The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-06-08

The following, written to Mr.. Jones
forty-seven years since by the most ex-
tensive importer and breeder of Merino
sheep In his day, Consul Jarvis, con-
tains some points of interest to those
who nre now looking up the history of
Merino sheep, their importation into
this country, etc. Mr.. Jones has kind
ly loaned US the letter for publication.
WEATHERsrIELp, W., Dec. 80, 1916.
RoLLN j. JONES, Esq:
Dear Sir-In answer to your letter
of the 18th, l state that the laws of
Spain have always forbidden the expor-
fation Of Merino sheep, under very So
we're penalties, but by special favor the
crown has occasionally granted licenses
to some favored European potentate for
the expectation of few, and during
the French invasion the laws generally
became so much relaxed that there was
very little difficulty, with proper man.
agement, of getting them out, and when
the Supreme Junta sold the two confis-
Gated flocka, it was upon the express
condition that they should grant licen-
ses Tor their expectation out of Spain.
| suppose the old laws of the Mesta
(Which was the technical name for the
code of laws touching the regulation Of
Nerino Sheep are now, doubtless, still
in force. TO be sure, this is shutting
the stable door after the steed is stolen,
but it is SO consonnnt to Spanish policy
that have 10 question that such is the
fact. But rs that country has been con-
fapafsr,, M. rtx-H
from 1908 down to the present time, it
would be contrary to all human expert
ence to suppose that any law could be
very rigidly enforced in such an unset
tied state of society. / am, therefore,
of opinion that Merino sheep might cas-
lily be got out Of Spain by using some
address and by skillful application OF
means. When l was in Europe, the
ordinary price of the Trashumantes
Merino in Spain was eight dollars for an
eve and sixteen dollars for buck, and
for the two hundred Escurial which l
purchased several months before the
sale by the Junta gave seven dollars
per head, receiving three ewes to one
buck, that is, one hundred and fifty
ewes and fifty bucks. The means / en-
ployed to get them was, by obtaining
some strong letters of recommendation
to Don Juan Desoler, of Badajos, whose
sister had married the Judge Of the Me-
Ia, whose office gave him the judicial
jurisdiction of all the laws applicable to
the Trashumantcs Merino. / RENTED
bill of exchange on Madrid to Don
Juan to pay for them, and as favor to
Don Juan the Judge allowed him to
purchase them. It is probable that the
Judge was not very inqulsitive to know
what Don Juan was to do with them,
and equally probable that Don Juan
was not very communicative on this
head; but be this as 1t may, the two
hundred sheep were delivered to an in
telligent Portuguese whom l sent for
them, with directions as TO the best
route to get them safely across the
boundary line between the two king
doms, and they were all safely deliver
cd to me at Lisbon. From Badajos to
Lisbon Is about one hundred and twen-
ty miles, and the expense Of their drift
to Lisbon, including the shepherd, was
about fifty dollars. The boards and slit
work, or scantling, for making the pens
in the between decks Of the ship, and
the hay and barley for their food, with
some potatoes or turnips, If TO be had,
and the water casks and expense of FILL
Ing, all together amounted to seven dol
lars per head, and the freight to the
ship, six dollars per head, with gratu-
ity Of fifty cents per head to the cap
tain and twenty-five to the mate, so that
the sum total Of the expense for trans
portation was thirteen dollars seventy
i've cents per head. If the sheep were
healthy when put on board and proper
care were taken of them on their pas
sage, not more than ten per cent. would
die. / lost twenty-five per cent. in one
vessel only, but General Haskell Derby,
Of Salem, lost fifty per cent. of q cargo
which he brought out. Lisbon Is the
nearest port 10 the southern part of
Spanish Estramadura, and that and st.
Ubes are decidedly the two best ports
to drive them to for shipment, those
ports being only thirteen miles apart.
If O person were sent out to obtain them
his expenses out there and back would
probably be five hundred dollars, which
must be added 10 the purchase money,
shipping expenses and freight. l think
that twenty-five dollars per head would
be as little as could be fairly calculated
On for all delivered in this country.
Should you want more minute and de.
tailed information, will cheerfnlly af-
ford II TO you.
Respectfully,