150 PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 



Sheep husbandly has declined. If these two facts as 

 uniformly stand to each other in the relation of cause 

 and effect, as they certainly do in many instances, the 

 remedy is suggested at once — replace the animal with 

 ''golden feet.'' After devoting the best land to culti- 

 vation and the poorest to wood, we have thousands 

 upon thousands of acres evidently intended by the 

 Creator for sheep walks, because better adapted for 

 this purpose than for any other. An indication of 

 Providence so unmistakable as this should not be un- 

 heeded. 



The Merinos are perhaps the most ancient race of 

 sheep extant. They originated in Spain, and were for 

 ages bred there alone. In 1165 they were introduced 

 into Saxony, where they were bred with care and with 

 special reference to increasing the fineness of the wool, 

 little regard being paid to other considerations. They 

 were also taken to France and to Silesia, and from all 

 these sources importations have been made into the 

 United States. The Spanish Merino has proved the 

 most successful, and by skill and care in breeding has 

 been greatly improved, insomuch that intelligent judges 

 are of opinion that some of the Vermont flocks are 

 superior to the best in Europe, both in form, hardiness, 

 quantity of fleece and staple. They are too well known 

 to require a detailed description here. Suffice it to say 



