Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-09-03
AGRICULTCRAL MATTERS.
By our Agricultural Editor.
Vermont rcrIuO sheep.

AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
By our Agricultural Editor
Vermont ncrInO sheep.
All are ready to DO the prosperous man honor,
to lend the helping hand and to cheer him on
to still more noble daring but when diversity
oyertakes him there is none 50 mean as TO re-
member having known him before, and all are
ready to kick him down lower. This LIS been,
and is, the history Of the Vermont Merno
sheen. But those who are determined to kick
them out Of existence, and who 50 loudly pro
phesy their utter extinction SHOULD READ up
their history. History repeats itself periodical
" and the history Of the Merino Sheep for a
thousand years, Ike that Of nations, Is one q
steaiy progress. though not without periodical
season. Of darkness and depression. That it
~. an established breed and commanded enor-
nous prices even as long ago as The first CEN
turv Of the Christian era, We have evidence in
well authenticated accounts Of sales as high as
$50 for single sheep By what combination
Of Circumstances they became established in
Spain alone Of all European countries, We need
not AZ this time wait TO inquire, bat that such
had become substantially the case some two and
half or three centuries ago is well es-
tablishei historical fact.
The first well authenticated account Of their
expectation thence was to Sweden in 1928. The
first importation into the United States which re-
suited 10 the establishing Of adistinct hock was in
1902 Consul Jarvis first importation was in 'o3.
There had been some few individuals Of the
breed imported before, but they were not kept
distinct and their identity was soon lost in the
common focks Of the country, though there Is
evidence Of much improvement in those focks
upon which they were crossed.
There have been many later imporiations, but
the best focks in the country have been bred up
from these. George Campbelrs animals with
which he won the first pr.ze at the Hamburg eL-
hibitioE in competition with the whole world,
were bred from the desceniants Of both these
importations; while those Of Edwin Hammond,
Col T. 5. Stowell and other breeders Of good
replte, have mostly been bred with scrupulous
care from the Humphrey importation alone.
Not every man can become a successful
breeder indeed. among all the breeders In
all departments but few have been eminen 'y
successful. The man who would succeed as a
breeder must start out with the determination
to make that the business Of his life. His must
be a broad, clear, analytic comprehension. The
faculty Of tracing cause and effect must be bis
beyond that youchsafed to most men. The
most scrupulous integrity in all the details Of
his dealings With himself, his aooks, and his fel-
low men must characterize the successful breed
er- 1t is not enough for him to study his own
animals, or the breed OF species to which they
belong, but he extends bis invest cations 20 the
entire race and class, earthly noting al the
anaogies. Such a man Ices lot begin in his
experiments on any ordinary stock. lie pro
cures the best ia his reach. AMI he Is rluejil1us
in studying the merits and 'emerits q the -vs-
sem pursued by bis predecessor in bringing the
animals up to the present condition, ,hat he
may improve upon the former and avoid the
latter. And even then he must be content to
wait and hope and WORK on perseyerincly to the
attainment of the end which be has IN view. \
thousand INSCRIPTIONS superficial imitstors
who do not know, or care TO know, the means
by which the honorable end he has attained to
are won, stand ready to impose their sham sub
stitutes upon a credulous public, and thus rob
him not only of the just reward for his labors,
but Of his fair name among men. The number
Of those who are entitled to rank as first class
breeders of pure Merino sheep may be counted
upon ones fingers, while of the latter class
there are thousands.
The very unusual demand for wooden goods
during the late war, and the unnatural condi-
ton of the currency Of the country stimulated
speculation and production beyond any possible
peace basis. and reaction was a necessary con-
sequence. No rational man could have ex-
pected any Other result, yet thousands were
strsining every nerve to get deeper in, till the
very last day before the crash came. Of course
after such a smash up some time viii be required
to clear up the wreck, gather up the debris,
and get well under way again but that there
Is still glorious future for the sheep breeders
and wool growers Of Vermont we cannot doubt.
The discontinued viii Of course make some sac
rifces. We always expect to see them 60 into
dairying when COWS are highest, and into wool
growing when sheep are .iChest, but the men Of
cool sense will quickly bide their time and come
out all right in the end To wait patiently is
as much a duty as to work perseveringly.
We propose to consider briefly the objections
generally raised to the pure Vermont Merino
Sheep.
Objection lst They have been bred with
reference to the production Of grease - This
is very superficial view of the subject, and the
foundation Of a great part Of the deception prac-
tioed upon the people by the INSCRIPTIONS ven
ders Of mGHvfaoture3 instead Of bred Merino
sheep. The fact Is, that no breeder Of Merino
sheep who has or cares 70 have a reputation As
such, has ever bred with direct reference to the
production Of grease, yolk, or gum. On the
ether hand, with him, the object sought Is the
largest possible amount Of strictly first grade
TOOL wool which IS fitted for the cards But
as the wool is possessed Of telling properties, it
is also provided with natural lubricator in the
offensive yolk. 1t Is as impossible TO produce
the quality Of wool grown on the improved
Vermont Merino sheep without the yolk as to
grow chestnuts on an apple tree. The action
4 the weather and the motion Of the sheep
would without the lubricator produce felted
blanket strong enough for horse blanket in
stead Of fleece Of wool. and the thicker and
closer the growth Of wool the greater the need
f the lubricatcr.
Objection q. The wool cleanses away to
nothing" The amount Of ceansed wool is
no greater than that Of the low grade sheep Of
he country We 10 not propose to answer
this objection by argument, but rather to submit
9 he following certificate Of the Hamilton Manu-
featuring Company Of Lowell. Massachusetts.
II should be borne in mind that this wool i
oleansed for the cards ard is not the brook-washed
wool Of our farmers. 1t will be observed tina:
the product Of eleansed wool ranges from four
pounds ard six ounces to eight pounds one and
half ounces
Wool growers need not be reminded thst this
Is long way in advance Of what they bave
heretofore been able to produce from their best
Hocks. The numbers ! to refer to sorts Of
wool into which each fleece is divided.
Memoranda Of shrinksge &c, Of six ff)
heeces Of wool from the fock Of Col. f s Stow
ell If Cornwall, Vt.
No. l. Broken Leg years old-Aeece "a his
Before Securing Clean
No. l. lbs 0 or Obs -