Breeds of Sheep 43 



of sheep in which mutton is the first requisite, our 

 speciaKzed wool sheep are all Merinos. The mut- 

 ton breeds were developed independently from vary- 

 ing local stocks having peculiarities of size and 

 facial shape and coloring that give them distinctive 

 appearances. The French and the Germans have 

 developed their own ideals of a fine-wool sheep, and 

 a number of Americans have fixed distinctive char- 

 acters upon their flocks. Probably some of the 

 American types have as much individuality as the 

 Rambouillet, but they all have the same main char- 

 acteristics, and to the imtrained eye are a homo- 

 geneous lot, while the same is not true of the more 

 variable British breeds. 



The American Merino 



The term "American Merino" embraces a larger 

 number of types and strains than have been developed 

 from the descendants of the original stock from 

 Spain. Mr. W. R. Dickinson of Steubenville, Ohio, 

 had a flock descended from the Humphrey impor- 

 tation. His success and that of the subsequent 

 owner of the flock brought the sheep into prominence, 

 and a number of breeders, having stock of this 

 strain, combined and for some time maintained a flock 

 register solely for Dickinson Merinos. These sheep 

 were hornless, smooth-bodied, and produced wool of 

 extra length and fineness. 



