Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-04-04
RAISING SHETL4TD PONIES
AN ENTERPRISE IN WHICH wISroSsIN
MAN THINKS HE SEES MONEY
Milyya a,,ta

AN ENTERPRISE IN wHIGH WISCONSIN
MAN THINKS HE SEES MONEY.
Milwaukee Evening Wisconsin
L.. {. Merrick. at one time we'll
known tosacconist of this city. who has
of late years devoted himself to stock
breeding, has on his farm, opposite
Gitiords resort, in Wauke ,ha county,
one OF the most remarkable herd, of
Shetland ponies ever brought into the
United States. The herd UNI 'crS
about fifty, the little animals beng all
beautifully built and in vigorous condi-
ton. They have been in their present
quarters only about month. They
were selected and b-ought over from
the Shetland islam Is by Max Flowers,
a special reprcsent.iti"e of Mr.. AIer-
rick.
One of the little ponies, Jumbo by
name, Is the smallest of his species ever
imporSed in.o the United States. being
less In size than even the tiny pair OF
horses which Barnum secured to draw
the carriage of Tom Thumb. Jumbo is
80 inches in height. and as fine a minia-
ture model of Il stallion as there is in
existence. Being from the island OF
Netland, Jumbo is properly NetIand
pony, not Shetland. Alexander, a
pure Shetland stallion, which is in Mr..
Merrick's collection, is II handsome and
very valuable animal. The prices
which MIR. Mcrrick secures for the
immature pom rs average from $3.50
upward. He has refused an oler of
5000 for mat he'd pair of the best.
When the ponies were brought from
Scotland, a mo1th or so ago, their
shaggy hair was Ion. and tangled, and
to Use the expression which was most
frequently used concerning them, 'they
looked pretty rough
As Is not infrcquently the case with
immigrants, their residence in thi, coun-
try has done much TO improve their ap-
pearnce. In the Shetl,nd islands it is
the custom to herd the little animals
after much the same fa hion as cattle
are herdei on or western plains That
is to say, they are turned loose and left
to shift for themselves. The islands
are almost barren of vegetation, and it
Is not wonderful that, according to pop
ui"i U~iVi, tiiS 'IlIN HulTlDltUt Wnlcn
the ponies nc luirc they get from sniff
fling the wind that blows from more
bountlful climes. 1t will readily be be-
lieved that when the ponies arrive here.
fresh from such an nca:ed-for-exist-
ence, they do not present an appear ance
remarkable for sickness. The men,
bers IF the Merricl herd, however,
after month Of careiul grooming, have
GLOSSY coats. and look as if they might
have been brought up in a lady's lap,
like pet poodles.
In few weeks Mr.. FL lwers will re-
turn to Shetland, for the purpose of
securing a herd of Shetland cows,
which Mr.. Merrick proposes to intro
duce into this country. Shetland cows.
like Shetland ponies, it is said, are con-
structed upon miniature models. They
are credited with giving a gallon and q
half Of milk per day and costing moth
ing to keep. The fame of the elfin
herd has spread through all the sum-
mer resorts in the neighboahood of the
Merrick farm. and when Wisconsin
reporter visited the place yesterday he
found number of curious sight-seers
watching the sporiive gambols of the
ponies and making admiring remarks
concerning their beauty and their di-
minu.ive size.