42 Sheep-Farming 



material. In more recent times, the wisdom of this 

 national policy has been questioned, and for short 

 periods free importations have been allowed. The 

 removal or threatened removal of protective duties 

 has always had a serious adverse effect upon the wool- 

 producing industry. Its welfare seems to be closely 

 allied with governmental policy ; its history is one 

 of great fluctuations, and the end is apparently not 

 yet in sight. 



Improvement in America. — While the growing 

 of fine wool was estabhshed in the United States by 

 the importations of Spanish and Saxony Merino 

 sheep, the stock of to-day is very properly designated 

 as the American Merino. Mr. Jarvis wrote to the 

 author of "The American Shepherd": "From 

 1811 to 1826, when I began to cross with the Saxonies, 

 my average weight of wool was 3 pounds 14 ounces 

 to 4 pounds 2 ounces, varying according to the sheep. 

 The weight of the bucks was from 5j pounds to 6J 

 pounds in good stock case, all washed on the sheep's 

 backs." Comparing these figures with such as are 

 common to-day, there can be no question that, though 

 originally indebted to the Spanish blood, the sheep 

 of to-day is essentially an American product. The 

 readiness of African and Australian breeders to use 

 American-bred Merinos is further proof of the 

 Americanism of the modern Merino. 



It njay be a cause of perplexity to some to con- 

 sider that while we have a score of distinct breeds 



