428 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of first imiiortanoo in making snleotioiis of r.anis for couplinjj willi owes, to know not 

 only tlicir pcdii^roos but tlio (.•liaraotcristics of pacli of th"ir scvtM-al ancestors as far 

 bai-k as possible. The Flock Kecoril, ailoptotl bj' one Xew York Sheep Breeders' As- 

 sociation, is a most simple and convenient book for keepini; snch record, showing at 

 a jjhuu'e the pedigree and fnll description of each slieep, with weight of lleece, etc., 

 together with the origin of the Hock. To keep such a record of a llock of 150 sheep 

 would probablj^ require three days' time in the year. It is safe to say that the 

 breeder who tiiinks this too much trouble will find himself distanced by his com- 

 petitors who keep the record. 



The value of registration of the pedigrees of our thorouijlibred American 'Meriiios 

 in a convenient form for reference, is apparent. To be most valuable it should be 

 free from sectional aggrandizement, and be universally pati'onized by breeders of 

 such sheep throughout the United States. Delay has ijcen made in forwarding pedi- 

 grees to the American Merino Register in hopes that a union might be eflected be- 

 tween it and the Vermont Register upon a basis that would be unanimously adopted, 

 but eftbrts in that direction have failed, and pedigrees are being forwarded to the 

 American Merino Register with the expectation of bringing it to a successful com- 

 pletion in du(^ time. 



The annual meeting of the Xew York Sheep Breeders' Association will probably 

 be held the last Wednesday in January next, at Rochester, at which time we should 

 be glad to see yourself and others of your association. 



Very truly yours, 



WM. G. MARKIIAM. 



Mr. J. N. Smith inquired what necessity there was for having more than 

 one Merino register for the United States. 



Mr. Townsend said there was no necessity for more than one, but several 

 had been started through local jealousy or otiier causes. Tiic Vermont Regis- 

 ter is nearly completed and will soon be published. The New York Register is 

 not as far advanced. The Ohio Register is not satisfactory. Mr. Townsend 

 thought they would all have to be consolidated into one national registry. 



The question was asked why Micliigan could not have a sheep registry of its 

 own. 



R. F. Johnstone replied that the work of providing and keeping up a 

 respectable record would not pay, either by the fees that would be collected or 

 by the sale of the work when printed and published. Such a work would re- 

 quire an enormous amount of time from any person who was adapted by edu- 

 cation and training for such a work. The sheep breeders of Oliio had got out 

 one very valuable volume, and it was of great value to the breeders of that 

 State. It cost 83 for the single volume, but it had proved so unremunerative 

 that the work had been given up. There was now in preparation in Vermont 

 a register that promised to be of great value to the breeders throughout the 

 United States, and which would contain all that was valuable to the breeders 

 of thoroughbreds. What was needed at present was not so much the pedigree 

 of individual rams as the proof that the blood of flocks kept for the supply of 

 thoroughbreds was perfect and without flavsr in their descent from imported 

 Merinos. The Vermont Register promised to do tliis work more thoroughly 

 than any other publication of the kind that had yet been attempted. So far 

 as we can learn, it is in the hands of experts, and it is not probable that the 

 management will haggle about a word in the name. It should, in reality, be a 

 national work, and tlie adoption of a general name will only be a question of 

 time. Many of the breeders of this State, as well as of Western New York, 

 had already registered their flocks in it, and coming from the source from 

 wlience all our western thoroughbreds have sprung, it wa.s well adapted to the 

 wants of onr Michigan breeders, and though its name might seem sectional and 

 limited, it would in reality be a national work, and must be so from its very 

 nature. If we get what our breeders need, we might exclaim with the great 

 dramatist, " What's in a name.^" 



