44 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



the Merino class, yet it has survived and its wool known as 

 Electoral, from the title of the Saxon Prince who fostered 

 it with much care in its earlier days, always brings, aaid 

 doubtless always will bring, the highest price of any wool 

 produced. 



Its greatest value, however, is for crossing on the coarser 

 breeds for the purpose of improving the fleece, and past 

 experience goes to show that this, the finest wool sheep 

 existing, has undoubtedly an important place to fill in the 

 future rearing of a larger bodied animal with a fleece 

 of equal fineness and strength and brilliance of staple. We 

 may know what has occurred in this line of improving 

 sheep, but our dreams, even, may not equal the reality 

 which may happen in time in this direction. The advance 

 of every industry in every direction, is a constant denial 

 of the thought that we have reached perfection in any de- 

 gree in the breeding and rearing of sheep, or in the product 

 of wool. And the field for enterprise is wide open, and al- 

 ways will be for skillful experiment by advanced breeders. 

 Of late years the carcass of this sheep has been increased 

 in size, and like that of the larger French Merino varieties, 

 makes fine mutton, having an excellent flavor. With our 

 greater advantage here we may well expect to make this 

 once smallest of its race equal to any others of it, as a 

 mutton sheep. In its original home it has been considerably 

 improved in this way, and in the hands of the equally intel- 

 ligent and skillful American breeders it will have a success- 

 ful future. 



THE RAMBOU1LLET MERINO. 



The so-called Rambouillet Merino breed of sheep has be- 

 come exceedingly popular during a few years past. This is 

 really the true French Merino, quite as much so deserving 

 this name as our native bred Merino deserves to be called as 

 a distinguishing name the American Merino. For it has a 

 longer history as a distinct family of the Spanish Merino 

 than the American variety has, for it was first originated 

 some years before the first importation of the Merino into 

 the United States. 



It was in 1780 that the French Government, with the 

 intention of founding a special race of sheep fitted for the 



