EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI EIVER. 293 



shapely, with scarcely an elevation on toi) of the shoulder. His ribs 

 were tolerably well sprung. His legs were of medium length and well 

 placed. He carried a fleece of most excellent quality, even throughout, 

 with a very dark top at the end of the wool. It was dense at all 

 points. His heaviest fleece was 25 pounds, and it covered him well all 

 around, especially on head, legs, and belly. He had a fair neck, tail, 

 and flank. He died in 1865, the property of his breeder, and it was 

 stated that on several occasions Mr. Hammond had refused offers for 

 him running into the thousands. Silver Mine, sired by Sweepstakes, 

 was used by Mr. Hammond, and then sent to Wisconsin, where he made 

 a season, and then returned. Green Mountain was bred in 1864 and in 

 general appearance resembled his sire. Gold Drop. He weighed in full 

 fleece 140 pounds, and was a well formed sheep, with a fine, shapely 

 head, broad, weU. wrinkled nose, and beautiful, finely turned horns. 

 He had a good fleece, of excellent quality, even throughout, and highly 

 crimped; he was well covered on head, legs, and belly, and did more to 

 fix these qualities in the flock than any ram previously used. The 

 weight of his fleece was 23 J pounds. The staple was 3 inches long; the 

 fiber 4^ inches long; the oil white and weU circulated through the 

 fleece. He was a smooth sheep, with fair neck, tail, and flank. There 

 were, besides these, many others who made great improvements in the 

 flocks into which they were introduced, not only in Vermont, but in all 

 the wool-growing States and Territories of the Union from Maine to 

 California. 



Another branch of the Atwood flock was that of E. P. Hall, of Corn- 

 wall, Vt.. This flock was founded in 1844 by the purchase of rams and 

 ewes of Stephen Atwood and others, in company with W. S. and Edwin 

 Hammond, as elsewhere narrated. In 1845 W. R. Eemele became a 

 partner in the ownership of the flock, and the partnership continued 

 until 1849, when the flock was divided. In 1862 John Towle became a 

 partner with Mr. Hall in the ownership of the flock; four years later 

 Mr. Towle sold his interest to E. S. Stowell and Henry Manchester. In 

 1869 the flock was sold to John Towle. While Mr. Hall owned the flock 

 he sold the ewes to found many flocks of full blood Atwood sheep, and 

 bred and sold a large number of excellent stock rams. Mr. Towle has 

 since bred the flock without the introduction of other ewes, and it was 

 still in existence in 1887. 



William E. Eemele, who was associated with Mr. Hall from 1845 to 

 1849, and dissolved partnership in the latter year, bred his portion of 

 the flock in the Atwood blood until 1875, when he introduced the Eob- 

 inson blood for three successive seasons; but the produce was all sold 

 out of the flock. In 1886 it numbered 40 rams and 52 ewes. 



Edwin S. Stowell founded his Atwood flock by the purchase of ewes 

 from W. S. & E. Hammond in 1853, 1854, and 1855 ; of 10 purchased in 

 1858, bred by W. E. Eemele, and 6 in 1860, of George Hammond, and 

 using the stock rams of the Hammonds until 1861, when those bred 



