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

IA paper read at meetings of the Board Of AsrIcul
ture by Henry Lane of Cornwall, member Of IN.
Boardl
do not believe in or share the views ,i
a certain advocate of the Merino shee,
who, a few years since, declared thai Il
woOled sheep may be kept wherever indn
trious men and intelligent breeding exr>
| think 1t is true that no race of amin
has more extended range If habna
and will subsis on q" great vsriey
vegetation as sheen; and no breed
sheep will endure the vicissltudes aud *
tiemes OF weather under so great q varia
ton of locality and food as we'll as th
NJ rino Bu. however plant may be III
constitution of the breed, there II,
geographical limits beyond which it do,
not th i've; and here are Localities NOR.
congenial to it. where 1t is mns vigoruu
and IN the bands of sklllful breeders has
been improved almost to perfection A
low. level country. with humid atmos
phere, and with moist, luxuriant soil, Is
not suited to the Merino, but high, drv
warm, rolling lands are their natural
home.
The general rule that may be laid down.
| limiting the home of the breed in TIN,
country. is between latitude so and As.
Certain high attitudes south of 30~, ana
low altituueS north of 45o may be favor
able. Lands less than 200 feet above the
ocean or within 80 miles of the coast are
generally not we'll adapted TO these sheep
The Merno is an upland sheep. The nutri-
tous herbage of elevated table land, dry,
warm. rolling pasture and lofty hilsides
are well adapted to them. They love 10
browse among bushes, about rocks and on
steep declvities.
The American or improved Merino of
to day is so unlike the sheep imported
from Spain, or so unlike those OF forty
years ago that one not acquainted with the
rapid improvements made within this
time, and especially in the past twenty
years, could hardly realize what the Me-
rinos OF the present time are. Nearly
forty years ago selections from some of
the best flocks in the country came into
the possession of Hammond and few
other breeders, and by years of close
attention to the true principles of breeding
aided by the natural advantages of leca
tion, soil and climate, have. in the Yer
mont Merino, accomplished what has not
been accomplished by the breeders of any
other state or country.
To illustrate the rapid march of i'm
provement, look at the increase In the
proportion of wool to live weight in
seventy years: In 1912 the best rams
produced but about per cent of Wool; In
1874 it had increased to Is per cent, and
in 1865 to II per cent. During the past
sixteen years II has increased very rapidly
to 20, 81 80 and even 86 percent. There
were forwarded from Vermont to the
Paris exposition G7 Heeces selected for
fine style and quality of wool as we'll as
weight of fleece. The per cent of wool
to live weight of the whole number was
%; Of the best 80, 25.2; of the best
SOL; the best one, 36G per cent. Twenty
one of the 81 were rams; 46 were ewes.
At public sheep shearing at Middle
bury April 5 and 6. 1882, IL stock rams
averaged % per cent; Ia two years old
rams 2S.4; 10 one year old rams, 20 8;
two years old ewes, 25.6; ~ one year old
ewes, 26 s. The whole 81 averaged 233
The gain is not as good in whole focks.
but the proportion OF wool has been nearly
or quite trebed.
Merino sheep have increased In size
since their importation from Spain. This
increase is from Is to rs per cent A great
change and improvement has also been
made in their build. appearance and
beauty, with greater vigor OF con stitution
The general impression among breeders
not acquainted with the faos has been
that, with the increased size, vigor and
wool bearing capacity of the improved
Merino, there has been no imp ovemen
in quality of fleece. The actual facts are
there, and they show marked improve.
ment in this direction.
In H.nmond's day 1t was thought by
observing breeders that the hight of i'm
provement in this breed had been reachei
hut his example teachings and improve.
ment has helped Younger class of breed
ers by sound Judgment, close observation
aand diligeut care to develop greater i'm
provemenls than have ever been made in
Il Same time In The history of this fine
breed.
Hammond's name goes down In history
with that of Bates, Collins, Bokewell an'
Atwood as an imprUver of breed
Hammond has truly been ca lsd tho B, ke
well of America. don't know OF a Me
, rino flock in Vermont that has not som.
strain of the Hammond Improvement
and was improved by it,
The Rich flock, now owned by Virtulan
Rich, Addison County, VT, is said to bt
, the "oldest flock of pure bred Mcrino.
now existing in the United States without
change Of ownership except by regular
descent. 1t has been kept on tho same
farm and owned In the same family for
!, three generations. or period of fifty.
seven years, no other ewes having beer
added to the flock" II is somewh hal
, questionable If this superior flock woult
now rank with other good 6ocks in the
county If it were not for an infusion o
new blood by selecting a sire from the
Hammond improvement.
T. Stckney, another breeder whose
" flock has been kept together and bred by
one person for u period of over forty
, years, and the aged proprietor (who died
, the past winter) could point as evidence
of the improvement effected by him TO hi:
ram Consol, from the Jarvis flock breed
in 1885 shearing about II pounds at biz
best and to Fremont shearing 81 pounds
and IA ounces In 1868, and producing fol
| nine years flecces averaging q pounds and
' ounce. total of 243 pounds" Ewet
&, from this flock were taken to Hammond's
Sweepstake. Silver Mine aud Gold Drop
, The publishing committee of tho Yer
, mont Sheep Register say that, I'VE be
lieve that there is scarcely stock ram o.
! any note in Vermont that does nos II
whole or In part trace its pedigree 10 tn,
Atwood flock" and mostly through Ham
mond.
Lot us look moro miuuteIy Mt wha
Vermont breeders have accomplished anC
the direction Of their present efforts o.
improvement:
SIZE.
The size of the Vermont Merinos ha,
been increased somewhat since they were
first brought into the state, but not nearly
in the same ratio as in the weight O
. fleece. Rams at that time weighed from
5 100 to ITO pounds and owes from 20 to x
4 pounds. These weights have been in
, creased probably on an ayerags about a