The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-02-29
The Proposed Herd Book.

MEssRs. EpIroRs For many years
Vermont has sustained an envisble repu.
tation for the breeding of fine wool or
merino sheep, Her soil and climate seem
peculiarly adapted to the development OF
both body and fleece, Her people, or
more especially those Of come three or
four counties, seem to have been the
chosen ones who have developed the fact
that public benefactors" exist in produ'
cling two pounds Of wool where only one
grew before" as well in producing this
needed and valuable staple as in produ-
cling grass.
Vermont was once FIRST and foremost
and ranked first as regarded horses. The
prestige which she once had in regard to
this has departed and there is scarcely a
state ia the Union but what surpasses her
or is her equal. AS regards sheep, we
as O people and state have not lost pres.
tige up to the present. But if read
the signs correctly, an effort is being
made, with some show Of success, to make
Vermont secondary in regard to the great
interest which she has fostered, and from
such small beginnings has brought people
from almost every habitable part Of the
earth to admire, to praise, to wonder and
to purchase.
Years ago. the Yankee sheep.peddler
with genuine pluck invaded the homes
and precincts of western men and found
purchasers. The business has hourished
In the main the purchaser has been The
gamer.
Sectional strifes have arisen in times
past in Vermont, in regard TO questions
of purity of blood and comparative val
ues of sheep springing from different i'm
portatons. These same things hav'
arisen 10 Ohio. A few men who in th
outsc. apparently wished to create al
"aristocracy of sheep blood" went t.
work and formed sort of Joint stool
company" with some six or seven men
each holding office. Read attentively tn
9TH section of the circular issued by tn
Ohio Association.
It'll. That, in cases of all sheep adjudged
possess 81 or upwards points in tho scale, tn
, members of the committee performing the duty
shall SO certify in writing, identifying the shee
and preparing the pedigree or statement in regar
to it for record and no sheep shall DO recorde
without such certificate
The thing. like "Jonah's Gourd,
sprang up in night.
Presently a gentleman, one OF the eA
ecutive committee Mr.. Hiatt, appears
asking Vermont breeders such as shall b
accepted ('and he has no doubt but whf
0 some will bo') to fully endorse the
!. views as set forth in their circular.
D Adopting scale Of points of 81 in
6 possible 100, with an Ohio jury, IN
, meekly asking Vermont meD to becou
j prisoners for them to try.
8 There was certain meekness abol
+. this man Hiatt in prosecuting his CLAIM
and the claims Of Ohio, which irankne
compels me to Say was worthy OF INIT
. ,ion by his successor Mr.. Kirkpatric
l. who, in managing difficult cases, al
D bringing the stubborn eleven jurymen
!. terms, has no equal, Gentlemen shee
Il, breeders, Ohio has built the foundatic
laid out the building and erected it;
few men have taken deed of the prem
r, SEES, and now they come forward and e
is Vermont to help finish tho building p
Il the taxes, bear the burdens, give over h
n prestige to the keeping of others, and v
,. tually acknowledge that the little che
republic which we once had and have
day is not seli.sustaining.
Gentlemen sheep.breeders, Edw
Hammond did not despair when Atwo
e died, but so long as he lived, went bold
At on with Excelsior" for motto, a
ID made for himself name and fame, a
ar made Vermont sheep famous. In t
r. centennial year let every breeder resol
ID to stop selling the best for the sake OF
D. little immediate profit reservlng tho
er for himself, exercising prudence and cs
N iion, and the prestige which VermC
'g once had shall again be hers, and even
ar increased. You will soon be called up
r. to coalesce with rival stats-one who
jealous of your honors. Show them Il
er Vermont has furnished them the ste
re to commence, and yet the bank is go'
d. and in her own good time, two hundi
ar reliable sheep breeders will CONNER
1t, the dance and invite all New Engla
H. and New York to join, and instead
to helping pay taxes en- others proper
'st we will all be joint owners in herd'bc
TO for American merinoes. i.