Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-04-21
sheep Hasban>lry.
mic sToRiRs OF THE VERMONT sHRRP AMI
SHEEP RAlsRRs. ~.

Under the above headings we find in
the Springfield Republican report of
remarks made by two vermonters, Mr.
Campbell and Mr.. Bridges, at the organ
fzation Of the New England Agricultu-
raj Society, which took place recently
at Worcester, Mass. and also an inter
esting letter written by Massachusetts
agriculturist descriptive of visit 10
Hiddlebury, Shelburn and Cornwall, for
sight at the celebrated Spanish Merino
sheep 7u
War and politics are the subjects OF
overshadowing Importance at this time,
and therefore mainly engross the col
umns of daily papers. But the next in
the scale of exciting subjects, in this
state at least, seems now TO be Spanish
Merinos We therefore eschew politics
for the day and make room for what the
Republican calls big stories about Yer
mont sheep and sheep raisers.'
The raising and keeping of sheep has
recently received a new impetus in this
country. The high price of cotton, the
intrinsic worth of wool, and the win.
ming of first premiums both on sheep
and wool at the worlds fair last year,
have contributed to this result. Yer
mont beats the world on sheep, and that
too in Belgium, the heart and center of
sheepdom, German experts themselves
being judges. Such an achievement is
something for Yankees to be proud OF,
and OF course to make a fortune with
Men who will go 1000 miles to cattle
show, and take stock with them, and
who have the audacity to compete with
crowned heads, are competent for any
thing within the range OF possibility
They are not only worth looking at at
home, but their common words are wor-
thy of mention. They put to shame
those living in the vicinity of fairs. who
cannot afford time to attend them, and
who never contribute to them. There
is that scattereth and yet increaseth,
g and there is that withholdeth more than
is meet, and it tendeth to poverty"
At the late organization OF the New
England agricultural society in Worces-
ter, two Vermonters, the commissioner
and exhibitor at the worlds fair in Bel
GUM, last year, were present as might
be expected, and one of them, George
Campbell, of Westminster, contributed
somewhat to the instruction OF those
present on his favorite subject of sheep.
Twelve Spanish merino sheep raised in
Vermont were exhibited at the interna-
tional exhibition at Hamburg, in July,
1863. They were bred by George Camp
bell the exhibitor above named, and
sired by his celebrated ram old Grimes, "
who was got by Sweepstakes, belong
ing to Edwin Hammond of Middlebury
Vt. Hence arises the rivalry and con-
,nection of these two leading shepherds.
Mr. Campbell commenced breeding in
1889, when he bought twenty sheep of a
Mr.. Blood of Putney, VT, of his Hum
phrey importation. Sheep were worth
less then than now, for the price paid
was $3.50 each, while these twelve prize
sheep lineal descendants of the above,
were sold to Prussian nobleman for
$1,000 The highest priced foreign meri-
nos sold at this exhibition brought 5000.
Mr.. Campbell found 1851 sheep from
Guernsey, France, Austria and Prussia
competing in the class with his own.-
The French emperor's sixty sheep were
on exhibition, but not in competition, as
has been sometimes stated There were
200 competitors with rams, and 1876 COM
petitors with ewes. The committee OF
award consisted Of eighteen noblemen
and gentlemen of the old world. Mr.
Campbells sheep were awarded the first
and second prizes, of fifty and twenty
Ave thalers, on rams, and the first prize
of fifty thalers on ewes. Our sheep ex-
fcelled theirs in form, length, breadth
style, quality and staple Of wool, some
25 per cent.
Mr.. Campbell keeps between 800 and
400 sheep on his Vermont farm, whose
average unwashed feeces weigh about
nine pounds. The feeces Of these select
ed premium sheep weighed some twelve
pounds. They were housed nearly a
year previous to the exhibition. Housed
sheep have finer whittier, better and long
er wool than those exposed to storms
Rams that weigh from 125 to 15C
pounds and ewes that weigh 100 pounds
are large enough to breed from. Short
and straight legged sheep, covered with
wool in every available place are the
nearest perfect. The best European sheer
are from Silesia, of Spanish descent
French merinos are large, descended from
the Spanish, but badly bred and fed fol
constitution. Wrinkles indicate consti
tutional strength, and are therefore fash
ionable, shear heavily and help to sell
but the finest wool grows on smooth
sheep The colder the climate the finel
the WOOL Mr.. Campbell shears about
the 10th of May, and by keeping his
sheep housed fortnight afterwards, nc
danger Of cold is apprehended. Sheer
sheared in May suffer less than thos,
sheared in June, besides yielding NOR
wool. Growth of wool is slow when i
becomes burden. There is rapit
growth when first sheared, and the earliel
in the season the more nature tries t.
make amends. Late sheared and unpro
tected sheep are often injured by sun
burns. Merino sheep breed probably
for ten or twelve years and once Mr.
Campbell owned eve that had lamb.
when twenty-one years old has seer
lambs five months old that weighed
100 pounds. Met man at the world
fair from Australia that had Al 900 sheer
and 1naanf tn Eppp 100 000