FINE WOOL SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 99 



sheep of Mr. Bakewell are not a more artificial variety, 

 and all highly artiticial varieties become comparatively 

 delicate in constitution. 



The following frank and well considered opinions 

 on this subject are from the pen of Colonel F. M. 

 Rotch, of Morris, Otsego County, 1ST. Y., who imported 

 some of these sheep in conjunction with Mr. Taintor 

 in 1851, and who, a few years since, had a most ad- 

 mirable nock of them. He writes me : 



* * * * France I visited two or three times 

 with a view to importing Merinos, and sent out to 

 Mr. Taintor quite a number of the French variety. 



" The French Merinos of the first class are certainly 

 superb sheep, but they vary there as they do here a 

 few flocks, say half a dozen, being very superior, and 

 then comes a number of mediocre flocks where neither 

 the care nor expense nor knowledge are bestowed, and 

 where the sheep more closely resemble the old Spanish 

 type. You ask me my opinion of the French, as 

 suited to our rough farming. I don't think them at 

 all fitted to it. Though a vigorous, good constitu- 

 tioned and hardy sheep, they are accustomed to too 

 much care and watchfulness in their native land to be 

 able to endure the rough-and-tumble style of much of 

 our farming. The north side of a barn and the lee of 

 a rail fence for animals that are housed every night 

 in the year at home, is too sudden and great a change. 

 With proper care they are able to endure even our 

 vicissitudes of climate, and thrive and grow fat here 

 as in France ; but like all improved breeds of domestic 

 animals, it is folly to expect them to do well without 

 care or feeding. Any animal brought from a state of 

 high cultivation and a mild temperature, to a colder 

 climate and poorer soil, will deteriorate unless extra 

 pains are taken to supply the loss of care and coun- 

 teract the change of food. During the dozen years I 



