The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-02-27

ssIsute, by Hon. Alexander
Hewitt, OF Allen.
Entertaining, as do. high regard
for the educational interests OF all
classes OF society, am especially graf
fled with any and all efforts that tend
to enlighten the practical farmer.
am glad to meet you at this time and
to be privileged with speaking for a
few minutes upon a subject OF consid.
erable Importance TO the farmers of
this locality, namely, "Sheep Husband
ry." Sheep have Justly held noted
place in the estimation Of shepherds and
flock masters in all ages OF the world;
but my purpose on this occasion is to
speak in relation to the kinds with
which we are msst familiar, and to
draw few inferences witk regard to
their origin and introduction into this
country; the treatment and care they
should receive at our hands; their
general usefulness; their value as com
pared with other stock, and the kinds
best adapted for the farmers OF this To-
cality.
Various breeds OF sheep must have
been brought to this country by our
ancestors in the settlement OF this con-
tinent, which have been promiscuous-
ly mixed together, and are now distin-
guished from the later importations OF
improved varieties as natives. These
sheep were usually kept in small Aocks,
requiring but little care except folding
them at night 10 protect them from the
ravages of wild beasts. Within the
last half-century, and more particular
ly within the last twenty-five years.
they have been more or less mixed
with others of purer blood, thereby
producing what are familiariy known
as grades. With these crosses the ma
tive sheep of the country have been
much improved in form and wool-pro-
ducing qualities, increasing their
heeces from an average weight OF two
and one half or three pounds to an
average OF five or six pounds.
II was from the wool OF these native
sheep that our grandmothers and moth
ers spun and wove the cloth for the fam
lily clothing. Many people OF the present
day can distinctly recollect the manner
in which this work was carried on.
The buzz of the spinning-wheel and
the clanking OF the old hand-loom have
made many lasting impressions.
From time immemorial sheep have
been bred in Spain, and from that
country have gone out originally the
different families OF fne-wools under
the names of Saxon, French and Span
ish merihos. Over a century ago quite
flock of mernoes were taken from
Spain into Saxony. They were regu-
larly housed and fed. and from contin-
ned pampering in the course Of time
became small in size, feeble in consti-
tuition and very tender, yielding only q
small quantity OF wool, but OF an un'
commonly high order. They we're in
troduced into the United States about
fifty years ago, and qHite number oi
flock masters took hold OF the business
Of raising these little, fine sheep, with
the expectation that they wonld be am
ply rewarded from the high price oi
their wool; but it was produced only
with too much labor and in quantities
. too small to render the business 10
munerative, especially when put il
, competition with woods from othe
: sheep OF an improved character ant
that produced aeeces nearly double il
weight and OF fair quality. The Sax
). ons gave way under these circum
stances, and are now pretty general,
discarded in this country. The Frencl
merinos also had their origin in Spail
. aud we're taken to France nearly hun
!, dred years ago, where they were bre,
!, by the French government with gren
y care. The original fieck was made "a
from some OF choicest sheep Of the dill
e ferent families of Spain: they wer
U very dissimilar nt first, bat 10y unitin
: their individual Il i,rcur.- and bein
!, bred for n speciaf pniiose for Ion
u period of time, neN funiiy OF meri
nos was PRODUCED aud distinguishe
}. as the French. They were importe
y into the United States by ID. Q. Collin
u OF Hartford, Conn, in 1910, and 500
. after by other distinguished gentle
men. Mr.. John ID. Patterson of Wes'
u field, n. Y, was a breeder OF thes
y sheep, and sold quite extensively {
Is farmers in this ahd other western states
;; A distinguishing characteristic OF thi
variety was their great size, yieldin
J, large heeces OF a fair quality whe
highly fed and otherwise given the yer
!; best OF care. Several gentlemen @
this county, among whom we're job
Keegle of Allen, u. B. Stilson OF Reaf
n ing, and l.. j. Thompson OF .Hillsdal
Q township, kept more or less OF thes
;. sheep, and exhibited some grand spe'
linens on their farms and nj our agr
~ cultural fairs; but these men were the
:. own shepherds, giving their hocks sue
~ treatment that they could not do othe
wise than well under their care, bt
when taken in charge by Others VII
=
y rapidly declined. They were not sun
CT ciently hardy 10 endure the cold weatl
er Of this climate under the limite
~ care usually given TO sheep by I'll
great mass Of farmers in this countr.
- consequently they are giving place
~ ~ other breeds Of fne-wooled sheel
III formerly known as the Spanish, b'
" now 10 this countrp rs the Americi
IN merinos.
se Early in the present century, M
y. from time to time more recently, shes
le have been introduced into the Unit,
As States from Spain, representing seve
al families under the names Of Infant
dos, Paulers, Silesians, etc. AS ear
ne as the year 1913 Stephen Atwood
SO Woodbury., Conn, commenced ho'
iP and bred them purely OF the Infanta.
ne division. He was succeeded by q
ed late Edwin Hammond Of Middlebur
IN VT, and several other gentlemen
that state. Under their supervisio
OF and espccislly that Of Mr.. Hammou
ms who had his mind a model OF what
~ wished to produce, and who work
hard aud long TO obtain it-breedil
invariably for the accomplishment
his purpose--succeedel in conyertil
the comparatively ligh.boned and Il