SHEEP AND WOOL 



more than anything else, the wool industry. Colonel 

 Humphreys, himself a woolen manufacturer, realized 

 more keenly than the average farmer the necessity of 

 producing a finer grade of wool. The first importation, 

 in 1803, was about seventy head and these were leased 

 or rented out to farmers. They were used mainly in 

 trying to improve the native sheep, but owing to our 

 cold, rugged climate and the poor shelter afforded, the 

 pure-bred animals did not prosper at first, and for some 

 reason failed to impress their good qualities on the 

 native stock, when crossed with them. Larger importa- 

 tions were made between 1808 and 18 10, and some of 

 these laid the foundation of valuable strains of Ameri- 

 can Merinos, especially the Delaine Merinos that later 

 became famous in Ohio. 



The strain of this famous breed that gained the 

 greatest fame was the so-called Vermont Merinos, 

 which became renowned in that State nearly fifty years 

 after their first introduction into Connecticut. This 

 strain of Merinos a Litchfield County man holds the 

 credit for preserving and developing in their full purity. 

 Thomas Atwood of Woodbury, recognizing the possi- 

 bilities of the breed, bought several head from Colonel 

 Humphreys's first importation and continued to breed 

 and develop them as a pure strain for over thirty years. 



About 1835 Mr. Hammond of Middlebury, Ver- 

 mont, came to Connecticut in search of a pure strain of 



[87H 



