The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-06-08

YOU can gness nov of my interest to
see the kids. / almost neglected other
things to take care of those two ewes.
The time expired as thought, and NO
kids. but as could see that they were
well and hearty, | awaited patiently,
and one soft morning found two new
arrivals. The climax had come. The
little fellows were as liveIy as kit
tens, but, O heavens. what were
they2 They were not lambs; thes
were not goats. Well 10 tell the plain
unvsrnished truth, they were another
cross. 1t was now between my Al
derneys and the already hybrids-and
twins, too. After few days the other
came in, and the same freak of nature
had occurred, and this time there were
three heifers and one male calf, kid or
lamb-they had now gone so far that |
dare not say which. Ny other two
came in all right, with twins apiece,
the same.as the first. | don't pretend
to explain the reasons of the crosses,
only this much: The first crosses were
third larger than sheep or goat,
which are both nearly twice as large as
small sheep. | determined to test the
matter, to see whether it was a freak
or in the order of things that they took
my bull.
So shut up, at the proper time. the
two first crosses with my ball, and the |
result was they are now carrying their
young. A singular popularity OF the
last cross is that they still have the
long fine hair of the cashmere goat,
softened down some what by the cross
with the mountain sheep. Also the
hind quarters and general shape lex
cept the horns of the Alderney, even
to the udder and spread Of hips, and
their teats are now, atyearlings, larger
than some Of my Mexican cows teats.
The horns. however, retain the peculi-
arity of the mountain sheep, being
curved and tremendously large. ]
clip the older crosses, and shall do so
with the last as soon as they are old
enough. The wool is much softer than
the original goats wool; the length is
quite as great l think have got an
animal now nearly as large as the ordi
nary Alderney. which preserves the
milk giving qualities of the Alderney;
also combines the woderful fleece of
the lshmere goat, increased in size,
and undoubtedly bettered by the hard
ihood of our native mountain sheep.
These sheep are said to be the cham
oise of Amer lea, and are said to be
equal 10 flavor to those of our South
ern climates. They are celebrated for
this here with ali our hunters and
1 will if | obtain, which
| think have, the milking qualities ot
the Aldernery, give the matter to some
man and let him explain, if {
he can, why the cross has not been
made heretofore, or by what system
Of circumstances have been able to s
obtain it. ! certainly staggered on it.
Taking Tito consideration the fact that
they bear twins each year, it seems to
me that 10y little judicious manage
ment they can be increased sufficient !
lv to be sent all over the United States.
But | don't think the popularity of
Of the mountain sheep would thrive
unless in a very high altitude-ours
being $500 feet above the sea-and it
improves the goat. | would [
ike, if had assurances of good treat !
nent, to place pair of the last cross {
n one of the city parks, for a season,
% see if they would acclima.ize. /
will send you some of the wool. lam t
an expedition now to go -,
nto the mountains and capture noun a
ain sheep this spring: there are large b
of them near my place.
Respectfully,
c. II. SToRKsToMER.