Rural Economy in New England 341 



The Importations of Merino Sheep. 



Between 1800 and 1815, a noteworthy effort was made to improve 

 the native stock by the importation of rams and ewes from Spain. 

 The Spanish Merino sheep had long been famous for the weight and 

 excellent quality of their wool, but on account of rigid exportation 

 restrictions it had been practically impossible to bring representatives 

 of the stock to this country. These restrictions were broken down 

 about the year 1800, during the disorganization of the government 

 of Spain following the Napoleonic invasion. Advantage of this 

 state of affairs was taken by our ambassadors in Spain and France, 

 Col. David Humphreys and Robert Livingston, as well as by cer- 

 tain other Americans who were abroad at that time. They secured 

 a few of these valuable animals, which they shipped back to America. 

 The only importations of importance into New England before 1809 

 were the flock of 70 ewes and 21 rams sent by Col. Humphreys in 

 1802.^ Although from the very first there was no doubt of the 

 great improvement which the mixture of the Spanish with the native 

 breed produced upon the latter,^ yet the ordinary farmer was slow 

 in benefiting thereby. In the first place, the knowledge of the im- 

 portations spread slowly, and then the prices at which the Merinos 

 sold were so exorbitant,' that few even of the most prosperous of 

 gentlemen-farmers could afford to experiment with them. In general 

 we may say that it was the lack of a commercial stimulus which 

 retarded progress along this line, as well as along all others. The 

 native breed, poor as they were, supplied enough wool and mutton 

 for the farmer's own family.^ The demand for wool in the domestic 



' Sheep Industry in U. S., p. 136. 



2 The Massachusetts Agricultural Society printed in its Papers for 1807 two 

 enthusiastic letters from Colonel Humphreys stating that the Merinos, both of 

 pure and mixed blood, were hardier, better adapted to the climate of New Eng- 

 land, and more easily nourished than the common or native breed. In addition 

 they produced more and better wool and attained a larger size and greater weight. 

 pp. 59-63. 



3 Humphreys did not sell any until 1805; then he sold some at prices ranging 

 from $1,000 to $1,500 apiece. Livingston sold his rams at $150 apiece. Sheep 

 Industry in U. S., pp. 140, 167. 



* Livingston describes the position of sheep in American agriculture as fol- 

 lows: "Sheep have heretofore not been kept in any great numbers. They never 

 made an object in American husbandry. Every farmer kept a few to run over 

 his stubble, and pick up the hay that the horses and cattle wasted. There being 

 no regular demand for wool, no more sheep were kept than supplied the farmer's 

 family with what was necessary for their domestic manufacture of stockings, mit- 

 tens, petticoats, coverlids, and coarse cloth for servants and children . . . ." 

 American Agriculture, p. 336. 



