THE SHEEP 



1 87 



among the breeders of fine-wool sheep in 

 America, Germany, and Austraha. 



Merino sheep were first imported into 

 France in 1766. In 17S6 a flock of four hun- 

 dred was imported from Old Castile and estab- 

 lished at Rambouillet. With great difficulty 

 these sheep were saved during the Revolution, 

 and to-da\- the Rambouillet mutton has a 



to the African sheep, with its long, outwardly 

 curved nose, its flabby, pendent ears, and its 

 short, fat tail. The lambs of this race supply 

 the well-known fur. While still very young 

 they are covered with a short, fine wool, curled 

 very tightly in small locks all over the body. 

 Long hairs soon appear among these locks, 

 and for that reason the lambs are killed within 



lis Route for tiiI': Slaughter House 



European reputation, and is favorably known 

 on many American farms. 



The different varieties of sheep in all parts 

 of Europe are so numerous that we can name 

 here only a few, which serve the world at large 

 with some special luxury. 



Bokhara, a district of southern Russia, that 

 paradise of the ovine race, with its dry climate 

 and its vast grassy steppes, has millions of 

 sheep of all breeds, but especially the astra- 

 k/iait. This animal bears much resemblance 



a very few days of their birth. These skins 

 bear the name of " krimmer," and are sold in 

 the Crimea for $2.50 each. The skins called 

 "astrakhan," which come from older lambs, 

 cost only ^1.25. To assist the curling of the 

 hair the young lambs are sewn up, during their 

 brief existence, in another skin or in a piece of 

 coarse linen. 



Among the mountains of the south of 

 France we find the breed that produces the 

 famous Roquefcirt cheese. This cheese is 



