408 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



stating that tliey were kept some time on the farm of Mr. Wilson, 

 seem to invalidate both the statement of Alexander Eeed and 0. M. 

 Reed. Alexander Eeed, March 20, 1824, says: " It is not quite three 

 years since I commenced sheep husbandry,' 7 and continues the state- 

 ment by noting- the purchase of " a flock of 134 full-bloods from Mr. 

 Wilson, near Philadelphia." The date as indicated by Mr. Alexander 

 Eeed is undoubtedly correct, and there is but little doubt that these 

 Spanish Merinos were not imported in 1820, but in 1810 and 1811, and 

 were part of the Infantado flock or flocks in charge of David Eose, W. 

 J. Miller, and others from 1810 to 1823, belonging to E. W. Meade, and 

 of which mention has been made on a preceding page. 



The introduction of the Meade importation laid, in part, the founda- 

 tion of the Delaine Merino sheep through the flocks of George Murray, 

 William Brownlee, George Craighead, Ebenezer McClelland, and John 

 McNary. George Murray, George Craighead, and Ebenezer McClel- 

 land bought of Alexander Eeed the sheep that were the foundation of 

 their flocks. These were small and well fed, and being always fat, soon 

 developed into large black-topped and heavy-shearing sheep, and were 

 spoken of as the Big Merinos. At first these sheep were of medium 

 size, with a fleece weighing about 2 J pounds, and of very fine staple. 



In 1824, at the request of J. Hare Powell, of Philadelphia, Mr. Alex- 

 ander Eeed gave some facts concerning his flock and its management, 

 which, before proceeding to the branches from it, we condense. From 

 his own observation and information from more experienced sheep 

 farmers he was fully convinced that the half and three-fourths blood 

 Merinos would produce more good mutton in proportion to the food 

 than the common sheep of the country. Their small bone and compact 

 form gave them a decided advantage. With the western growers the 

 weight and fineness of fleece were the only objects. His belief was 

 that in situations where mutton commanded a good price, taking in 

 view the amount of capital required, from half to three-fourths bred 

 would prove as profitable as any other kind. By a little care in select- 

 ing good-sized Merino rams and large well-formed common ewes, a race 

 would be produced combining, in a great degree, valuable wool arid 

 heavy carcasses. The fact was unquestioned that such a cross pro- 

 duced more wool than the unmixed on either side. That they were 

 more active and stronger than the common sheep was also a fact well 

 known to all who had been in the habit of handling them, and in wash- 

 ing them it required nearly double the strength to manage them in the 

 water. 



The management of the sheep was similar throughout the county. 

 Pasture ground was so arranged as to take a piece of woodland into 

 every field to shade them from the sun. This was considered essential 

 to their health and comfort, particularly after shearing. Four to 

 sheep were kept on an acre and frequent changes made from field to field 

 when practicable. During the winter the feed was almost entirely a 



