.-
Their first importation was from the Es-
curial or government flock. Afterwards
they bought cargo at Boston and anoth-
er at New London. The Boston car
go contained many Paulars. The New
London cargo was composed of Nigret-
tits and Infantados but in what proper
tions we cannot determine. The first
Merino Sheep brought into Addison Coun-
ty were from these importatons. They
were hardy, rugged sheep, very woolly
about the head and legs, the latter large
but short, the body round and plump, the
wool very compact, dark and oily.
The Hon. Horatio Seymour, Daniel
Chapman and Col. w. B. Sumner, were
among the first to encourage the new
comers.
They contrasted singularly with the
MClC uOsllucu W SupDldnl.--
The sheep of the country in that day had
long, open, and very white wool. They
were larger in size than the Merinos, with
longer legs, without wool on the face or
limbs.
The prices paid were high for those
times.
The Merinos increased rapidly. They
ctnnJ ho rch ,o,.lyo b1t- x,,a11
and that without much extra food There
were but few full blooded ewes brought
into the county. But through the bucks
the native stock was rapidly bred up to-
wards the full blood.
Before the introduction of the fine wool
cd but delicate Saxon in 1924, the old or
native variety had disappeared and great
many very excellent focks existed in the
county. The Saxons it was soon found
brought a light fleece, were tender, and
subject to diseases before unknown to us.
Foot rot and the scab made their appear
ance, and in our ignorance destroyed many
fine Aocks, and before we were made wise
by experience, had penetrated deeply into
the Merino blood.
We soon learned that the diseases so
difficult to manage at first, were quickly
conquered when skill was united with care
and attention.
1t was evident we must go back, or at
least that there was improvement in going
that way, and our spirited breeders made
every effort to retrieve what we had lost.
The best and purest ilocks were searched
for in this and other States, and the
choicest animals were sought after, with
view to improvement.
The difficulty was to find the old fash.
ioned heavy feeced Nlerinos An emf.
nent breeder and importer writes US, that
in 1882 he sold out all his sheep, mostly
Saxony, with view to go back to the
Merino. But he says the pure Merino
was not to be found. He says: " In 1882
searched the country over to find " somo
old fashioned Merinos. | examined Yer.
mont on both sides of the mountain, and
made up a small flock of pretty good
sheep, but not as good as could have been
found ten years before. Very few had
the dark greasy feeces of former times"
Bear in mind that this was in 1882
when we first began to look out for the old
Merno stock. Stimulated as were, by
eminent Connecticut breeders, who had
gone more into Saxony than we had,
and who began to hunt Merinos in Ver-
mont. From 1882 to 1916 we made great
progress tor,oard by going blackboard,
and we recovered much of what we had
lost.
In 1886 John A. Taintor, Esq. of
Hartford, imported twenty.four ewes and
two rams of the French Merinos, as they
are commonly called.
Ifagreeablo we>will hereafter speak of
them. Il.