SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH 129 



LETTER X. 



BREEDS OP SHEEP IN THE UNITED STATES 



Enumeration of Imported Breeds ... No indigenous ones ..." Native " Sheep— their Origin— Views of M» 

 Youatt— Mr. Livingston— their true Origin— their Early In-rease in New-England . . Vanderdonk's deecriptio* 

 of the Sheep and their increase introduced t'rom Holland into New-Netherland (New- York)... Character- 

 istics of the Native sheep... Account of the Introduction of Merinos into the United States.. .Their valua- 

 tion at different periods... The Spanish sub-varieties— Merged in the United States... Purity of blood of the 

 descendants of the Early Importations- . .Spurious Merinos. ..Weight of Fleece of the Spanish and French 

 (Rambouillet) families. ..Description of the latter... American FHmilies — ^their Characte istics-. Doctor Em- 

 mons's Measurements of the Fineness of Wool of individuals of the American, Spanish, and French ferailiet 

 — also of other breeds.. The Characteristics of the Merino— its Crosses- ..The Saxon Sheep— its Origin— 

 Varietie>= — Treatment in Germany... Introduction into the United States... Purity of blood in our present 

 flocks— Weight of Fleece— Ch«iactcristics. ..The New Leicester or " Bakewell "—Oi iain— Character in 

 Enaland— Introduction into the United States— Valuation in the latter— Characteristics... South-Down 

 Sheep— Origin— Characteristics— Introduction into the United States. -Mr Ellman's description of a perfect 

 animal. -CoF:- wold Sheep— Original Stock— Crossed -the improved variety— Characteristics of— Introduction 

 into the United States.. Cheviot Sheep— Importation into the United States— Original Stock-Crossed— 

 improved variety— Chaiacieristics... Broad-Tailed Sheep— Introduction into our Country— Characteristi".8. 



Dear Sir : It is believed by those competent to judge, and who have 

 investigated the subject, that our country now possesses every knownbredi 

 of sheep which could be of particular benefit to its husbandry. In pro- 

 ceeding to give an account of the sheep of the United States, I do not 

 deem it necessary to take up your time with a detailed Jiistory of each 

 race. The zoologist or breeder anxious to obtain this information, will 

 find it eiven with great elaboration and accuracy, in the admirable work 

 on Sheep by the late Mr. Youatt.* 



The principal breeds in the United States are the " Native," (so called) ; 

 the Spanish and Saxon Merinos, introduced from the countries whose 

 names they bear ; the New Leicester or Bakewell, the South-Down, the 

 Cotswold, the Cheviot, and the Lincoln from England. The common 

 sheep of Holland were early imported by the Dutch emigrants who origi- 

 nally colonized New- York, but have long since ceased to exist as a dis- 

 tinct variety. The Broad-Tailed Sheep of Asia and Africa have several 

 times been introduced from Persia, Tunis, Asia Minor, etc. 



Chancellor Livingston also speaks of two "races as 'indigenous to thia 

 country, which we have not enumerated, as it is not known to the Com- 

 mittee '+ that they are now bred in any portion of the United States, 

 viz., the Otter and Smith's Island Sheep, breeds said to have been discov- 

 ered on two islands on our Atlantic coast. An almost infinite variety of 

 Crossei have taken place between the Spanish, English, and ' native ' fara't- 

 nes. To so great an extent, indeed, has this been carried, that there are, 



* Also in Mr. Bischotfs. Spooner's, etc., (English) works, and Mr. Morrel's "American Shepherd" — the 

 hietorical parts of all of which are compiled mainly from Mr. Youatt 



t At the Annual Meetina of the New-York Stale Agricultural Society, 1837. a Committee was appointed to 

 report at the next Annual Meeting' of the Society, on the •' Condition ajj.? Comparative Value of the Several 

 Breeds of Shcjep in the United States." The Committee consisted ot Henry S. Randall of Cortland, Henry 

 D. Grove of Rensselaer, John B. Duane of Schenectady, Francis Rotch of Otsego, and C. N Bement of Alba- 

 ny. These <;entlemen were at the time breeders of all or nearly all the most important varieties, and it was 

 expected that each would write that portion of the Report treating of the one or ones bred by himself The 

 Committee, however, desired — or rather required me to write the whc le Report, which I did. with the 

 exception of quotations from authors. The Committee met in Albany, prior to the presentation of the Re- 

 port, and the late Thomas Dunn and several other breeders were present by invitation. The Report was 

 unanimously adopted by the Committee, and assented to by the breeders present. I do not now quote or 

 adopt all the conclusions of that Report Experience has compelled me to modify some of my opinions, 

 and actual change* in the breeds have taken place But I have mentioned the above facts, to show the au- 

 thority on which the statements which I have quoted, rest ; and also because the Report has been often 

 quoted from, sometimes without any credit, and sometimes erroneously credited. 



fTo save constant reference, it will be understood that all the matter quoted in this Letter from the Re- 

 port will, unUke the cases where Mr. Randall quotes at any length from the writings of others, be printed 

 In ti^ sanoe type with the body of the Letter, and simply marked with quotation point*. PubU$htr.\ 



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