The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-03-02

ooSShS VI uou upon u. {E fttJtt-8 .ie
Mrs. Crowder never recovered the custom
.er she had lost. iie ss,.t hsgsaE II
L - Vermont sheep. E .as
The following letter will be interesting
we think 10 or readers. 1t is not to be
wondered at that our farmers are slightly
excited on the subject Of sheep when they
are bringing the fabulous prices here in
,dicated.
70 the Editor Of the New York Tribune.
-s SR: There is a wide and growing inter-
est in reference to our American focks. 1t
prompts me to write note, while on nv
annual pilgrimage Of more than a thousand
miles to visit the home Of my childhood, and
those famed fiocks by the mountains.
- Vermont is the paradise of mer:n,s, and
Edwin Hammond Of this town is the shep-
herd-king-a title as unquestionable as his
of the crook, who, in defence Of the flock,
slew the lion and the bear. He is the mod.
ern Jason 10 search Of the golden fleece. but
his name may never be classical, since his
expedi ton, | am told, had only the novelty
of alumber- wagon Journey to Connecticut.
though proving one of the most successful
trips on record, considering that It was made
by an humble farmer, that it dates back but
twenty years. and that the spoil was not
more than score of Royal Inf,ntado Merl-
noes. They were Of the Humphrey and
Atwood Spanish stock, but are now fitly
called the Am .rican Merino. That name to-
| day means superior throughout the world
The stock was as good as the best from i'm
ported Royal Spanish flocks, and BY skillful
herding has become the best in the world
on the testimony of the committee at the
Worlds Fair held in Hamburg last year
where the Merlnos of Vermont contended
with $50 entries, and bore off the first pre-.
MUM for length Of staple and weight OF
fleece.
Mr.. Canbell owned and bred these sheep,
which he accompanied with great risk and
expense, to the Old wuid.. 1t was tri.
umph In which the fiockmasters of the Ma.
,ion take pride. The twelve sheep on ex.
hibition by Mr.. Canpbelle, were sold for
five thousand dollars But this is modern
sum compared to the almost fabulous prices
at which Mr.. Hammond is now selling
sheep. His flock is less than 800 head, and,
without diminishing the number, sold to
the amount of $50 Q,Oos in 1864. fa' aA p,
On the irst leaf Of the Report OF the Com.
missioner Of Agriculture for 1868, you will
.fipd picture of "Gold Drop" three yea,
old Ram, which this season as stock sheep
has earned his owner thousands OF dollars
and which $4,000 would not bny. There
are ewes which command 5000 each, and
the following are some of the actual sales OF
Vermont sheep as find them reported in
the Aidd1ebury Register: = ' I
i SHEEP SALES - William L. Archer, S. S.
Campbell 4 s. ". Cowan of Cross Greek
Village, Washington Co., Pa. bought of E.
Hammond 4 Son their Ram Lamb Fortune,
for $1,000. s. s. Campbelle also bought 9
year old ewes for $4,000. Sold also to Sam.
uel Archer Of Holidays Cove, West Va, 10
ewes for $4,000. Mr.. Archerals bought Of
II. W. Hammond one eve for 81 90. H. w.
Hammond sold to $. NJ Cowan eyes fol
$4,000. Eighteen sheep for Sls, 400. Mr..
s. G. Holyoke of ST. Adams sold to Sanue
Archer the 9 first choice of his yearling
ewes aad one two year old for$AIOOsS g
Rockwell recently sold to sheep dealer 81
one and two year old ewes, selected by him
self from his aock, for 8 roo. Mr.. Bingham
purchased from Mr.. Spngue,: of Brandon 1
rams and ten yearling ewes for 50, 500. Is
Five, thousand dollars for lamb 4 T,
most minds this smacks Of humbug on tn,
! one hand and lunacy on'the other. Let u.
see what this purchase may be based on
and what may be its results. Il Is the first
in value of flock Of hundreds, bred by tn,
first breeder Of the first stock in the world
\ The sire has the golden fleece; Sweepstakes
the grandsire, is model in form and clip
I27 lbs Of wool. -.v-,es8 n
a a
j Regarding results; every political esono
mist joins with the fcckmaster in the hop
that ~ish pride and profit erc long we ma,
cease to import wool and cloth to the valu
of hundred millions annually, and eithe
export ike amount, leaving them unoccu-
pied in our country more good, cheap an
virgin lands than are to be found elsewher
on the globe & . - Eahe 1.sgsl
q What must be the methods. First "
must add to the weight Of the leeces. tn
} fiocks Of the United States average to Il
head about three pounds of wool. Goo
breeding proves that they may clip -si
lpounds.as well as three, and cost as lit
} for keeping. Haa7s = - =" /"
We. are now ready to test the sanity
} those who pay thousands for . good stos
! shseps TIE flrst crsss will, with haH
) lthsse tlfths blood. odd at ieast one poudda7
~ Z" sa .s~Ils