The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-10
rOft in Sheep.

W. have said that the larger breed Of
sheep cannot be profitable III the Cotton
States. This remark Is general, aud
NAV no agree with the experience OF
some few wooLcrowers. but We mean TO
say that i man who succeeds with the
larger breeds. will succeed much better
with the smaller and more hardy sheep.
This IS a principle that we do not bell
eve can be ~controverted, that, IN our
latitude aud climate, no large breed OF
animals can be grown az economically
as successful j.. and az probably "a a
smaller breed OF the same animal. For
this reason we prefer the AYRSHIRE to
the Durham cattle. the Essex TO the
Poland-China hog, the Racer to the
percheron horse. the Game-cuck TO the
Shanghai. and the Nerino 10 the Co.'s
void sheep.
We need not 90 intoa history Of the
Merino further than 10 say 1t originally
came from Spain about the beginning ot
the present century, and SO much has 1t
been improved by careful handling,
good pastures. better climate and regu-
lar markets, that to-day the American
Nerino Is far ahead in many respects of
either the French. Saxon or Spanish
Merinos. At various times IN he his
tory OF these sheep Merino rams have
ranged in price from SO toSl 900 each.
They have been improved IN carcass and
in fleece. and are a different looking
sheep from the original. Vermont was
the first State 10 take hold of aud I'M
prove the imported Mer:no. New York
next handled it with the greatest care,
then portions Of Pennsylvania ma, e It a
speciality, aud Ohio succeeded III grow
ing so successfully that probably to-day
as fine Merino sheep can be bought. and
as reasonably, in Ohio as can be had IN
the world. From these States single
backs, occasionally a few lambs. and
now and then a small flock of choice
ewes have been brought to each and all
of the Southern States. aud thousands
have been carried to Texas ana some
into Mexico.
At various times in the history OF
these sheep there has been an unusual
demand for long wool and snort wool,
coarse wool and fine wool, and singular
Il enough the Merino has been able TO
these various demands more sue
c~essfully than any other sheep. and this
was one cause of It's popularity. When
Irst imported the Spanish Merino eve
clipped owe four pounds Of wool
nd the buck about twice as much. The
and gradual since their impor-
%ations, until throughout the North
locks of ewes have shared an average of
eight and ten pounds OF washed wool,
Ind rams from four to SIX pounds more
Zach. We saw in Vermont four years
a ram that had exchanged hands at
Il 600. and the second wne hadrefus-
Il the same amount from a third party.
his ram yielded a fleece that season
unwashed, we think OF ~thirty-two .
pounds, and had sired ten buck lambs E.
hat sold Tor an average # so each at j
-eening time. !
The Merino is a scrawny looking ami :
lal at best. and IS cat-hamed until four :
+ five years old, but be is nimble and
arty, industrious to a fault. and with
IS thick, silky fleece, SO cieasy that |
nor cold can pcne,ra,e but partially q
ill work more ener2eticdilv for an hon =
t living chan any animal that lives.
or Is he by any means choice in his e
ct. but nips almost anl taingo of a green d
,i0r that comes III his way. Of course tc
,ch an animal must be an economical a.
&c. But III grass growing countries Y
icy do not have 20 labor 10 get their al
od, and hence suffer oy transportation CT
DHtlNard. FOr this reason we would VI
wise farmers who propose to invest lii y
.eep 20 buy tneIr rams from eXperien- a
q Wool grower in the South who has 81
IlatiIcd his sheep. rather tban Il at 70
a Mo-. n and htIaa = fine animal from, r..
green 10 our hot country to e.
fol- a living, and 20 perform ex- in
ctcd duty besides-D. ". Aiken, III III
ID lesion News 4 Courier. ~,
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