Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-09-17
9orted for the Rutland Herald |

am ambled together for a special OBJ
ject II" vol thought 1t an appropriate
occ, % myself to address you
on any . OF general topic, or class
of topics, disconnected with that object.
My theme will be-"rhe sheep Of Ver-
mont-their Origin, History, present and
future course of breeding
There may be, and presume there are
valuable specimens Of tnghsh sheep IN
this State of these have an extremely
high opinion, when they are in their APP
propriate place. have elsewhere, re-
Gently, very fully stated where conceive
that place to be, and | shall altogether
omit that topic on the present occasion,
and ali comparisons between these breeds
and the American Merino. The latter is,
by common consent, the wool growing
sheep Of our country and it was an as
ISOLATION of Wool-GroEerS | was invited
to address to-day.
The history of the first introduction of
the Spanish Merino into the United
States-.fi first, by VIM. Foster, of Boston
second, by Mr.. Delepert, who settled in
New York, and Dupont de Nemours, who
settled in Delaware third, by Seth
Adams of Ohio; fourth, by Robert R.
Livingston of New York fifth, by Col.
David Humphreys of Connecticut sixth,
by gentleman Of Philadelphia, (I
think it was Dir. "copper" who brought
out two pair Of black ones seventh, by
Mr.. Muller, who brought small lot from
Hesse Capel in 1907 and, finally, by
Hon. VIM. Jarvis, of your own State
has been made a matter of record.
Mr.. Jarvis importation was speedily
followed by multitude of others, made
mostly on speculation, and it is not neces-
sary to enumerate these.
Fosters sheep We're actually fattened
and eaten, or else eaten without fattening,
before they had propagated, by the person
to whom he presented them-givingl US a
vivid idea of the degree of appreciation
in which these sheep were held in our
country 70 years ago, for it was in 1893
the Merino first touched our shores. All
of Delepert and Duponts importation per-
ished on the passage except one ram. He
was used at Delepert's farm in Ulster Co.,
N. Y, for few years, and then taken to
Dupont's, near Wilmington, Delaware
He was the best ram among the early IN
portauons, shearing the then astonishing
amount of eight and half pounds of
brook-washed wool. He originated some
excellent grade focks, which were subse-
quently eagerly bought up by Chancellor
Livingston, and leading Merino breeders
about Philadelphia.
OF the subsequent history of Seth
Adams sheep, | never learned anything
in particular.
Mr.. Livingston and Mr.. Humphrey
bred their sheep with great comparative
success, but the best animal ever produced
by them, male or female, would not nor
pass muster in an average flock. Mr.
Livinginston's full blood ewes averaged
nearly three pounds and twelve ounces of
washed wool, each in 1904; in 1905,
three pounds and eight ounces each. In
1909, they yielded five pounds and two
ounces each of uaa0shed wool; in 1911,
five pounds and thirteen ounces and the
heaviest fleece among them, Unw0Shed,
was eight pounds and twelve ounces. In
1909, his imported ram, Rambouillet,
yielded nine pounds and six ounces his
imported ram, Clermont, the same; his
two favorite reserved young rams, six
pounds and seven ounces each, all I'M
washed. In 1910, the same two older
rams yielded nine pounds each, and IA
vorite yearling raised in this country,
eleven pounds, all unwashed wool.
Let me remark, gentlemen, in passing,
that wherever | give a definite fact of this
kind, in this address, | do it in all cases
on the authority Of records, the accuracy
and authenticity of which stand unchal-
lenged among reading and investigating
men. The proceeds of Chancellor Liv-
ingston's flock is stated on his own person
al authority
OF the produce of Col. Humphreys
flock | have been able to learn little, on
any excej the vague authority of tradi-
ton, and this | will not repeat, esteeming
it of no value. A ram of his, owned by
VIM. Buckley Of Philadelphia, yielded but
four pounds Of washed wool, but a letter
of his IN my possession, speaks with
some pride of ram Of his own breeding,
yielding seven pounds and five ounces of
crashed wool. From all can learn | in
fer that there was but little difference in
the Yield OF his and Mr.. Livingston's
fosks Mr.. Jarvis, in one of his pub
lished letters, says "From 1871 to 1926,
my average weight of wool was three
pounds and fourteen ounces to four pounds
and two ounces, varying according to
keep He adds: tsThe weight of the
bucks was from five and quarter to SIX
and half pounds, in good stock case, all
washed on the sleeps back" | infer
from the foregoing that the neeces of what
rams and wethers Mr.. Jarvis kept entered
into the above averages so we see that
the Merinos imported by the leading
breeders into this country, were all about
alike in regard to weight Of fleece, and
all inferior animals III that regard, COM
pared with the. sheep of the present day.
| am not willing to pass two words
which appear in these extracts, without
recording my protest against them. Ii it
is proper to call female sheep a doe, it is
proper to call ram buck, and not 9TH
erwise and as to the word sired, | am
ALWAYS reminded, when | hear it, of