THE AMERICAN MERINO 505 



The adaptability of the American Merino is great. On the 

 rough mountain pastures of New England and on the ranges of 

 the Far West it seems equally at home, though a better fleece is 

 produced in the northeast than in the southwest, the drier cli- . 

 mate being more unfavorable. On the richer soils of the Middle 

 West the Merino attains more size than in the Far West. The 

 American Merino is extremely hardy and thrives on scanty pasture 

 and in cold weather. Grazing in large flocks on the plains, it is 

 specially adapted to the care of the shepherd. Larger flocks of 

 Merinos may be kept together more successfully than is possible 

 with the other breeds. Merinos are very active and rustle for 

 themselves under unfavorable conditions. They also suffer less 

 from animal parasites than the mutton breeds. 



The breeding qualities of the American Merino are rather 

 inferior. The lambs of the heavy-fleeced sort are often weak 

 when dropped ; the ewes are not very prolific and are not supe- 

 rior milkers. In 1903 the late C. S. Chapman, for years one of 

 Ohio's best-known breeders, wrote : 



For many years previous to 1880 my father and I were breeders of the 

 heavy-folded Merinos, having ewes shearing 1 8 to 20 pounds each, and using 

 rams shearing 30 to 36 pounds each, from the flocks of the best breeders in 

 Vermont. We had our sheep bred so strongly to the production of wool that 

 we could not raise over 50 to 60 per cent of the lamb crop. They (the lambs) 

 would be so feeble when dropped that in a majority of cases you could not tell 

 for twenty-four hours whether they had vitality enough to live. 



The Merinos, however, breed far longer than the average sheep 

 and raise a fair percentage of lambs. 



The early-maturing qualities of the American Merino are of 

 secondary character, the lambs developing more slowly than the 

 mutton breeds. To do well they should come early in spring, be 

 given comfortable shelter and care, and be fed liberally to secure 

 size and stamina. Many breeders have their ewes lamb in April 

 and May, so that the lambs go into the hot weather of July and 

 August, and between dry pastures, stomach worms, flies, and heat 

 do not come on well and consequently mature very slowly. 



Important subtypes or families of the Merino exist to-day. 

 Among these are the Delaine and the Rambouillet, which are 

 discussed separately and in some detail in special chapters. 



