SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 63 



money worth of wool. The usage of our farmers has concurred 

 with the opinion of our best writers that the Spanish merino, or 

 rather the American merino, for by his American migration this 

 choice breed has been improved in the quality of his wool about 

 fifty per cent., is the best for this purpose. Undoubtedly pure 

 merino bucks and ewes can now be selected among the flocks in 

 this State, though it might be desirable to visit New Hampshire 

 and Vermont to insure the best selection. I believe that in no one 

 thing could this society do more to promote the agricultural pros- 

 perity of these towns than in purchasing, not less than two prime, 

 pure American merino bucks and six pure merino ewes, and com- 

 mitting them to such careful sheep keepers as should either pur- 

 chase them at cost, or else come under bond to sell their progeny 

 within the jurisdiction of this society at the price of native sheep 

 of the same age and sex. A similar purchase of Cotswolds, to cross 

 with and take the place of the native sheep as far as possible. The 

 Merinos are not prolific, and in Saxony are not permitted to begin 

 to produce lambs until they are two years old. They are not good 

 nurses and rarely produce, and are not, under good management per- 

 mitted to raise twins. It will be seen that to purchase a pure buck 

 to begin with would take much money, and to wait for their slow 

 increase from pure stock would take too long time. Procuring, 

 with the aid of this society, a few animals of the pure stock, the 

 best ewes of the native sheep will do to form the basis of the future 

 flock. It will be seen that the 1-2 and 3-4 blooded Merino wool 

 brings a price only a trifle less than the pure blood. By Walter 

 Brown's Monthly Wool Circular for February, it appears that no 

 distinction is made between full-blooded and three-quarter blooded 

 merino wool quoted at from 10 c. to Y5 c. per lb., while half- 

 blooded rates at 67 to 68, only from 3 c. to 7 c. less. All writers 

 agree that the wool-bearing qualities are much more largely taken 

 from the male than the female parent. So that by using native 

 sheep, or coarser-wooled ewes to breed from, we are sure to get, 

 first, larger sheep and so heavier fleeces ; second, better nurses 

 and more lambs, and earlier maturity, at the expense, it is true, of 

 getting greater consumers and slightly coarser fleeces. I think it 

 would be the testimony of all who have kept sheep successfully in 

 this county, that more money can be made from a flock of half 

 bloods than from one of pure bloods. After a few years, and when 

 the Merino has become the predominant blood, it will be desirable 



