FAKMERS' INSTITUTES. 309* 



only well water are healthier. He has a windwill to pumiD water from a well 

 for his stock, and the animals do not stand and drink and shiver. The animals 

 should have water that they can get at to drink when they are dry. Animals 

 do not drink for fear they will be thirsty, but because they are thirsty. His 

 animals do not stop to drink at ponds, and they are healthy. 



He ascribed many of the diseases of farm stock to impure water of swamps, 

 irregularity of watering, or insufficiency of water. AVhen animals are long 

 without water they are likely to drink too much when they do get it. His pol- 

 icy is to provide water so that his animals will get it when they want it, and he 

 does not believe in forcing them to go long distances, through winter storms 

 and over ice, laerhaps, to get water. Under such conditions they often go a 

 long time without drink rather than expose themselves to the storm or risk them- 

 selves on the ice. 



Mr. Beers' remarks were listened to with the most profound attention, and 

 when he closed, the applause indicated high appreciation. In reply to inquiries 

 he described his plan to construct water works to be operated by windmill. 



The following pajier on '' Sheep," by Mr. Burlingame, was read by Rev. G. 

 M. Reynolds : 



"sheep." 



The sheep as a domestic animal has been cared for by man since Abel kept 

 his flocks on the Euphrates or Tigris more than five thousand years ago. As 

 the reindeer to the Laplander, so sheep have been to others in all climes where 

 it Avas practical to rear them. They furnished food to the epicurean as Avell as 

 the hard-fisted yeoman ; clothing to those in high places as well as to the poor 

 and lowly among men. 



The limits of this essay Avill hinder any lengthy discussion of the subject 

 before us, or any display of book learning were it at our command on this occa- 

 sion. What we say will be mostly on our own experience, without much of 

 theory or speculative doctrine, hoping thereby to add our mite to the efforts of 

 this Institute in the promotion of the interests of the farmers of Shiawassee 

 county. 



Perhaps it will not be amiss if we speak in short of some of the breeds or 

 families of sheep that have been introduced into this country before we come 

 directly to that with which we have had most to do. 



In 1793 Spanish merinoes were first introduced into the United States. The 

 first lot were all converted from sheep to mutton. About the beginning of the 

 present century other sheep of this breed were brought over which were kept 

 and cared for with great profit to the owners. In 1810 Mr. Livingston sold 

 full-blood wool unwashed for two dollars a pound, while imported merino rams 

 sold for $1,000 apiece. 



The tariff on wool in 1824 gave an impulse to the production of fine wool, 

 and about this time were large importations of Saxon merinoes to the United 

 States. On account of the fineness of the wool for a time the Saxon breed 

 seemed to have the preference, but the hope of the owners were not realized, 

 and finally an ad valorem duty on all wools Avas a death blow to the Saxons. 



We come now to speak of the American merinoes established as a variety, 

 and first the mixed Leonese or Jarvis merinoes. They were derived from a 

 mixture of five families of Spanish sheep, the Paulers being in excess in num- 

 bers. These sheep were sought after and were in great esteem for a long time, 

 but merged into other families, which we notice in this, namely : the Atwood 



