344 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



beginning of the present century, when a few English sheep were intro- 

 duced, among the first being a small flock of New Leicester sheep 

 brought from England by a Eev. Mr. Toofy, about 1799 or 1800. When 

 the Merinos were introduced into the United States they soon found 

 their way from Vermont and New York into Canada and became very 

 popular. Many flocks were crossed with them and new flocks were 

 started, and for some years fine-wool growing prospered. In the country 

 contiguous to the American boundary nearly all the flocks existing in 

 1840 were of Merinos and their grades, originally introduced from the 

 Atlantic States. The woolen manufacture was then confined princi- 

 pally to coarse homemade cloths and flannels, then suitable to the 

 needs of a new country. But in the other and by far larger part of the 

 Dominion the sheep were a sort of mongrel type, partaking much of the 

 characteristics of the Cheviot a rough hardy race, of medium size, the 

 rams generally having horns of a most unwieldy form. There were 

 many black sheep among them, and these were prized above others by 

 the farmers' wives, for their wool could be spun into yarn for making 

 the coarse homemade stockings and clothing without the trouble of 

 dyeing. 



About 1844 some of the most progressive farmers began importing 

 Southdowns. As a pure breed they did not prove successful ; partly 

 owing to their want of hardiness for that climate, but particularly to the 

 fact that all or nearly all the stock imported came from the same flock or 

 strain of blood and but little or no fresh blood was subsequently intro- 

 duced. Consequently they were lacking in stamina and constitution 

 for being so closely bred. But when the Southdown rams were crossed 

 upon the native or common sheep and the Merino ewes there were 

 great improvements, so great that after a few crosses the flocks became 

 more than doubled in size of carcass and weight of fleece, with a fine 

 wool. Many laid the foundation of new flocks and improvement in old 

 flocks by buying and using such Southdown rams as were exposed for 

 sale by those who bred them. Some of the early American South- 

 downs came from this Canadian importation and the animals descended 

 from it. 



About 1846 some gentlemen farmers in Wellington imported ewes 

 and rams of the Leicester breed. They were smaller than the Leicesters 

 of the present day, and of compact, handsome form, with but little 

 offal, and with good fleeces of a fine quality. The ewes were remark- 

 ably prolific and their lambs grew rapidly, and at four months' old 

 gave a dressed weight of 50 pounds to the carcass. These sheep were 

 quick feeders, matured early, and gave a fine, well-flavored meat, upon 

 a carcass which, dressed at 12 to 18 months' old, averaged 100 to 120 

 pounds. So great was the improvement made by the Leicesters on 

 the common sheep and on the flocks of short- wooled sheep that they 

 were taken into general favor, and the improvement began by the 

 Southdown was carried still farther by the new rival. From time to 



