The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-03-27

When the first prizes for Merino
sheep were awarded to American
herinos at the International Exposition
at Hamburg, all Europe was aston
ished. The Yankee sheep took the
prizes over the best flocks of Europe,
and they could not understand it. At
ter the first surprise was over, the Eu-
ropean sheep-gi overs, at the close OF
the exhibition, did the best possible
thing-they purchased the American
Merinos, or vermont Merinos," as
they were generally called, for the i'm
provement of their focks, at what was
then an unusual price. The American
Merinos are the result of several impor-
tations, made. early in the present CEN
fury from Spain, and included animals
from the Paular, Infantado, Negretti,
and other celebrated hocks, regarded
as the finest in Spain. OF these early
importations, some were lost sight OF,
or "run out" through careless breed
ing. Others we're bred with great care,
and by crossing with other pure tiocks,
under our climate and with no doubt
better feeding, they gradually de-
veloped, perhaps unintentionally on the
part of the breeders, into distinct
family of the Merinos now known as
the American. The superiority of the
American over the best European fami-
lies of Merinos is shown, III the first
place, in its greater size and weight.
While the rams of the most noted OF
the Spanish hocks range from sixty to
one hundred pounds-this last weight
rarely reached-the American Merino
rams run to one hundred and twenty
pounds, and upward to one hundred
and eighty pounds. These large
weights are accompanied by shorter
neck and legs, and increased width OF
loin and, what is most important, a
great increase in the weight of fleece.
Some focks have averaged ten pounds
of washed wool, and individual rams
have greatly exceeded this weight.
The American Merino is marked by
strong folds and wrinkles, and some
hocks have been bred with view to
these. 1t is common impression that
excessive wrinkles indicate purity of
breed and fineness of wool, and breed
ers have endeavored to meet the prevail
ing taste for heavily wrinkled sheep.
Those who look to the best returns in
wool do not approve of excessive
wrinkles, as they increase the difficulty
and the cost of shearing Breeders diff
fer as to the amount OF yolk desirable
in the WOOL and this is sometimes ex-
cessive. Fashion has much to do with
both yolk and wrinkles; the present
tendency is TO reduce the amount of
both. The American have been
found to be superior to any of the Eu-
ropean Merinos for improving the hocks
of Australia. A few months ago an
Australian tiock-master who called upon
us, said that the sole object of his visit
to this country was to purchase Ameri-
can Merino rams. He attributed the
great improvement which has lately
been manifested i'll Australian sheep, 10
the introduction of American Merinos.
We notice that English agricultural
writer's speak of the improvement in
Australian sheep by the introduction of
Merino rams, but they fail to state that
it is due to the American rams. In
sheep-raising, as in many other branches
Of agriculture, Australians and New
Zealanders look to America for aid and
improvement, rather than to the mother
country. Agric1tlturiSt.