The Progress., 1894-03-17
Thoughts on tho MerinO.

Thoughts on tho Merino.
At the annual meeting of the New
York state meriuo sheep breeders
assoc iation, the president, S. b.
lusk, made, among othurs. the fol-
lswing remarks:
| have little apprehension that
the American Merino will be aban-
doned by those who have heretofore
stayed by them in times of depres-
sion, and know their value-a sheep
that has constantly improved with us
in our climate, and with our manage
ment from It's first Introduction, now
well nigh one hundred years. And they
will also find new friends. The COM
ing generation will want sheep that
does not require foreign importations
to keep up to say nothing of making
an Improvement If the inhabitants
Of the United States ever become
consumers of mutton to anything
like the extent that it is consumed
in England, | believe a mutton sheep
Will be evolved from the American
Merino that will be adapted to the
wants of the country; and as it is
already acclimated will be susceptible
of any needed Improvement And
that all of the s0-called mutton
breeds have so far failed to do.
But that which concerns us most
is what to do with the American
Merin0 as we find them to-day? What
in my Judgment we should do is to
keep them and improve them, and
in looking about us for chances for
Improvement, it will be well 70 first
look and see that we have made no
mistakes
Some breeders years ago raised the
question as to the good or bad effect
of our public shearings as they have
been managed. The announcement
goes out that a certain sheep sheared
a given number of pounds of wool,
and the carcass weighed so much.
And that is about all there is of it.
unless one is there to see for himself.
| was present at a shearing, where
ram SO inferior that no good breeder
would think Of using him, sheared
(not of wool but of stuff that grew on
him with a little wool to hold it to-
gether,) more pounds than any other
ram shorn at that annual shearing.
And this worthless ram was
proclaimed the heaviest shearer
at the New York state American
Merino sheep shearing, and he
was not worth a two dollar
note This, of course. was an
extreme case; but in looking for i'm
provement in the future, it may be
well to see if some Of us have not
grown more fleece than the sheep
can well carry, although perhaps of
good quality and only about the nee
essary amount of oil to lubricate
such a fleece. A ram weighing $50
pounds, fleece off, and shearing 80
pounds, carries before being shorn
one pound of fleece to five pounds of
carcass. Is not that about all he can
well carry and be used for breeding
purposes, and keep up his constitu-
ton? | have known rams to shear
forty pounds, and weigh little more
than 100 pounds with fleece Off
about one pound of fleece to two
pounds of carcass. But | have
never known such a sheep to
live TO be an old sheep. Perhaps,
under existing circumstances, it may
be we'll to improve the carcass, in
crease the size, and not pay quite so
much attention to piling on the wool.
| think no one will disagree with me
in the Importance of looking after
the quality.
One word more and I am done
Not even the American Merino can
improve if neglected. If compelled
to fall back upon their constitution
to sustain themselves, they Wiltshire
ly deteriorate. Our lamented friend
and associate, the Hon. +. Townsend,
once bought some of our favorite
sheep, and got a we'll written pedi-
gree from successful breeder. At
the bottom, written in a bold hand,
were these words: "Care is the secret
of success" He at the time was
scarcely out of his teens; but he often
said that it was the most valuable
pedigree he ever received.
If the business is dull don't neglect
the flock. Care for it well, breed it
in accord with your best Judgment,
and the American Merino, the best
sheep in the known world, will in
the future, as in the past respond to
any reasonable draft the breeder
may make upon tho flock.
Granular Butter.
How many boys and girls on the
form haua had an old anron fied