Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-05-07
Sheep Husbandry.

Previous to 1909 the sheep of this coun.
try were mostly descendants of the coarse
British breeds. The earliest importation of
merino sheep, in any considerable numbers,
was in 1909. Mr.. William Jarvis, consul
at Lisbon, Portugal, imported several hun
dred, and large numbers were imported by
Others The price of sheep at this time was
very high, and imported rams sold, in some
instances, as high as $1,000, and WOOL un-
washed, from one to two dollars per pound [;
but in 1915, such q revulsion had taken
place that merino sheep sold for 500. The
price Of wool did not rally for nine successive
years, and during this time nearly all the
merino Aocks had been broken up or adul.
terated. About 1924, new impetus was
given to the production Of fine wool, and the
Saxons were largely imported to the United
States. The tariff of 1928 led the people to
produce fine wool, regardless of every other
consideration, and nearly all hocks had been
crossed with Saxons. This was the condi-
tion until about 1910. A few focks had
been kept pure, except the different families
of Spanish merino, which had been mixed or
crossed, so that from the best authorities, no
particular family had been kept; and the re-
semblance was such that consul Jarvis says
that he considered it of no Importance
About 1910, the subject attracted more at
tention, and the heavy heeces became Of inn
portance. The hocks that had been kept
pure were part of consul Jarvis, Stephen
Atwoods, of Connecticut, and Jacob N.
Blakeslee's, of Connecticut; these were from
the importation of Col. Humphrey. The
flock of Judge Charles Rich, of Shoreham,
VT, which he purchased of DR.. Andrew
Coch, of Flushing, l.. l., in the year 1928 !;
also flock owned by Friend Williams, of
Hanover, N H.; these sheep were from the
importation of consul Jarvis, and consigned
to TichnOr, Parsons, Gorham & Derby, Of
Boston, Mass; from these hocks the eastern
part of Vermont had been largely supplied.
Among the pioneers in this Improvement
previous to 1S40 were Messrs, Perkins,
Clahin, Grant, of Lyme, and Dewey, of Han
over, N. H., aud in Vermont, Hon. Nathan
Gushing, of Woodstock, who purchased his
sheep OF Mr.. Blakeslee, of Connecticut, and
proved himself master breeder, having
brought the average to ten pouuds,-un-
washed; his flock of about four hundred
sheep shearing in 1870 four thousand pounds.
Among others in the western part of the
state were David and German Cutting; -
Stickney, A. L. and Merrill Bingham, Of
Cornwall
About 1874, Hon. Edwin Hammond, Of
Middlebury, and Hon. w. II. Sanford, pur-
chased of Stephen Atwood of Connecticut,
and addad othara to th;a p,,rohoea in 1QlE
and 46, and they soon became great lights,
all others became dim, only as they reflected
from them.
Thus far have followed the merino sheep
from its importation. In 1910, the sheep,
natives, or graded by Saxon, were thin
fleeced, and very open wool, not loaded with
oil or yolk. Fleeces would only average
from two and one.half to three pounds, and
in l845, only one flock in Washington coun-
ty, of my acquaintance, reached the enor-
nous weight of three pounds and nine ounces.
Flocks had been benefited very little by
purchasing rams Of one Crowningshield, who
was in this vicinity a short time with flock
of sheep, which suppose were merino; but
| know nothing of their pedigree; l never
knew whence they came or whittier they
went.
But considerable attention has been given
to sheep huSbandry since 1910 in this state,
aud the result has been that we have raised
the weight or average of aoeceS from two
and one-half or three pounds to FIVE or six
pounds, and in some instances to eight or ten
pounds.
This can only be reached by judiciOus
breeding. An accident, or accidental cross,
may improve our Aocks wonderfully, but it
is only by constant care and watchiulness
that we can make any progress.
prefer the fine wool because, first, we
can keep larger hocks second, the average
price of 6ne wool is higher; third, We shear
more surface on fine than coarse wool for the
keeping we expend. would recommend