The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-09-20
CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPROV-
ED AMERICAN MERINOS.


ED AMERICAN MERINOS.
The following description of the ideal
Merinos was prepared by VIM. q. Mark
ham, president of the New York Sheep
Breeders and Wool Growers Associa-
ton, and recently published under the
auspices of the National Association of
Wool Manufacturers:
"Our Merinos, as originally imported
from Spain, were bred for wool, and very
little attention was given to their meat
producing qualities. In improving them
wool has been kept the main object in
view, and mutton has been made an i'm
portant consideration in their value 1t
has been the aim of breeders to produce
| sheep yielding the greatest percentage of
profit in dollars and cents, rather than to
produce any specific quality of wool or
mutton. t
Seventy years of we'll directed efforts,
by highly intelligent breeders, has brought
out type of Merincs which may well be
regarded as the acme of their kind. These
sheep are large, symmetrical in form,
having robust constitutions, and thorough
ly covered with dense fleece.
''The essential qualifications which in
dictate constitution area compact, round
body; ribs well arched; roomy waist; back
of medium length, and straight from
shoulder to hips, sloping slightly to the
tail, which is cut about an inch from car
cass; broad across the loins; hips broad
and long, thick through the thighs, and
standing straight up and down behind;
the shoulder deep, rising slightly from the
back; bosom full, and projecting we'll for
ward; legs large, strong boned, straight,
of medium length, and standing wide
apart; head of medium size, broad, and
rather short; short, broad wrinkly nose,
thickly covered with short, silky, white
hairs. The ram should have large, broad,
well-curved horns; the eve, never. Neck
of eve, medium length under which is a
wide dewlap. The ram has short neck,
and we'll plated with heavy folds under
side and across the breast, extending in
slight corrugations over the neck. Fash
ion gives him we'll defined wrinkles back
| of fore legs, running well up the side
towards the back, folds at the bullock
uniting with the edges of the tail, giving
1t broad appearance; wrinkles on the
breech, extending across the thigh and
flank, giving him deep flank, the skin
deep purple, soft flexible, and loose over
the entire carcass, giving the sheep when
first shorn cranky appearance, but not
observable when in full fleece. The ram
in full fleece weighs about 100 lbs, and
| the eve about ~II5. --
''The fleece, particularly that of the eve,
should be uniform over the entire sheep,
as to length, quality and density. The wool,
standing at right angles to the outer sur
face, and so firmly set as to present an
even, compact surface, should be so filled
with free white or light buff, yolk as to
make up so or 65 per cent. of the entire
weight of the fleece. -...-..
"When the sheep are kept from storms
during the fall and winter, the yolk should
form a dark coating on the sarface of
fleece SO firm as to keep out dirt, hay
seed etc. -4
''The fleece should open freely to the
skin, in layers or blocks, presenting lus
trous fiber, about p inches long, having
a distinct crimp, uniform throughout its
entire length and sufficiently fine to enter
into the manufacture of cashmere, and
such choice wooden fabrics as are made in
our country, though usually not SO fine as
is required for the finest broadcloths.
"The rams fleece is about quarter of
an inch shorter than that of the eve; sta
pie not so fine, particularly on the wrin-
kles, often showing coarse hairs on the top
of the neck wrinkles BY many breeders
these are are considered Objectionable; by
others, an indication of stamina or mas
culinity, as the heavy beard of a man
would indicate more vitality than light,
fine whiskers. Very few of our most eel
ebrated stock rams of the past or present
have been entirely free from coarse hairs
on the neck. The rams fleece should
weigh 2S to 80 lbs; the ewes, 10 to Is
lbs. Many focks of ewes, and even rams,
are bred more wrinkly than | have de-
scribed; and are regarded as possessing
the desirable points in an exaggerated
form, with view of raising the low stan
dard more rapidly"