256 [Assembly 



REMARKS 



ON THE KIND OF SHEEP THAT ARE THE MOST PROFITABLE, 

 AND THAT WE OUGHT TO EMPLOY. 



BT MR. ANCKAM, of Michigan. 



As the kind of sheep must be governed very much by the amount 

 of capital employed, I shall not fix upon the exact breed in this pa- 

 per, or the course that ought to be pursued. 



Saxony Sheep. 



These sheep are of no true breed of any kind, all that has been 

 done, was to select always the finest wool without any reference to 

 the blood of the animal; the result of this is, these animals produce 

 a small quantity of the finest wool that can be produced; while in 

 every other respect, they are inferior animals. These sheep have 

 been almost universally crossed in the original Spanish Merino, 

 which possessed fine substantial forms, well covered bodies, and beau- 

 tiful and uniform fleeces. This cross has deteriorated the merinos 

 of the United States, millions of dollars; these are the fashionable 

 sheep, but I have long learned to despise popular opinion, and judge 

 for myself; these sheep suit the manufacturers to work up the grade 

 and pure merino wool; but it never can pay the man who raises 

 them. They clip from 2| to 3 lbs. of wool, which has sold for 50 cts., 

 60cts., 68 cts, and I believe small lots higher; the animals are small, 

 weak and with their open fleeces, ill adapted to our cold winters; they 

 sell high when ot the finest quality. As it is well known to breed- 

 ers, that in breeding animals, they breed back not to the immediate 

 parents, but possibly to the great grandam or sire it must follow; 

 that crossing with these rams after several years, a flock is deterio- 

 rated instead ot improved. This is what has actually happened in 

 the United States, wool decreased in quantity, animals in size, and 

 stamina, and nothing left but a little very fine wool, profitable 

 only to the manufacturer who of course likes to vie with the Eng- 

 lish in soft superfine cloths, at the expense of the wool raiser. I 

 have said this much, as these are the popular sheep; all have a dash 



