MERINOS. 



241 



and the quantity and kind of oil or yolk. The shoulders should be well placed ; back 

 broad ; quarters long and well rilled up ; head short ; folds in the neck, elbow, flank, 

 belly, thighs and tail. 



" Rams at full growth, in breeding condition, should weigh 130 Ibs. or upwards, and 

 ewes about 100 Ibs. The head should be of medium size ; muzzle clear ; nose (or face) 

 covered with short, glossy, furry hair ; eyes bright and placid ; forehead broad ; ears soft, 

 thick and set wide apart ; ewes hornless ; horns on the ram well turned (set not too 

 closely to the head and neck, nor yet standing out too wide), and free from black or dark 

 colored streaks. The neck should be short on top and long below ; strongly set to the 

 head and shoulders, becoming deeper toward the shoulders ; folds heavier underneath 

 and extending up the sides of the nock, including heavy dewlap and apron. The legs 

 should be short, straight, well spread apart, and bone heavy ; hoofs clear in color and 

 well shaped. General appearance should be bold and vigorous, with symmetrical form, 

 and proper complexion of covering." 



The following Scale of Points for American Merinos, should be 

 used in connection with above : 



Blood 20 Forward 81 



Constitution . 18 Head 6 



Fleece 13 Neck 5 



Covering 13 Legs and Feet 4 



Form .... 9 General Appearance 4 



Size 8 



Perfection IDC 



Forward 81 



In the South, the Merinos are better known than any other breed 

 of sheep ; the fact of their continued breeding for centuries in the hot, 

 dry climate of Spain, and the further fact or perhaps we should say 

 supposition of a remote ancestry from the still warmer latitude of 

 northern Africa, has fitted them especially for the warm, dry, elevated 

 regions of the Southwest. It must be borne in mind, however, that the 

 Merinos do not come in conflict, in any particular, with the heavier 

 sheep of the Down and Long-wool tribes. The mission of the Merino 

 is to furnish wool, and that, too, of the finest quality ; and for this pur- 

 pose he stands admittedly without a rival. 



Of the more prominent strains of Merinos now known in the 

 United States, we have thought best to give a short account, in order 

 named, of the Atwoods, Paulars, Dickinsons, Black-Tops and Delaines. 

 It will be remembered that we are not writing from the standpoint of a 

 biased or partisan breeder ; our statements are intended to do simple 

 justice to each, and if we fail in this the blame cannot, at least, be 

 imputed to any malicious purpose on the part of the author. 



The Atwoods. 



The origin of the Atwood family may be given, in brief, by the fol- 

 lowing quotation from Rules of Entry to the Register of the Vermont 

 Atwood Merino Sheep Club : 



" Descendants of sheep purchased from Stephen Atwood, or vouched for by him as 

 pure descendants of the Humphreys importation, and no other, may be entered in the 



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