274 [Senate 



produce better than the many valuable coarse varieties that have 

 been introduced among us 1 If fineness of fleece, without any other 

 consitleration, the Saxon Merino never will be rivaled. If you de- 

 sire a flock of good fair sized animals, sheep that will endure our 

 climate, that are able to withstand the sudden changes of weather, 

 with fleeces of fine grade, mutton not of the best quality, and yet 

 palatable, then I contend that the Merinoes are the most profitable 

 breed. 



The Paular Merino, or what some term "old fashioned Merino," 

 are the most hardy and most profitable of this breed. There ap- 

 pears to be a general visionary desire in many of the States for cros- 

 sing the many diflerent breeds of sheep to obtain a new, distinct and 

 valuable variety. As it requires several generations to obtain a nev/ 

 and perfect cross, no breeder can fairly tr^ the experiment by a few 

 crossings. Time and money could be better laid out in improving 

 such breeds at hand as each may admire; by carefully selecting the 

 most perfect bucks for the large and best breeding ewes; and in the 

 mean time if wool be the object, regard should be had as to quality 

 and quantity of fleece; for constitution, size of limb and breadth of 

 carcass; and a good breeder must have milking qualities. 



For some years past I have particularly noticed how the coarse 

 breeds of sheep have been " cracked up" in laudatory terms at most 

 of the cattle shows throughout the States, and high premiums awarded, 

 when at the same time mention was scarcely made of the finer breeds, 

 as though they were but secondary creatures in producing materials 

 for the comfort of man. In looking over many of the agricultural 

 periodicals, we find plates of mutton sheep got up with a good finish, 

 but the Merino, or indispensable breeds, are not worthy of a place in 

 their columns. 



In my view, the Merinos are the most perfect sheep ever bred 

 among us; and I would as soon think of an amalgamation of the 

 Asiatic, African, or native American, with the Anglo Saxon race, to 

 obtain an improved race of people, as to think of crossing any one 

 of the coarser breeds of sheep upon the perfect Merinoes to obtain 

 a more valuable variety. 



Many have crossed the Saxon on the Spanish Merino, but there is 

 scarcely one experimenter that will now claim that he has effected 

 any improvement, but very many will acknowledge that they have 

 suffered a loss. It must be an established fact, that the fleece can- 

 not be improved in fineness except at the expense of carcass, nor the 

 carcass improved by high keep or a cross upon a robust or larger 

 breed, without deterioration in the fleece. The in-and-in system 

 when continued to some extent, will also produce a finer fleece and 

 a more slender constitution, although the stock bucks may be care- 

 fully selected. Many old breeders in this State assert that their flocks 

 have improved in fineness, which they attribute almost wholly to the 

 peculiarities of our climate. The same may be said of our grass 

 lands; the herbage is thicker, shorter and finer in general than can 

 be found in distant parts. Our mountainous State may also exult in 

 our freedom from those swamps and stagnant waters, which generate 



