SECRETARY'S REPORT. 137 



"Among other products taken from Vermont by the commissioners 

 for exhibition, were twelve Merino sheep ; and I am happy to congratu- 

 late the State upon the success which attended the enterprise. In the 

 list of competitors for prizes at the exhibition were two thousand sheep, 

 representing the best flocks from all the German States, from France, 

 England, and nearly all the countries of Central Europe. Against this 

 strong competition, and contending against the natural prejudices exist- 

 ing against American products, Vermont won, at the hands of an able 

 and impartial board of judges, the two first prizes, and one second prize, 

 for her sheep. The result of this to the sheep-breeding interests of 

 Vermont can hardly be estimated. It was a great achievement, and is 

 destined to give to America, and especially to Vermont, that which 

 Europe has for so long a time almost exclusively enjoyed — the rich and 

 valuable trade in stock-breeding sheep." 



The award created no small surprise in the minds of many, 

 and led to a very careful examination of the sheep, in compari- 

 son with the other fine-wool entries, but I think any impartial 

 judge was ready to admit, that the staple of the American 

 fleece, if not quite so fine as the finest of their competitors, was 

 longer and cleaner than any of them, leaving much less chance 

 for loss in shrinkage, while the size of the sheep, not so large 

 as some others, was, neverthless, more suitable for the produc- 

 tion of a uniform and even fleece. The strong point of supe- 

 riority was the remarkable evenness and purity of the fleece; 



This triumph was of great importance to the whole country. 

 It will stimulate and encourage our breeders to further efibrt 

 and higher triumphs in the future, and thus promote the 

 wealth and prosperity of the country. 



Of the swine on the ground I have but little to say ; not that 

 I failed to examine them with some care, but that the finest 

 specimens were mostly either shown by English exhibitors, or 

 if otherwise, they consisted largely of English breeds or their 

 descendants, and these are alluded to in considerable detail in 

 my last annual Report. The show was extensive, and as attrac- 

 tive as such shows generally are. Fat carried the day. Fat 

 will cover faults ; melancholy fact ! Being very hungry on one 

 occasion, I saw what I took to be a very fine, round sponge-cake. 

 It was soon mine ; but what was my astonishment and disgust,, 

 when, on trial, it proved to' be a fat pork-pie. 



18* 



