Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-06-21


of superior qualities. Sure
| am that all breeding will be up or down
AS conditions are favorable or untsvoraoie.
=. Il has been said that necessity makes
the man." that placing him In position
to draw out and develop his powers Is the
making of the man. We may say about
the same is true with breed; It Is locali-
ty and condition that make the breed or
state 1t In this way: You cannot. even II
in the hands Of the best breeders, have
breed of high degree OF excellence u
kept in an unfavorable locality and IN
uulavorable conditions.
All breeds are not adapted to all losall'
ties. One of the fundamental principles
of breeding is that like produces Ike.
This is a rule that has little variation when
all the circumstances, conditions, care and
food are the same. A wild animal while
remaining in his native home will 60 on
reproducing the same type with little or
no variation generation after generation.
II its home is In q mountainous country,
with cold, dry climate. you remove It to
level country. with a warm, humid at
mosphere a rapid change takes place
"A variation in the type Of the animal.
II /. climate and food that produces the
many widely distinguished varieties Of
animals natives of different countries and
localities. 1t Is variation that causes dete-
rioration as we'll as improvement. 1t IS
very doubtful If the same breeders that
took the Merino sheep fifty years ago. and
all their successors, with the same skill In
breeding, could have produced as good a
sheep in any section of our country outside
of Vermont or New York. The size.
build, form of the sheep. the amount and
quality of fleece would have been entirely
different 1t is in our ability to apply, to
f,s,er and to perpetuate such variations
and therein lies our power of improving
ur breeds of sheep.
One of the most important causes d
variation is feeding Scant poor tooc
causes the best improved animals to ie
generate. Change of food changes the
character OF II breed. Animals are fed ~
veil as bred in certain direction to &C
,omplish certain results.
The English race horse is commenced
J with at an early age and fed on dry, rici
grain of kind that will early develop
: vigor, bone and muscle.
Cattle raised in a county Astounding il
rich pastures and rich food, fed with on
thing in view, to produce large AM
y early maturing meat animal. reudere'
possible the Shorthorn breed of cattle.
Different kinds Of food will produce dit
ferent results. One kind OF food vii
grow bone, muscle, frame; another kim
will fatten without much growth of body
n The successful breeder and feeder wi
81 have certain objects in view, certain point
q that he desires to reach, and his Who'll
81 course of feeding rs well as breedn
o should be directed towards these objeC
- points.
N The Merno sheep of to day are crea
d ures Of art, far removed from the produt
ton of nature by years of skill ir breeding
d feeding and care. They have their pecu
ID iarites and characteristics, the result {
rs the sharp climate in which they live, Ii
lie peculiarly rich sweet pastures over whc
Re they roam, the geological condition of Ii
ie soil on which they grow, all have aide
the breeder 10 improve the Merino shee]
lie The climate thd soil, the grasses. the fo'
We der, the feeding and care have all tende
s. to make the sheep what they are.
10 The breeder should not take too muC
rs credit to himself and claim that all tn
g. has been accomplished by carefully purs
We ing certain principles OF breeding. far
ID breeder believes this let him take
We flock on TO dry, sandy soil or to n war
climate, to Colorado Or Texas, and by h
ee skill in breeding keep his flock up to the
IN present standard.
Isl I think farmers often fail TO realize u
actual difference there is in the value
ne the grasses and hay grown on dffere
IL soils, aud the different effects the fox
e grown on different soils has on amin
si' production.
IL To illustrate the different effects of sc
OF and food look at the Champlain valley
is Vermont. This valley, lying between Il
We Green Mountains and Lake Champaign,
y about twelve miles wide and about TWEEN
y miles long. The altitude is from three
" five hundred feet above the ocean. III
re general appearance of the surface is TO
Gu ing and very much alike throughout Il
u valley. Notwithstanding the surface
Z nearly the same the soil is not alike al
ut the different soils produce different resul
H. 1t is fact long known by experts In be
ne u cattle and butter, that while Adds
ny county reduced the best steer, the be
&c beef. Flanklin county produced the be
H. butter. The white clover pastures of A
ID Olson county will produce higher colore
OF more oily butter, with poorer keepi
ic' qualities, while the Franklin county butt
n ne $ MT as high colored; it has better te
NY ture, better keeping qualities and is &C
CT sldrred n market the best butter. The
as different conditions which in this case
diff ,rence in soil that produces the diff
Is, ent results has quite as striking an eff,
ol on the growth aud general appearance
oe' the fleece on the Merin) heep.
Isl That quality in the soil and feed Il
10 produced the most oily butter will ri
lo' better OIL oil that will circulate me
on freely through the fleece giving INC
NJ rowIh, better qualify. better surls
al : Il better general appearance to /
'l' sheep
&c If any one doubts the different resu
III soils will produce let hem divide n tlu
&c in equal parts rs to quality and place
one YEAR onc-half on u sandy soil farm a
OF the other half on clay farm and note
or result. There will be as wide diflsrer
ep' in the appearance of the fleece and
the looks OF the sheep rs there would be
'aV bred separate and in opposite directC
'rI by two breeders.
ers 1t has been said that Vermont is
ing homo of the Merino. but certain seclit
Is in it are more favorable than Others
18th their perfect growth Addison county
I'VE the leading Merino sheep county in t
our state but with her % towns but o
co. are peculiarly adapted TO their peri
be development. 1t is sometimes ths @
'ne that the locality that has all the conditit
Ut for the production of a superior breed n
rye all be taken in with the naked eye fir
Tor the top of some central hill. The m
VS. favorable location for the Improvement
ma breed are not common. The number
nix breeders in generation that are truly
OF improvers OF breed can be numbered
Tue the fingers on your hand.
ese MERiNoS FOR MUTTON.
will The Merino sheep and their grade is
hest sheep for feeding for mutton. W
81 r. 4 h.. .I..,t