MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. !$! 



the lines of both wool and mutton. The character of these sheep 

 and their impression on the flocks in which they were used stamp 

 von Homeyer as one of the great sheep breeders of the world. He 

 sought size and form, and with it he required a fine fleece of 

 good weight. Note his foundation flock. The ewes averaged 130 

 pounds in weight, and sheared 11.84 pounds of fine wool. 



The first of these sheep to come to America were two ewes and 

 a ram that came as a present to Hon. W. G. Markham, of New 

 York, in 1882. In 1885 seven rams were sent to Mr. Markham, 

 who disposed of all but one. Two of these rams found their way to 

 Michigan, were used on some of the leading flocks which had been 

 founded from other sources, and the improvement which Jthey pro- 

 duced was so marked that these breeders were eager for more of 

 such stock. In 1890 they secured two head only, but in 1891 a 

 company composed of the leading breeders of Michigan, who had 

 organized the American Eambouillet Association the preceding 

 year and in which L. B. Townsend was one of the prime movers 

 and financial backers, sent Thomas Wyckoff to Europe to inspect 

 the various flocks and select an importation. He visited the lead- 

 ing flocks of both France and Germany, including the government 

 flock at Eambouillet, and finally selected seven rams and sixteen 

 ewes, all from the von Homeyer flock, brought them to Michigan, 

 and. distributed them among the breeders who were interested in 

 the venture. In 1893 two more rams were imported by the same 

 parties. 



The improvement in the Eambouillet as bred in the eastern 

 part of the United States, and especially in Michigan and Ohio, 

 where are located the principal flocks, practically begins with this 

 importation and that of 1893, sent by Baron von Homeyer to Mr. 

 Markham for exhibit and sale at the World's Columbian Exposi- 

 tion. This latter lot consisted of eight rams and sixteen ewes, 

 probably of von Homeyer's best sheep. They created so favorable 

 an impression at that show that they were disposed of at private 

 sale to leading breeders, and whenever afterward anyone spoke of 

 Eambouillets the mind instantly reverted to those magnificent 

 sheep, "elephantine Merinos," as they were called. For they 

 excelled anything in the shape of a Merino sheep that had been 

 seen, in size and form combined with a fleece of such quality and 

 weight, and such coverings of head and legs. Mr. Markham 

 received another importation of eleven rams and seven ewes in 

 1894, which were either disposed of to other breeders or retained 

 in his own flock. A North Dakota breeder also made a small 

 importation in this year, but no results were obtained from them. 



These importations, all told consisting of less than 100 head, 

 coming as they did at a time when the heavy fleeced, wrinkly Ver- 

 mont Merino was losing popular favor and when the demand for 

 mutton was beginning to assume proportions, we feel safe in say- 



