Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-06-12
SHEEP FOR SOUTH AMERICA.
From the American Wool and Cotton Re.
porter.
NEW YORK, June 2, 1896.

on Wednesday, June 10, two parties of
American bred sheep, destined to the
Argentine Republic. One lot, the prop
erty of Messrs. Haskell & Dlmmock of
West Cornwall, Vermont, consists of
some 70 head of California French Me-
rinoes (Rambouillets) selected from the
celebrated Blacow flock of j. II. Glide
of Sacramento. The other lot is com
posed of 40 head of Vermont Merino
rams, the property of j. A. Wright of
Mddlebury, VT. portion of which we
understand to have been purchased
from the flock of f. n. Bissell of East
Shoreham, VT. The sheep will be
shipped per steamship "Bellaura,' of
the Lamport & Holt line, for Monte
video and Buenos Ayres direct.
They are a very choice lot of animals,
selected and bred with great care, and
ought to meet with ready sale in South
America. While the popularity of the
Lincons is strong in Argentine and
many are being purchased from English
breeders, fine woods of the MernO type
still predominant, and require constant
crossing on more densely wooded repre-
sentatives of the breed (Which can only
be obtained in colder climates), in order
to retain a proper density of fleece. In
a later issue we shall be able to furnish
more complete description of these
shipments.
The Reporter comments on the above
editorial, asfollows:
"The two lots of Merino sheep which
will be shipped from the port of New
York next Wednesday, June 10, per
steamship, 'Bellaura,' direct to Buenos
Ayres, Argentine Republic. and which
are but repetition of previous ship
ments indicate growing demand
abroad for American stud sheep and sug
gest more thorough cultivation of the
trade of the great pastoral countries of
the world for our choice bred animals.
During the past twelve months, not only
have small shipments of Merinoes been
made to the River Plate, but to Cape
Colony, the Trausvaal and Australia,
and, so far as we are able to learn, the
ventures have proven successful.
1.-The sheep which leave New York
for South America next week are in part
pure Vermont Merinoes, the remainder
are California Rambouillets, large
'elephantine' Merinoes from the famous
Blacow flock and direct descendants from
the pure French. In collecting these
sheep for export, much trouble has been
experienced in finding animals in sufli-
GENTLY good show shape and possessing
the sufficiently strong characteristics
which the foreign trade demands. This
is because during the past few years of
depression in the sheep breeding indus
try so many of our breeders have al
lowed their flocks to deteriorate or have
abandoned the business altogether, sub
shutting horses or dairying in its stead.
Those breeders, however, who have
stood right by their sheep, who have
continued to exercise the best of care
and attention over their flocks, have,
while making little or no money, found
a demand tor their choice animals for
export, and as the business develops are
in position to avail themselves of the
small but growing request from that
source.
"American sheep of the Merino type
are especially desired in Australia, at the
Cape and in Argentine for the purpose
of crossing on the native flocks in order
to increase the density of the fleece of
the latter, which in all semi-tropical eli
mates is inclined to constantly lessen.
Bred at the North, in colder tempera-
lures, our American Merinoes possess ex-
actly the sdensity and weight of fleece
desired and if possessing also a good
strong constitution, good size, long, fine
staple wool and well covered and SYM
metrical body, prove free sellers at good
prices.
1.-The Ii Amercan market, however,
should be theibest market for American
sheep ,sand will always be, but in these
trying times, when not only the sheep
business, but nearly all other agricul-
tural pursuits yield almost no profit,
this export demand is worth culuvating.
At the Australian sheep shows at sgd
ney, Melbourne, Deniliquin and else
wherei- in the colonies, the American
Australian cross of Merinoes have, dur
ing the past few years, won the first
prizes in! nearly every class; they are
growing in popularity in that country,
and if the precautions enforced by Aus
tralia against scab can be so modified as
to admit of expectations via San Fran
cisco without subsection to three
months quarantine and rigid dipping
process beside), the expectation Of our