THE RAMBOUILLET 



367 



of France bought a large estate at the village of Rambouillet, some 

 forty miles west of Paris, and here he established a farm. In 1786 

 M. Gilbert was sent to Spain and selected a flock of Spanish 

 Merinos representing several different families, landing 366 at 

 Rambouillet, 318 being ewes. In 1799 Gilbert again went to 



Fig. 163. One of the sheep barns on the government farm at Rambouillet, 

 France. Photograph by the author 



Spain, where after much difficulty another collection was secured, 

 of which 237 reached Rambouillet in May, 1801. According to 

 Gilbert, who collected these sheep, and died in Spain while doing 

 the work, the second lot was not the equal of the first. 



The improvement of the Rambouillet in the hands of the 

 French government dates back over a century, resulting in a 

 smooth-bodied sheep of large size. Much of this development of 

 over a hundred years has undoubtedly been accomplished by 

 selection. During the time France has bred these sheep many 

 careful records have been made of weights of the sheep and 

 fleece, of length and diameter of wool, of fecundity, mutton devel- 

 opment, etc. Probably no other such extensive records regarding 

 a breed are extant. The results of the work were a gradual in- 

 crease in size, in weight and quality of fleece, in a better mutton 

 form, and in more hardiness than had their Spanish ancestors. 

 While the claim has been made that the stock at Rambouillet has 



