Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-02-07
American MerinO Sheep.

When the first prizes for Merino sheep
were awarded to American Merlnos at
the International Exposition at Ham
burg, about twenty years ago, all Europe
was astonlshed. The Yankee sheep took
the prizes over the best hocks of Europe,
and tbey could not understand it. After
the first surprise was ever, the European
sheep growers, at the close of the exhl-
bition. did The best possible thing-they
purchased the American MerlnOS, OF
"Vermont Merinos," as they were gener-
ally called, for the improvement of theiI
own fiocks, at what was then an unusual
price. The American MerinOs are the
result of several importatlons, made
early in the present century from Spain,
and included animals from the Paular,
Infantado, Negretti. and other celebrat-
ed hocks, regarded as the finest in Spain.
OF these early importations, some were
lost sight of, or run cut" through care
less breeding. Others were bred with
great care, and by crossing with other
pure flocks, under our climate and with
no doubt better feeding, they gradually
developed, perhaps unlntentlonally Oh
the part of the breeders, into distinct
family of Merines now known as a
American. The superiority of the Amer
lean over the best European families of
Meriaos is shown, in the first place, in
its greater size and weight. While the
rams of the most noted of the Spanish
tiocks range from sixty to one hundred
pounds-this last weight rarely reach
ed-the American Merino rams run to
one hundred and twenty pounds, and
arIC f., oin fu
pounds. These large weights are accom-
panied by shorter neck and legs, an in
creased width of loin and, what is most
important, 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 tt
these. 1t is common impression thai
excessive wrinkles indicate purity OF
breed and fineness of wool, and breeders
have endeavored to meet the prevailing
taste for heavily wrIEkled sheep. Those
who look to the best returns in wool dc
not approve of excessive wrinkles, as
they increase the ditficu ty and cost in
shearing. Breeders differ as to the
amount of yolk desirable in the wool
and this is sometimes excessive. Fashion
has much to do with both yolk anC
wrinkles; the present tendency is to re
duce the amount of both. The Ameri
can have been found to be superior Il
any of the European Merinos for i'm
proving the flocks of Australia. A few
months ago an Australian flock master
who called upon US. said that the sole
object of his visit to this country was Il
purchase American MernO rams. He
attributed the great Improvement which
has lately been manifested 10 Australian
sheep, to the introduction of American
Merinos. We notice that English Agri
cultural writers speak of the improve
ment Of Australian sheep by the intro
duction of Merino rams, but they fail tt
state that it is due to the American
rams. In sheep raising, as in many othel
branches of agriculture, Australians anC
New Zealanders look to America for aiC
and improvement, rather than to the
mother country.-American Agr icultu
rist for February.