THE SHEEP 



187 



among the breeders of fine-wool sheep in to the African sheep, with its long, outwardly 



America, Germany, and Australia. curved nose, its flabby, |)cndent cars, and its 



Merino sheep were first imported into short, fat tail. The lambs <>f this race su]jp]y 



France in 1766. In 1786 a flock of four hun- the welbknown fur. While still very young 



dred was imported from Old Castile and estab- they are covered with a short, fine wool, ( urled 



lished at Rambouillet. With great difficulty very tightly in small locks all over the fjody. 



these sheep were saved during the Revolution, Rong hairs soon aj^pcar among these lo(d<s, 



and to-day the Rambouillet mutton has a and for that |-eason the lambs are ki'lctl within 



Ex Route for the SL.\LGiiii,k Hol^i- 



European reputation, and is fa\'orabl3' known 

 on many American farms. 



The different varieties of sheep in all parts 

 of Europe are so numerous that we can name 

 here only a few, which serve the world at large 

 with some special luxury. 



Bokhara, a district of southern Russia, that 

 paradise of the ovine race, with its dry climate 

 and its vast grassy steppes, has millions of 

 sheep of all breeds, but especially the astra- 

 khan. This animal bears much resemblance 



a \'ery few days of their birth. These skins 

 bear the name of " krinnncr," and are sold in 

 the Crimea for $2.50 each. The skins called 

 "astrakhan," which come from older lambs, 

 cost only $1.25. To assist the curling of the 

 hair the young lambs are sewn up, during their 

 brief existence, in another skin or in a piece of 

 coarse linen. 



Among the mountains of the south of 

 France we find the breed that produces the 

 famous Roquefort cheese. This cheese is 



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