The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-07-21

1 r =
Chapman, Esq, secretary OF the
Vermont Merino sheep breeders as
ISOLATION, on the merino sheep of
the United States, in which the i'm
prOvements made here are set forth,
as well as other facts, that possess
no little interest to the sheep and
wool industry. He traces the his
tory of MerinOs from the time of the
first importations from Spain in
1902, by Col. David Humphreys, of
Connecticut, and by Consul William
Jarvis, of Vermont, in 1910 and 1911.
In the latter years large number
probably not less than twenty thou
sand-Of the large Cabannas, or mi
gratory sheep of Spain were brought
to this country, brought about large
ly by the vicissitudes of war and the
confiscation of estates. The descen-
dents of these importations by Mr..
Humphreys, (says Mr.. Chapman,
had been somewhat scattered in
Connecticut and Vermont previous
to the arrival of the importatiohs of
of 1910 and 1911, and the expert
ments with them had proved so sue
cessful that the latter were well
coined on their arrival and sold for
very high prices. They were then
introduced throughout the eastern
and southern and northern por-
tions of the Union, and somewhat
in the southern states, but they did
not succeed as we'll there, or become
so popular and profitable as in the
east and north. In the more hilly por-
tions and colder climates of the New
England states they became great
favOrites, and have reached the
| greatest improvements achieved in
any race or breed in the United
States, until it Is now confidently be-
lieved by intelligent men who are
excellent judges of sheep, and who
have visited the fiocks of Merinos in
| foreign countries, that nowhere else
has the Improvement in these sheep
for practical, profitable wOol-bear-
ing purposes reached so great per-
lection, and that the best specimens
in this country are without rivals.
and are capable of perpetuating
these excellencies and thus imprOv-
ing the sheep of countries outside
| the United States. When these
sheep are imported from Spain, the |
representatives of the different Ca
bannas varied much in their differ |
| ent racteristics-some eXcelling
| in size and constitution, some in |
large yield Of fleece, some were finer |
and more even OF fleece, some were |
more fully wooded about the head
and down on the legs, some had
dense fieeces, some less dense but
| longer in staple, some had a great
/ al nnAnnnn of unlly oil onh hiln |
some were comparatively smooth on
| the skin others were covered with
large folds or wrinkles, especially
| on the neck, and in some cases over |
the entire body. The more intelli-
gent and successful of the American
breeders, by taking advantage of
these varying excellencies, by Judi
cious crossing and careful selection,
intermingled the blood of these diff
ferent Cabannas and bred up race
| of sheep that combine in a marked
| degree these various excellencies,
and from which the undesirable
qualities of some of them have been
eliminated.
Mr.. Chapman proceeds to note at
considerable length some of the i'm
provements which have been accom-
plished. The history is an eventful
one, and is full of instruction to
those who have given the subject
only Indifferent attention. But the
result is alike gratifying and credit
able to those who have stood firmly
by the sheep and wool industry of
the country. The American Merino
is a conspicuous example of persist
ent, intelligent and successful effort
on the part of breeders to produce
a superior kind of sheep, in accli-
mating and adapting the Spanish
Merino to our peculiar circumstances
and necessities. AS another aptly
puts it, the natIve-bred Merino of
this country now stands first in the
ranks of fine wool sheep in the
world, and is sought by foreign
1 ments in their fiocks. Its fleece
is the heaviest, the staple is the long
est and as fine as the finest; and its
carcass the heaviest of any living
Merinos. No other sheep is so well
adapted for the purposes of peo-
pie who desire strength and dura-
bility as well as beauty in their
Edress staples, or as q basis upon
which to build up different cross
breeds which may be profitably
kept upon arabic as well as grazing
farms, to supply the best mutton, as
well as every class of raw material
for our native manufactures. We
have now arrived at a steady, SUBJ
stantial condition in which this
sheep, excellent in every respect,
stands upon its merits as the first
variety in the world as regards utili-
| ty. 1t is the basis of our enormous
wool production of 100000, 900
pounds per annum, worth to-day,
$100,000,000. 1t supplies directly
the material for the fine cloths used
for mems garments, the finer fabrics
of wool and cotton known as de- |
lains, and by other names recogniz- |
ed only by ladies, as well as for an
infinite variety of articles of lesser
note. Its wool is not only carded,
but is combed, and therefore sup
plies wide range of uses. Indirectly
as the parent of grades, it helps to |
Iproduce grades fitted for nearly ev-
cry use, from the carpets under our
feet to the hats upon our heads, the |
umbrellas which shelter us from the |
shower, and the broad flag which |
waves over and shelters every citi-
zen from. foes at home or abroad. |
Formerly its carcass furnished but |
poor quality of mutton, but now its
mutton is respected both as to size
and flavor. Crossed upon the larger |
breeds it furnishes the best and fat |
test market lambs, and makes desir- |
able mutton for home use and ex-
port. In short, if one intends to
keep sheep of whatever kind, unless
it be some other pure variety for
breeding, he can not begin without
the help of the American Merino. |
1t not only exists as splendid ex-
ample of successful breeding, but it
points emphatically to the hope that
in time we may produce distinctive
types of other breeds as greatly i'm
proved upon the imported originals
as this has been. Merino wool is
peculiar for its heavy yolk and plsn-
tiful greese, but while this is q nee
essary and advantageous popularity
tor fine and close wool sheep and
prevents the cottings of the fleece, it
is especially valuable when the rams
are used for the Improvement of the
common native sheep OF the western
states and territories, whose fleeces
are dry, coarse, harsh and of little
value but which when improved
|