Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-04-18
We Want More Sheep

Whether Addison County can ever
come back to the prestige she once
enioVed as a sheep-breedlng region,
from which the finest Merinos were
once shipped to all parts of the world,
is so doubtful that 1t can hardly be
contemplated in view of existing con-
ditions, but for all that the county
does appear to be facing the oppor-
tunity of better organization among
the sheep breeders which should event
ually place us in the position OF pro-
duClng more wool and mutton for our
great nearby eastern markets. Luther
A. Webster of Whiting, who has re-
ceived wide recognition as live stock
artist and who is the author OF ihnum-
cradle articles on the sheep industry,
has favored The Register with some
of his notes on present conditions and
in review of the great days of the IA
nous Merino breeding in this section.
The whole history of the sheep in
dustry," he says, has been a checkered
one Since the beginning it has been
at the mercy or the victim of indus
trial and political manipulation, no
ever, during the last few years the
National Wool Growers Association
and few state and local organizations
have been able to champion the wool
growers interests with significant and
beneficial results.
1T is well to remember that the
worldwide fame obtained by Vermont
Merinos was not wholly due to the
Of hot hut lorn
ly to the development OF several of the
worlds great master shepherds. The
depression which followed that period
of great prosperity was not wholly due
to the fact that the world had been
partially stocked BY reason of polti-
cal agitation and changes in our {,
nomic condition then followed changes
in the breed and character of the pre-
vailing f1ocks of sheep and a consequent
decline both in interest and in efficiency
of development. Especially was this
true in the east and the introduction
OF the English breeds in Canada and
the West left the eastern breeder quite
out of the game The National Wool
Growers Association which was or
ganized by Vermont and New York
breeders eventually drifted westward
through Ohio, where its greatest in
fluence was for a time exerted, until
now its home is in Salt Lake City, and
its interests are mainly concerned
with the Great Range breeders who
are thoroughly alive to their interests
and who prove a powerful factor in the
sheep industry.
I'm Chicago three years ago these
conditions were recognized and an at
tempt was made to establish a move
ment in the East to promote and pro-
tect the sheep interests OF that sec
ton. Fortunately we have still few
men interested in pure bred focks in
the East who are ready to work for
more and better sheep. We have only
a dozen well-known flocks of Merinos
in Vermont, but there are men like
W. B. Kendall of Maine who is estab-
fishing a large flock Of three or four
breeds to promote sheep-breeding in
Maine and Vermont P W. Waite of
Shoreham and c. Leslie Witherell of
Cornwall are establishing Shropshire
flocks that include some of the best
blood to be found in America The
Government Farm at Middlebury has
a flock of Southdowns established from
the Huntleywood fold of Canada, one
Of the best hocks in America. The
sheep men of Addison County ought
not to rest until they have gained foot
hold in the restoration Of this fine
pastoral industry in this section"
The REGISTER feels something akin
10 affection toward the sheep industry
in this country, and sincerely hone