14G SHEEP SE('rioN'. 



History 



Domesticated sheep \verc first iiitrotluced on the American continent by Spanish 

 discoverers and crjiiquerors. On the second voj-age of Columbus to the new world 

 he brouglit with him some animals with which to stock the island of Hispaniola; 

 among them were some sheep. His live stock was landed about the middle of 

 December, 1493, at Isabella, where was founded the first Christian city of the new 

 world. The vessels that followed from Spain from time to time brought supplies for 

 the Colonies, includin.g in their cargoes sheep which were landed at tlispaniola and 

 Cuba. E'rorn these islands sheep were carried to the Isthmus of Panama. 



On Cortes' return from Spain to the City of Mexico in 1S30, misunderstandings 

 arose between him and the magistrates, and he left the capital, taking up his resi- 

 dence in the City of Cuernavaca, on the southern slope of the Cordilleras overlook- 

 ing a wide expanse of cnuntry. Here he devoted himself to agriculture and the iin- 

 provenient of his estate, .\mong other live stock, he imported large numbers of 

 Merino sheep, which flourished and increased rapidly on the abundant pastures in 

 the country around Tehuantepcc. From these two localities, Panama and the City 

 of Cuernavaca, went forth sheep in large numbers. From these Spanish sheep 

 originated the immense herds in ^dexico, New Mexico, Utah and Texas. 



Sheep were introduced into the Eastern States by the early settlers, and much 

 attention was paid to the raising of them. The increase was slow, as there were 

 many difficulties to overcome in caring for them, the principal one being that of 

 protecting the sheep from wolves wdiich abounded in that country in its early settle- 

 ment. With the approach of the Revolution more attention was paid to the raising 

 of sheep. A feeling of independence was felt throughout the countrv, and showed 

 itself in the increase of flocks, that the domestic manufacture might be carried on, 

 and there was an increased demand for homespun garments from those wdao had 

 usually w-orn the line products of the British looms. The press of the country urged 

 upon the population the importance of increasing the number of sheep and im- 

 proving them b_\' selecting the best and disposing of the poorest, and one who con- 

 tinued to wear a coat made of English material was not considered a patriot. 



The Revolutionary \A'ar caused a backward step in the character of the sheep at 

 that date, and also retarded the increase. As large nunfljers of the citizens were in 

 the army, the flocks were neglected, and many of the sheep were destroyed by the 

 armies. Upon the close of the war many breeders endeavored to improve their 

 flocks by importations from abroad, as well as by giving those which they still had 

 better care and attention. Much was done toward improving the sheep by better 

 care and attention, but as England was too jealous to permit her improved sheep to 

 be exported for the purpose of improving those of the United States, she passed 

 stringent exportation laws wdiich practically prohibited the exporting of any sheep 

 from England. Although means were found for evading this law, yet the number 

 which the citizens of the United States succeeded in importing was but few, and 

 made but a small impression upon the native flocks. 



George Washington, after the close of the Revolutionary War, was the first to 

 improve the breed of his native sheep. He usually kept a flock of from seven to 

 eight hundred sheep, and paid particular attention to their care and breeding, fully 

 realizing that to get the most income from his flock they should be kept up to as hio-h 

 a standard as possible. From the time of the Revolutionary War the sheep industry 

 has gradually' increased, though it has often met with -pvprspc of difFprpni kind^ 



