32 TUE IMI'KOVEU PAULARS. 



homestead in Shoreham, down to the present day, without the 

 least admixture of other blood than pure Spanish, and with 

 very little crossing with other Spanish or American families. 



These sheep, in 1840, were heavy, short-legged, broad 

 animals, full in the quarters, strong-boned, with thick, short 

 necks and thick coarse heads. The ewes had deep and some- 

 times plaited dew-laps and folds of moderate size about the 

 neck. The rams had larger ones. They were darker exter- 

 nally than the Jarvis sheep, but not so much so as the Atwood 

 sheep — indicating that their wool contained more yolk than 

 the former and less than the latter. The wool was longer 

 than that of either of the other families, very thick and 

 covered them better on the belly, legs and head. But it was 

 inferior in fineness, evenness and style. It was quite coarse 

 on the thigh, and hairs were occasionally seen on the neck 

 folds. The lambs were often covered with hair when yeaned, 

 and their legs and ears were marked by patches of tan color 

 which subsequently disappeared except on the ears, where it 

 continued to show faintly. They were better nurses and 

 hardier than either of the other families. I have remarked in 

 a former publication that "they were precisely the negligent 

 farmer's sheep." They encountered short keep, careless treat- 

 ment of all kinds, exposure to autumnal storms and winter 

 gales, with a degree of impunity which was unexampled. 

 Their lambs came big, bony and strong, and did not suffer 

 much if they were dropped in a snow bank. 



In 1842 and 1843 this flock was bred to a Jarvis ram — 

 peculiarly dark, thick and heavy fleeced and compact in form 

 for one of his family — the object of Mr. Rich being to avoid 

 breeding in-and-in and to improve the quality of his wool. 

 For the same object, and to increase the yolkness of the wool, 

 a dip or two of Atwood blood has been since taken; but it 

 has always been made a point to treed hack after taking these 

 crosses, so as essentially to preserve the blood and distmetive 

 characteristics of the original family. The Messrs. Rich 

 have succeeded in all these objects and have kept up well 

 with the rapid current of modem improvement. Their sheep 

 are not so large nor do they yield so much wool per head as 

 the improved Infantados, but they possess symmetrical forms 

 which are remarkable for compactness. The body is shortish, 

 and very thick, with their ancient good fore and hind quarters ; 

 and their heads, though thick and short, have lost their coarse- 

 ness. Their fleeces are even and good. But that merit which 

 gives them their great popularity in Vermont and elsewhere, 



