The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-01
SHEEP OF BLUEST BLOOD.
MERINOs OF LONG PFDIGREKs IN
THE HILLS OF VERMONT.

"
They Are Ugly and Dirty. Wear silver Far.
rings aud Have Commanded 80. 200
Apiece-Their Purity of Blood Guarded
sncredly-How They Came frem Spain.
THE bluest blooded. most arlstocratic OF all
domestic animals In the United States Is the
merino sheep" said Aaron Spencer. a New
England stock breeder. land nowhere else in
the world. not even among the hills OF Spain
the original home OF the merino-is this waltz
able animal found in such perfection and purity
OF breeding as among the Green Mountains Of
Vermont. There are merinos In that region.
and particularly in Addison county. whose
pedigree is traced back without a break in the
record or q blot In the blood for more than a
century. directly TO ancestral pastures in Spain.
ITO look at a merino sheep. unless you know
all the points OF one, you would scarcely think
it wns worth driving to pasture. Greasy. dirty
and uncouth. its fleece. blackened by an oozy.
Rummy substance which. to put II mild, Is by
no means fragrant. hanging to its body in
rhinoceros-like folds and wrinkles the eyes
barely visible. and nothing but the nose show
ing free from the greasy. sticky. ill-smellinG
mass. the royal-blooded merino Is not n sight
to cause much enthusiasm in a spectator who
is looking for outward beauty. But the blacker
and Rummier and more rhinoceros-like les
fleece the better it is. Breeders think so much
OF that dirty gum on their merinos that they
cdT6Iuily hnelUeT tnem lTOm HIlDWeTS, anu even
heavy dews. TO prevent a particle OF II from
being dissipated. Members Of this aristocratio
family ri sheep OF the Vermont breed have
taken on this unprepossessing and uncouth
appearance and rank smell to such a degree
that they have easily commanded $50 apiece
from eager breeders. | knew an Addison
county flock OF merinos. thirty In number. to
be sold. Just as they stood in the pasture. for
$4,000 cash.
EOr rapturiaa H., loco, ,. -, o-t - Q-oI. .-S
hibited. under heavy penalties. the expectation
Of merino sheep, knowing well the great value
Of that product OF its mountain slopes, and be-
ing resolved not to share 1t with any other
country. In 1902. Col. David Humphrey Of
Connecticut was United States Minister to
Spain. and he made himself SO popular nj tho
court OF Madrid that when he retired from
Office. In that year. his request to be permitted
to fetch with him to America a number OF me-
rinos of known superiority of blood was granted
by the Spanish Government. Those sheep
were placed on the Humphrey farm. near
Derby. and from that original stock the pres
ent royal breed of Vermont merinos sprang.
But there is an aristocracy even among
blue-blooded merinos. and the family known
as the Atwoods may be said to be the May
flower stock OF all merinos in this country and
the highest in degree in any country except
Spain. They hold their heads above the most
aristocratic of their kind. not because their
blood is any better than other Vermont
merinos. but simply because they are Atwoods
and nothing else. Two or three years after
Col. Humphrey brought that first flock Of
merinos from their native hills in Spain. a
young farmer named Stephen Atwood agreed
to work a whole year on the Humphrey farm
for Just one eve from the original importation
of mernos. The contract was fulfilled, and
from that eve and a Humphrey merino ram
the present Atwood merinos originated. At
wood transferred his sheep to Addison county,
and there the purity of the blood has been
sacredly preserved. an association of breeders
having been formed for no other purpose than
to maintain that purity. Descendants Of Ste
phen Atwood controlled the flock until a few
years ago. when it passed into other hands. A
half interest in one of the rams brought
$4,000. The flock was separated, but the At
woods remain still the merinos of highest
When a lamb of this ultra blue blood
is born. its ears are pierced and silver labels,
one with a number on 1t. and the other with
the owners name. are attached to them. The
and name are entered on the books Of
the association. II the lamb is sold or trans
Ierred. the owner must notify the association.
and the transaction is carefully noted on the
books. Any subsequent disposition of the lamb
also be reported to the association, so
every movement of that lamb from its
birth to its death is always known. No sheep
has any standing as a royal-blooded merino
which does not wear the earrings. and can have
40 certificate of pedigree. To-day merino
sheep are raised all over the world. Australian
breeders being the largest owners: but even
rom Australia. that garden spot of sheep rails
ng. as well as from every other sheep-growing
the breeders come to Addison county.
IT.. to obtain scions Of the original stock whcn-
'ver they want to improve their locks.'