SHEEP. 333 



and fatiguing journeys ; and lastly, there has been much care 

 used in the selection of the most profitable animals for breed. 

 The spirit of improvement has been recently awakened to 

 this important branch of American husbandry, and if not ar- 

 resied by any untoward national policy, it will soon result in 

 giving us numerous flocks of as choice sheep as the world af- 

 fords, as we have already all the elements within ourselves 

 for its attainment. 



PECULIARITIES or THE MERINO. The prominent peculi- 

 arities of the Merino, are the abundance and fineness of its 

 fleece, the tenacity with which it is held, its crimped or spiral 

 form, its felting properties, and the excessive quantity of 

 yolk, giving to it that softness which distinguishes it from all 

 others. Their large horns are common to several other va- 

 rieties. Their hoofs are sometimes singularly long, reaching 

 8 or 10 inches when allowed to grow. The horns, hoofs and 

 wool scarcely differ in their chemical constituents, and the 

 peculiar development of the two former, is justly considered 

 as an additional evidence of their wool-bearing properties. 

 The yolk in most of the sheep, forms, with the dust which 

 adheres to it, a firm crust on the exterior, and together with 

 the compactness of the fleece, it offers considerable resistance 

 to the open hand on being pressed, giving the impression of 

 rigidity. This outer covering repels the rain, the snow, and 

 the wind like a coat of mail, thus fitting the Merino to endure 

 exposure better than any other sheep. On opening the crust, 

 the wool is found of a brilliant, golden hue, sparkling with 

 yolk, and firmly held together in masses, hardly distinguisha- 

 ble from the cocoon of the silk-worm. The wool closely 

 covers every part of the body, and frequently the entire legs 

 and head, excepting a part of tho face. 



Another peculiarity of the Merino is its longevity. They 

 attain a great age when properly managed, and in healthy 

 localities, sometimes breed till 20 years of age. The Merino 

 may be described, generally, as a small-boned, closely made, 

 medium sized sheep, varying from 80 Ibs. of live weight for a 

 small ewe, to 160 Ibs. for good sized wethers and rams, in 

 ordinary condition. They are light in the shoulders and 

 chest, and are, altogether, more deficient in form than the 

 best mutton sheep. This apparent difference is materially 

 lessened when both are denuded of their fleece ; as the longer 

 pile of the latter covers defects, which would manifest them- 

 selves under the closer covering of the Merino. Yet, with 

 this seeming deficiency, Young found, in feeding, between 



