424 AGRICULTURE. 



Since sheep were first used for wool produc- 

 tion, the breeds are more easily classified on 

 that basis than upon a basis of mutton produc- 

 tion. The kind of wool determines the class to 

 which the breed belongs. There are three 

 classes — known as Fine Wool, Medium Wool 

 and Long WooL 



BREEDS OF FINE-WOOL CLASS. 



1. Americaii Alerinos are descendants of the 

 Spanish Merino, a breed native of Spain. These 

 sheep were early brought to America and im- 

 proved. They came to be called American 

 Merinos. This breed is very small, but yields 

 a heavy clip of wool, rams occasionally shearing 

 above thirty pounds. The wool is very fine and 

 contains considerable yolk.;]; The rams carry 

 heavy spiral horns, but the ewes are hornless. 

 The face and ears are covered with white hair, 

 while wool covers the body to a great degree. 



2. Delaine Merinos are a breed which origi- 

 nated from the x\merican Merinos, and differ 

 from them only in that they possess more of a 

 mutton conformation, are less wrinkled and 

 shear somewhat less. The breed is composed 

 of several sub-breeds or types, the most impor- 

 tant of which are the National, Standard and 

 Dickinson. 1 hey are somewhat larger than the 

 American Merinos. 



3. Ranibonillets are natives of France, and 

 may be called the French improvement of the 



