344 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



by good care and stimulating food. Tliirty pounds of shelled corn fed to each 

 sheep in the time above mentioned is equal to one and a half pounds of wool iu 

 value. Sheep that are allowed to lose flesh in this season are much more liable 

 to disease, their wool becomes harsh, short, and light, affording but little pro- 

 tection to the animal from wind and cold, and much more food and care is 

 required to carry it through to grass. As soon as such a sheep begins to thrive 

 in the spring, if it lives to do so, the wool, being dead, starts from the skin, and 

 is rotton and worthless except for shoddy. 



Shearing, Mr. Dryer recommended be done early, for as soon as the weather 

 gets warm there is no more growth. No sheep should be exposed to the long, 

 cold storms of early spring. He also jiut in a protest against too close shearing. 



The warmest discussion of tlie Institute took place over some of the ideas 

 advanced in the paper on sheep husbandry. Wm. Ball, one of the most suc- 

 cessful fine-wool growers in Livingston county, attacked Mr. Dryer on the hous- 

 ing process, and the debate between him and Mr. Dryer Avas earnest and sharp. 

 Several others, among them Dr. Miles, A. F. Wood, of Mason, and Mr. Lyon, 

 also gave their views on the subject. 



Mr. C. A. Miller of Marengo next read a paper of which we have not the 

 manuscript. The following condensed report of it is from the Lansing Kepub- 

 lican of February Gtli. 



PEDIGREES IX SHEEP BREEDING. 



Mr. Miller first condemned the general practice of the farmers in turning out 

 their sheep to shirk for themselves, while their other stock is warmly housed and 

 bountifully fed. The short-wools were his favorites, although the long-wools, 

 like other breeds, have their place. He claimed the history of the merino sheep 

 to run back anterior to the Christian era. They ■were first brought to this 

 country from Spain in 1803 by Col. Humphreys, the American minister. He 

 gave a history of the different varieties of short-wools, and believed the United 

 States to be a natural home for them. The evidence that the merino sheep are 

 the best for the largest number of farmers is that they are now far superior to 

 the first importation, much larger, shearing double what they did w'hen first 

 imported. Not so with long-wools ; they rapidly deteriorate. 



He advocated the keeping of an American merino register, the same as is 

 kept for shortliorns and other pure blood stock. He agreed witii Mr. Dryer 

 that by housing, shearing early, and pampering, grade merinos can be made to 

 put on the external blood-like appearance which deceives committees at fairs ; 

 and the selling of such stock at enormous prices w'orks great injury to sheep 

 husbandry. If a register were kept, then grade breeders and fraudulent dealers 

 could be exposed. 



A discussion of the two preceding papers took place as follows : 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Ball. — I believe Mr. Dryer is at least original in some of his ideas ; I have 

 never seen or heard any thing like them. Tliat the American merino sheep 

 resulted from a cross of the French, Spanish, and Silesian is new. All New 

 York and Vermont breeders claim that the American merino is the result of 

 breeding in a direct line for a hundred years. That this is not the case is unfair 

 to breeders who have spent their lives iu improving our American merinos. 

 That there can be no hair upon the American merino is another mistake. Hairs 

 are an indication of purity. I believe that proper care and housing are essential 



