30 THE AMEEICAlf PAULAES. 



dark colored because they have abundance of liquid " circu- 

 lating " yolk, and because they (like all the leading breeding 

 flocks of Vermont,) are housed, not only in winter, but from 

 summer rain storms. The great weight is made up not by 

 the extra amount of yolk, but by the extra length and 

 thickness of every part of the fleece. In many instances it is 

 nearly as long and thick on the belly, legs,* forehead, cheeks, 

 etc., as on the back and sides. The wool opens freely and 

 with a good luster and style. It is of a high medium quality 

 and remarkably even. Mr. Hammond is intentionally breeding 

 it back to the buff tinge of the original Spanish wool. He 

 has not specially cultivated folds ia the skia. Sweepstakes 

 has more of these than most of his predecessors and has much 

 increased them in the flock. Some of his best ewes are nearly 

 without them, though all perhaps have dew-laps and the 

 "cross" on the brisket. In every respect this eminent 

 breeder has directed his whole attention to solid value, and 

 has never sacrificed a particle of it to attain either points of 

 no valufi or of less value. He has bred exclusively from Mr. 

 Atwooa's stock, sire and dam; and since the rams originally 

 purchased of Mr. Atwood by himself and associates, has only 

 used rams of his own flock. The marked extent of his 

 in-and-in breeding, will be adverted to in the Chapter which I 

 shall devote to the general subject of in-and-in breeding. But 

 this has not developed any delicacy of constitution in his 

 flock. They are every way stronger and more robust sheep 

 than their predecessors of 25 years ago, bring forth larger 

 and stfonger lambs, and are far better breeders and nurses. 



There are in Vermont and other States a large body of 

 spirited and intelligent breeders whose flocks were founded 

 ■ mainly or exclusively on sheep purchased of Mr. Hammond. 

 Ifot a few of them have bred with distinguished success. It 

 would be justly considered invidious to mention the flocks of 

 a portion of them, without mentioning all of equal merit. 

 This I am unable to do, both because I am unprovided with a 

 full list of them, and because the prescribed limits of this 

 work do not admit of it. I have aimed to do justice to all of 

 this improved family of sheep at once, in describing the flock 

 of its distinguished founder. 



The Patjlae oe Rich Meeinos. — These sheep were 

 originally purchased in 1823, by Hon. Charles Rich, M. C, 



* I do not mean to be nnderstood that it Is thns long below the knees and hocks, 

 though it Is generally quite as long as it ought to be on the shanks. 



