642 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



Merino flock by a purchase from B. J. Williams, of Whitewater, of 3 

 ewes from the flock of John D. Patterson, of Westfield, N. Y. The 

 price for the 3 ewes was $100. At the same time he purchased from 

 Mr. Williams a ram with one-seventh cross of French, but the stock 

 proving unsatisfactory, the ram and his get were sold for store sheep. 

 In 1864 he purchased of Paul Hastings, Geneva, 6 ewe lambs. Those 

 ewes were all bred to pure-bred Spanish Merino rams. In 1870 the 

 flock numbered 30 ewes. Subsequent additions were made by pur- 

 chases from S. B. Lusk and P. H. McMillan, of New York. 



Meanwhile some of the English breeds of sheep were introduced into 

 the State,* many from Canada, some from the older Western States, and 

 a few from England direct. In 1845, T. J. Carmichael imported 3 rams 

 and 6 ewes of the white-faced Cheviot breed for his farm at Lake 

 Mills, Jefferson County. These sheep were large and very fine, the 

 fleeces quite as heavy, and the wool nearly as long as the Leicester. 

 The rams were bought of the flock of James Oliver, Bothwick Bray, 

 and the ewes from that of Charles Scott, of Eoxburghshire. In 1854 

 Capt. McKiimon imported from England about a dozen head of sheep 

 of the most improved varieties. There were other importations made, 

 but the great interest remained with the Spanish Merino. 



The early importations of the grade Merino sheep and the pure- 

 bloods proved so successful, they accli mated so readily, and cost so 

 little to keep, that flocks were rapidly multiplied. Great pains were 

 taken to improve them, for which the best rams were brought from 

 New York and Vermont, and the business became a growing and 

 profitable one. From 3,462 sheep in 1840 they increased to over 26,000 

 in 1844, and to 124,896 in 1850. Most of these were mixed breeds, but 

 there were some flocks of full-bloods which were found profitable. The 

 sheep brought from Vermont were found to increase in size at least 

 one-third, while the wool increased equally in weight and quality. 



A brief sketch of some of the breeding flocks established between 

 1860 and 1870 will be given. In view of the fact that the greater part 

 of the flocks of pure Spanish Merinos in the State were commenced by 

 the purchase of Vermont and New York bred sheep, it is unnecessary 

 to give a detailed history of them; all that is essential is to make the 

 connection, and the detailed history can be consulted in the chapters 

 treating of the parent flocks. 



In 1860 A. Jones, of Leeds Center, purchased of C. E. Jones, of Ver- 

 mont, 50 ewes descended from the Jarvis and Humphreys importations 

 through the flocks of J. Hinds, Lyman Webster, and Stephen Atwood. 

 In 1863 he purchased of Mr. Jones 15 more of the same blood and 

 rams of the Jarvis and Humphreys blood. He added to the flock, in 

 1873, 14 ewes from the flocks of Edwin Hammond and E. S. Stowell, of 

 Vermont, and 2 rams from the Hammond flock. 



Isaac Gale, of Waukesha, began the formation of a flock by the pur- 

 chase of 10 ewes that had been brought from Vermont to New York in 

 1862. They were bred by the Merino flockmasters of Shoreham. Vt. 



