FINE WOOL SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 79 



with them, instead of the production of a small 

 annual surplus of rams and ewes to be sold at extra 

 prices for breeding purposes. On the other hand, 

 several persons in Connecticut and Vermont fortu- 

 nately devoted themselves specially to breeding, and 

 in their ardor to improve and to excel each other and 

 the Saxon breeders, made great and beneficial changes 

 in the characteristics of the breed. Accordingly, 

 when the restoration of the American Merinos to 

 public favor took place, about 1845, New England 

 had choicer individual sheep than New York ; and 

 there was a general importation of them, and espe- 

 cially of breeding rams, from the former into the 

 latter, and into the other states lying west of New 

 England. These importations superseded the families 

 existing in those states, or were blended with them, 

 and thus merged the individuality of the latter as 

 separate families. From that period, the American 

 Paulars and Infantados* have been bred distinct in 

 all parts of our country. Those who then procured Mr. 

 Jarvis's " mixed Leonese" sheep, have generally since 

 crossed them with one or both the other families. 

 It would be an instructive lesson could I accurately 



* I have no wish to impose a new name on the public for the 

 "Atwood sheep," as they are commonly termed, but I adopt this 

 designation myself, first, because I believe it to be the correct 

 one ; seeondly, because it is convenient and proper to have a fam- 

 ily name for these well-known sheep ; and thirdly, because I can see 

 no propriety in giving them permanently the name of an individual, 

 who, if he deserves (as he undoubtedly does) great credit for pre- 

 serving their blood unmixed, and effecting considerable improvements 

 on the original stock, neither imported them nor brought them to 

 their present high degree of perfection. If they are to be named 

 after any man, that man should be Colonel Humphreys. 



