NEW IMPORTATION OF MERINO SHEEP. 
243 
of climate, and perhaps, prices. I should pre¬ 
fer American authorities on this subject, where 
feed, breed, and climate are the same. And if 
experienced gentlemen would write more upon 
the different modes of fattening all sorts of 
stock with reference to cost, quality, and profit, 
it would be very interesting to some of your 
readers. W. B. W. 
Fishkill, N, Y., May , 1851. 
NEW IMPORTATION OF MERINO SHEEP. 
I take great pleasure in complying with your 
request, and will give you a brief account of 
my late journey to Europe, for the purpose of 
purchasing Merino sheep, with a view to im¬ 
prove that breed in this country. 
It was my original intention upon setting out 
from this country, to purchase some 300 or 400 
pure-blooded Merinos, mostly in Spain; but I 
was unable to find any in that kingdom that 
would warrant me any compensation for my 
time and mone}^. Before proceeding to Spain, 
I was repeatedly informed that the original 
Merino breed, (for which Spain was once so 
celebrated,) was nearly extinct; yet I had a 
desire to go there and see for myself. Before 
leaving France, however, I examined and pur¬ 
chased a few of the celebrated French sheep, 
near Rambouillet. On leaving that country, I 
directed my course to Madrid, where I was in¬ 
formed that most of the sheep owners lived. 
Here I spent several days visiting most of the 
large wool growers, in order to learn as much 
as possible in regard to the sheep of this coun¬ 
try. I became fully satisfied that I should find 
no good, pure-blooded Merinos in Spain. They 
all gave nearly the same account of the degen¬ 
erate condition of the sheep at the present 
time. They assigned the French invasion as 
the principal cause, which, with its attending 
evils, led t<5 this degeneracy from the original 
stock. At the time of this invasion, nearly all 
of the best flocks were destroyed, and the re¬ 
mainder were sold for foreign countries, or 
mixed with other breeds. Still, after meet¬ 
ing with all these discouragements, I was not 
satisfied until I had seen them with my own 
eyes. Accordingly, I went about 200 miles 
further down, making my way through Estra- 
madura, where all of the best sheep are said to 
be kept during the winter season. Here I ex¬ 
amined many of the most noted flocks, and was 
then forced to believe all that had been told me 
before, in regard to their degenerate condition. 
I found them very small in size, thin in wool, 
and very deficient in oil, not presenting that 
dark surface which characterises the original 
Merino. In many of the flocks, nearly half of 
them were the regular old-fashioned, black 
sheep, and I do not recollect seeing a single 
flock but what contained more or less of the 
last-mentioned variety. 
Not finding anything in Spain to my mind, I 
concluded to go through Germany, and, if pos¬ 
sible, find some of the pure, full-blooded Merinos. 
Having read the able communications of Charles 
L. Fleischman, contained in the Patent-Office 
Report of 1847,1 thought it advisable to go di¬ 
rectly to Stuttgart, where Mr. F. resides in the 
capacity of United-States Consul, and consult 
him in regard to the object of my search. I 
found Mr. Fleischman a very intelligent and 
obliging man, willing to assist me in every pos¬ 
sible way. I spent one day with him, visiting 
an agricultural school near Stuttgart, where 
there was an interesting exhibition of agricultu¬ 
ral implements, seeds, stock, &c.; also, collec¬ 
tions in natural history. These were $11 very 
good except the sheep, which could only be 
reckoned about second best. 
As Mr. Fleischman was formerly master of a 
large sheep estate, and thoroughly acquainted 
with nearly all of the best flocks in Germany, I 
persuaded him to travel with, and assist me in 
the purchase of some of the best Merinos that 
could be obtained in that country. With his 
guidance, I was enabled to see all of the best 
flocks. The breed is mostly Saxon. The fleeces 
are exceedingly light and fine, and altogether 
unfit for the wool-growing interests of the 
United States. 
I did not find but two flocks of pure Spanish 
sheep in the whole country. One of these was 
small and had not been very well bred; but 
the other, I must say, as a whole, was the best 
lot of sheep I ever examined. Of these, I pur¬ 
chased 28, all that could be had for “ love or 
money.” The original stock from which these 
sprung, was brought from Spain, in 1811, hav¬ 
ing been selected from the far-famed Infantado 
Negretti flock, and kept pure and uncontami¬ 
nated since that time. The flock from which I 
purchased, is owned in Prussian Silesia, and I 
am confident that they possess more good qual¬ 
ities than any other that I had the pleasure to 
meet with. They are much finer than our best 
Merinos in this country, carrying an even fleece 
over their whole body, and are woolled down to 
their very hoofs. In short, I am bold to say, 
that they are the most perfect sheep I ever saw. 
They are of a fair size and well shaped, with a 
dark surface and a clear white oil. There is a 
beautiful crimp to the wool, and withal, they 
