Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-04-07
lFrom the American Agriculturist for April l.
American Merino Sheep.

iiiOol HdtIOlS lIOil TIC carly HiSlOr'
ical times. Each country has hat
its peculiar breeds marked by CHAR
acters, due in great degree to the
modifying influences of climate, ant
in part to a rude selection. Ii
some cases these breeds have reach
ed high degree of development,
while in other countries the hocks
have shown no Improvement fol
centuries. This country, young as
it is. has made its contribution tc
the list of useful breeds in the
1merican Merino Our climate
and pastures have better satisfied
the wants of this fine wool bearing
animal than those Gifts native coun-
try, and now the American Merino
stands at the head of the fine-wool
sheep of the world, This breed
would seem to have reached that
point in its development where it
appears of but little use to try to
further improve it. The first i'm
portations Of Merino sheep into this
country were made early in the
present century and consisted Of
very choice animals from the best
families of Spain. The most ex-
tensive ;mportations were those OF
Hon. Vim. Jarvis, the American
Consul at Lisbon, in 1909 and 1910,
who sent over nearly 1000 head.
From these Spanish sheep as a ba-
sis, and by means of careful cross
ing, breeding, and selecting from
several distinct hocks, the present
lIerino has been produced, and is
now so unlike other Merinos as to
take rank as a distinct breed with
the prefix American
The sheep industry in the Uni
ted States is vast and important,
and in the consideration OF which
there are two partially distinct, and
at the same time, interlocking inter-
csts. Sheep were in early times
grown almost solely for their wool,
md with the annual shearing came
the years income but in later
times, and never so prominently as
now, the carcass is looked upon fs
an important item in sheep husban-
dry, Mutton as a cheap and accep-
table meat has of late grown great.
ly in popularity, and mutton now
stands as one of the two important
factors in the successful raising 0.
sheep. In view of the fact thai
Merino is essentially a wool-produc.
ling breed, with a fleece of the fin.
est and best quality, it is evident
that the purc-blood Merino, though
it may supply our manufactures
with the material for the finest o.
wooden goods, on the other hand i
can not satisfy the butcher. The
sheep having TO both feed and clothC
its keeper; it is an important ques
ton: What is the best breed o
sheep to do this Evidently no
the pure-blood Merino. Thougl
the growing ofpure-blooded Meri
nos has its place, and an important
one, and the demand for their WOO
indicates the prosperity of manu-
laclure of the best goods, it is ii
the crossing of them with Other
breeds in which the flesh produc-
ing quantities predominant, that
sheep best for both meat and WOO
is produced. A cross-bred is the
one that in most localities is to pay
The Merino is slow of growth and
small of carcass when mature /; but
when crossed with a rapid grower,
one that natures early, is a high
feeder, and lays on flesh rapidly,
but not remarkable for its wool el-
ther in quantity or quality. a sheep
is obtained that pays for itself in
its wool of prime quality, and fur
nish a good quality of mutton as a
profit. Of such character are the
crosses of the Merino with the Cots
void and the South-down. Bnt
with the great mass of American
sheep on the western plains, wool is
the important product. and here the
cross must be with the Merino upon
the Native'-a race of sheep which
has grown out of variety Of early
importations to this country-an
intercrossing of various breeds in
which many of the good points have
been lost. In this field the Meri-
no has great work to do to raise
tie yield Of wool 1, 2, or more
pounds per head, and give it a
higher vaule, The opportunity for
The increase of our sheep interest is
almost without limit, so far as ia
vorable conditions Of vast plains
and healthful climate is concerned,
and with our present large importa-
lions Of woollen goods it is certain
that no raw wool would lack for a
market. There are many places
where sheep may 60 and thrive that
cattle and other livestock dare not
tread; and it should be ambition of
sheep-raisers to fill.all these places
with sheep adapted to these condi-
tons, in the production of which
the pure-blood Merino must find
its full share of work. The reviv-
al in the sheep interest that now in
progress Is both healthy and per-
manent. The surplus Of wool and
-,.ooIlon ,,oodo 10 avbousfad ond the