CHAPTER Y. 



INTRODUCTION OF THE FINE-WOOLED SHEEP INTO THE MIDDLE AND 

 THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD STATES, AND THE SUBSEQUENT PROG- 

 RESS OF SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



NEW YORK. 



The first Merino sheep introduced into New York was by Delessert 

 and Dupont in 1801, as has been fully noted. The first full-blooded 

 flock was founded by Chancellor Livingston in 1802, and has also been 

 very freely treated in preceding pages. From the Livingston flock 

 some full-blood flocks and many half-blood and mixed flocks were 

 established prior to the importation of 1810-'ll. Livingston added to 

 his flock the choicest sheep of these importations, and was an enthu- 

 siastic bidder at the sales, although he believed that his own sheep, 

 both in beauty of form and quality of fleece, were decidedly superior to 

 the new importations. He added 6 Guadaloupes to his flock a longer- 

 legged and longer-bodied sheep than the Paulars, heavier than the 

 Infantados, and equal to them in the fineness of their fleeces. These 

 were, according to Livingston, in point of form, beauty, size, and fleece, 

 the finest of the imported sheep, though still far inferior to the Eam- 

 bouillets. He purchased 14 Paulars, which he describes as very close- 

 wooled, very compact in their make, and too short for beauty. He 

 bought also 2 Negretti, larger than the Paulars, but not so fine-wooled. 

 He added also Montarcos and Aguirres, and March 22, 1811, was in daily 

 expectation of 6 Escurials, none of which he thought had yet been im- 

 ported. He was forming a complete flock for the purpose of studying 

 the advantages and defects of each family, and, by proper admixture 

 with his rams, improve them all. Death overtook him in the midst of 

 his many labors, and the guiding spirit necessary to the development 

 of his plans was wanting. 



Of the many importations of 1810-'ll it is difficult to find traces after 

 the arrival and sale of the sheep. As they were disposed of mostly to 

 men of large possessions, who made wool-growing and not sheep-breed- 

 ing their business, pedigrees were not thought of, and purity of blood 

 absolutely disregarded. What was wanted was a large production of 

 wool, and other matters were entirely secondary. The best sheep were 

 crossed without regard to the cabaiias whence derived, and the best 

 rams were generally used on the common sheep to bring them up to satis- 

 factory wool-growers, The consequence was large flocks of mixed sheep 



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