322 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



tive prizes or awards where the prizes were given for the best only. 1 

 The sweepstakes prize of awards for the " best American Merino ram 

 of any age" was given to H. C. Burwell, Bridport, Vt., for his ram Bis-j 

 marck. Bismarck weighed in fall fleece 170 pounds, and was one od 

 the most perfect types of an American Merino ever seen. In form and! 

 general contour he was of the short-horn pattern. Back straight] 

 throughout and very broad, while at the same time he had great depth! 

 of carcass. He possessed a wonderful constitution and stamped hid 

 own impress in a marked degree, and was a very successful sire of bothj 

 rams and ewes. His head was short, broad, and well carried up; nosi 

 short, of good breadth, well wrinkled, and very soft and silky to tliel 

 touch. Fleece very dense, even, of most excellent style and quality J 

 highly crimped, opened in flakes free without cross fiber and covered' 

 him to perfection at all points, notably so on head and legs. Staple,! 

 24 inches long; fiber, 3| inches long. His oil was slightly buff in color, 

 circulated freely throughout the fleece, and coated him extremely well: 

 on the surface. His neck was one of the heaviest ever carried by aj 

 Merino ram and was proportionately folded at hip, tail, flank, and at! 

 point of shoulder. He also had some heavy side folds which ran well 

 under and across the belly. His heaviest fleece was 32 J pounds; sixth 

 fleece 31J pounds. 



There was a prize of $100 offered by the Pennsylvania State Agri- 

 cultural Society for the best flock of Merino sheep, to consist of one* 

 rani and four ewes, bred and exhibited by one breeder. This prize wasj 

 taken by Joseph T. Stickney, of Shoreham, Vt. Centennial, which 

 stood at the head of the flock, was a strong, vigorous, well-made ram, j 

 attractive and showy in general appearance, and weighed in full fleece 

 165 pounds. His folds were well placed to suit modern fashion, being 

 massed at neck, tail, hip, thigh, and flank, with a due proportion on 

 the under side. His fleece was dense and well carried all around. It 

 was even, of good quality and well crimped, and opened in flakes. Oil 

 buff, heavy, and well distributed; length of staple, 2J inches; length of 

 fiber, 3 J inches ; weight of fleece, 35 pounds. 



The revision of the tariff in 1883 checked the Merino sheep industry 

 in Vermont, and sales in 1884 of well-bred Merinos were limited. Many 

 of the small flocks of the State were kept intact, but without increase, 

 while others were wiped out entirely. Common flocks suffered much 

 reduction, due to the low price of wool and the bad outlook for the 

 future. In 1885 there was a small increase in business and a better 

 feeling among breeders. There were some compensating features inj 

 the depression of the wool industry beginning in 1883 and extending 

 to 1887 and 1888. Flocks were judiciously cleared of inferior sheep, 

 and the quality of those retained greatly improved by more care. Foij 

 three and four years past many of the best sheep of Vermont have been 

 exported to Australia and other foreign parts and sold at good prices. 

 The Vermont rams crossed on the Australian ewes give an increase in 



