THE CULTIVATOR. 
25 
race, the scab and foot-rot. These evils and the increas¬ 
ed supply, soon brought them down to less than a twen¬ 
tieth part of their former price; they could now be 
bought for twenty dollars ahead. When, however, it 
was established by actual experiment, that their wool 
did not deteriorate as had been feared by many, in this 
country, and that they became readily acclimated, they 
again rose into favor. But the prostration of our manu¬ 
factories, which soon after ensued, rendered the Meri¬ 
no comparatively of little value, and brought ruin to 
numbers who had purchased them at their previous high 
prices. The rise which has since taken place in the 
value of line wool, as well as the causes which led. to it, 
are too recent and well understood to require particular 
notice. With the rise of wool, the valuation of the 
sheep which bear it, has of course kept pace. 
The Merino has been variously described. This arises 
from the fact, that it is but the general appellation of a 
species, comprising several varieties, presenting essen¬ 
tial points and difference in size, form, quality of quan¬ 
tity of wool. The Escurial flocks stand first in point of 
fineness. Attached to the convent El Escurial, within 
a short distance of the capital, and being the private 
property of the kings of Spain, no pains or care have 
been spared upon these beautiful flocks. They are of 
a good* * * § * size, and fine form, “ combining excellence,” as 
is remarked by an intelligent writer,* “ scarcely admit¬ 
ting of improvement.” It is supposed that most of the 
Escurial sheep which found their way into this country, 
are but indifferent specimens of this celebrated variety 
of the Merino. Their fleeces are somewhat lighter than 
those of the Paulars, Negrettis, &c._and altogether they 
bearla close resemblance to the genuine Saxons, of which 
they are the parent stock. 
According to Mr. Lasteyrie,t the Negretti “are the 
largest and strongest of all the Spanish travelling sheep.” 
The Gaudaloupe “ have the most perfect form, and are 
likewise celebrated for the quantity and quality of their 
wool.” The Paulars “ bear much wool of a fine quali¬ 
ty ; but they have a more evident enlargement behind 
the ears, and a greater degree of throatiness.” 
As the last named was one of the principal varieties 
introduced into the United States, a more particular de-_ 
scription of it may not be unacceptable. The sheep of 
the Paular Convent are large, with heavy, but compar¬ 
ed with the Escurial or Saxon, coarse fleeces. The 
wool of the pure bloods contains a considerably quanti¬ 
ty of jarr or hair, and it abounds in yolk to such a de¬ 
gree, that it catches and retains at its extremities much 
floating dust, the pollen of hay, &c. This gives it a pe¬ 
culiarly stiff and hard feeling externally. It, however, 
forms an excellent protection against storms and cold. 
The form of the Paular is generally good, but an un¬ 
usually large dewlap, so plated and doubled, as to go 
by the popular appellation of “ the ruffle,” extends from 
the lower jaw to the brisket, presenting a great obsta¬ 
cle to the shearer, and an unseemly and ungraceful ap¬ 
pendage in the eye of the refined breeder. On the sides 
of the neck, and not unfrequently the face, the skin also 
lies in loose wrinkles. The head is coarse, and in the 
male, usually surmounted by large horns. The skill of the 
American breeder has obviated some of those defects, 
and there are some few (very few) flocks claiming pu¬ 
rity of blood, which have little or no jarr, and an almost 
entire absence of the throatiness, peculiar to this varie¬ 
ty. It is to be apprehended, however, that in most such 
instances, they owe it to a cross with the Saxons. 
There are some other varieties of the Merino, which 
we shall not pause to describe. Taken collectively, the 
Spanish rams, according to Chancellor Livingston, yield 
about eight and a half pounds of woo], and the ewes 
five, which loses half in washing—making four pounds 
and a quarter the average weight of fleece of the rams, 
and two and a half the average of the ewes.$ Some va¬ 
rieties considerably exceed this estimate, and probably 
it would fall short if applied to the prime sheep of 
any variety. In the celebrated flock of French Merinos 
at Rambouillet, the average weight, exclusive of tag 
and belly wool, is six pounds to the fleece. It must be 
confessed, however, that both Mr. Livingston and Mr. 
Humphreys assert, that the Rambouillet sheep carry 
mord wool than any of the Spanish flocks.§ Col. Hum¬ 
phreys, in a letter to the Agricultural Society of Massa¬ 
chusetts, even goes so far as to state, “ that the improv¬ 
ed stock of France yield tivice as much wool as those of 
Spain.” Some carefully selected small flocks in this 
country, which were “ salved ”J| after the preceding 
shearing, have averaged, including the ordinary num¬ 
ber of rams, four and a half pounds of wool to the head. 
The gummy thick wool of the Merino can be but im¬ 
perfectly cleansed on the back of the animal, where it is 
the universal custom in the United States to wash it, 
and probably four pounds of clean wool would be as 
high as the maximum average in the choicest flocks. 
Few over go three and a half. 
The Merino, though the native of a warm climate, 
becomes readily inured to the greatest extremes of cold, 
flourishing as far north as Sweden, without degenerat¬ 
ing in fleece or formA It is a patient, docile animal, 
bearing much confinement without injury to health, and 
we never have been enabled to discover in it that pecu¬ 
liar “ voraciousness of appetite,” ascribed to it by Eng- 
* Cultivator, Vol. 2, p. 150. 
f “ Farmer’s Series,” volume on sheep, p. 156. We quote 
Mr. Youatt. 
I Essay on Sheep, p. 39. 
§ Livingston’s Essay, p. 71, and note. 
[[ Rubbed over with a salve, consisting of oil, wax, &c. 
which adds to the weight of fleece. 
II Lasteyrie. 
lish writers.* Accurately conducted experiments have 
shown, that it consumes two pounds of hay per diem, in 
winter; the Leicester consumes from three and a half 
to four; and the common wooled American sheep would 
not probably fall short of three. The mutton of the 
Merino, in spite of the prejudice which exists on the 
subject, is short grained, and of good flavor when killed 
at a proper age, and weighs from eight to ten pounds 
to the quarter. It is remarkable for its longevity, re¬ 
taining its teeth and continuing to breed, two. or three 
years longer than the common sheep, or the improved 
English breeds; but it should be remarked in connex¬ 
ion with this fact, that it is corresponding slowly in ar¬ 
riving at maturity. It does not attain its full growth be¬ 
fore three years old, and the ewes in the best managed 
flocks, are rarely permitted to breed before they reach 
that age. The Merino is not a good breeder, the bear¬ 
ing ewes giving little milk, and sometimes neglecting 
their lambs. Eighty per cent would probably be as high 
as the average number of lambs usually reared. 
We have already adverted to the cross between the 
Merino and the native sheep. On the introduction of 
the Saxon family of the Merinos, they were universally 
engrafted on the parent stock—and the cross was con¬ 
tinued until the Spanish blood was nearly bred out. 
When the admixture took place with pure blooded 
and prime Saxons, it resulted most favorably. A varie¬ 
ty was produced superior to the Merino in form, carry¬ 
ing less wool, but this more than compensated by its in¬ 
creased fineness. The excessive throatiness of the 
Paulars disappeared, or was greatly diminished. But 
unfortunately these instances of judicious crossing were 
rare. Our country was flooded by eager speculators, 
with the grade sheep and refuse Merinos of Germany. 
Fineness of wool, during the period of this strange ex¬ 
citement, was made the only test of excellence—no mat¬ 
ter how scanty its quantity—no matter how diminutive 
or miserable the carcase. Governed by such views, the 
holders of most of our Merino flocks purchased these 
pseudo Saxons, and the consequence was, as might have 
been foreseen, their flocks were ruined. 
SAXON MERINO. 
In the year 1765, Augustus Frederick, elector of Sax¬ 
ony, obtained permission from the Spanish court to im¬ 
port 200 Merinos, selected from the choicest flocks of 
Spain. They were chosen principally from the Escuri¬ 
al flock, and on their arrival in Saxony, were placed on 
a private estate belonging to the elector, under the care 
of Spanish shepherds. So much importance was at¬ 
tached to the experiment, as it was then considered, that 
a commission was appointed to superintend the affairs 
of the establishment; and it Avas made its duty to dif¬ 
fuse information in relation to the management of the 
new breed; to dispose of the surplus rams at prices 
which would place them within the reach of all holders 
of sheep; and finally, by explaining the superior value 
of the Merinos, to induce the Saxon farmers to cross 
them with their native breeds. Popular prejudice, how¬ 
ever, was strong against them, and this was heightened 
by the ravages of the scab, which had been introduced 
with them from Spain, and which proved very destruc¬ 
tive before it was finally eradicated. But when it be¬ 
came apparent that the Merino, so far from degenerat¬ 
ing, had improved in Saxony, and that the Saxon wool 
exceeded the Spanish in fineness and value, the Avise 
and patriotic efforts of the elector began to reap their 
merited success, and a revolution took place in popular 
sentiment. The call for rams became so great that the 
government resolved on a neAV importation, to enable 
them more effectually to meet it, and to improve still 
further the stock already obtained. For this purpose 
an individual, considered one of the best judges of sheep 
in Saxony, Avas dispatched to Spain in 1777, Avith orders 
to select three hundred. For some reason—probably 
because he experienced difficulty in obtaining a greater 
number presenting all the qualifications he sought, he 
returned Avith but one hundred and ten. They Avere 
from nearly all the different flocks of Spain, but princi¬ 
pally the Escurial,—and Avere considered decidedly su¬ 
perior to the first importation. In addition to the esta¬ 
blishment at Stolpen, already founded, others Avere now 
commenced at Rennersdorf, LohmeAV, &c.; schools were 
established for the education of shepherds; publications 
Avere distributed by the commissioners to throAV informa¬ 
tion on the subject before the people; and the croAvn 
tenants, it is said, were each required to purchase a cer¬ 
tain number of the sheep. When we take into conside¬ 
ration the unwearied pains bestoAved on this favorite 
object by the Saxon government—the fact, that the Sax¬ 
on variety are descended only from the choicest sheep 
of Spain—and that a degree of care and attention are 
bestowed on their breeding in the former country en¬ 
tirely unknown in the latter—it is not a subject of su- 
prise, that the emigrant Merino in Saxony excels the 
parent stock, in the quality of his fleece, and that round¬ 
ness of form and fineness of bone, which indicate better 
feeding properties. The Spanish shepherd is little 
changed from Avhat he was in the days of Cardinal Zi- 
menes, or Pedro IV.—with much practical knowledge 
of his business, but never dreaming of improvement; 
and his knoxvledge strangely blended Avith prejudices as 
ancient as the pedigrees of his sheep—running back to 
a period rvhen Spain Avas a Roman province. He is not 
the owner of the sheep under his care, but the ill-paid ser¬ 
vant of a titled family; or a religious order, Avho in nine 
cases out of ten, are no more disposed, or more compe¬ 
tent to carry out a system for the improvement of their 
flocks, than himself. And finally, the Spanish custom 
* “Fanner’s Series,” Sheep, p. 149. 
of pasturing their sheep during the entire season in 
large flocks, Avithout inclosures* to render the necessa¬ 
ry divisions practicable, entirely prevents that nice 
adaptation to each other of the male and female select¬ 
ed for breeding—that counterbalancing of the defects of 
one parent by the marked excellence of the other in the 
same points, xvhich exhibits the skill of the modern 
breeder. In Saxony, and the other states of Germany, 
the case is far othenvise. The electoral flocks, the pa¬ 
rent stem, are under the direction of commissioners ap¬ 
pointed for their intelligence and knowledge of the sub¬ 
ject ; and the noted private flocks employ the first agri¬ 
cultural skill of the Saxon land-holders. The low price 
of labor, too, admits of a degree of attention and con¬ 
stant care over their flocks, unknoAvn in other countries. 
The attention bestoAved upon breeding, may be inferred 
from the fact, that in many of the largest flocks, every 
individual sheep is numbered and registered-—its pedi¬ 
gree knoAvn, and its offspring recorded! The number 
and age of the sheep is expressed by an ingenious me¬ 
thod of marking on the ear, invented by Mr. Thaer, 
which causes little mutilation, and which effectually dis¬ 
tinguishes any number of sheep. “When lambs are 
weaned, (says Mr. Charles Horvard, in a letter to the 
author of the Amlume on sheep in the “Farmer’s Se¬ 
ries,”) each is placed upon a table that his avooI and 
form may be minutely observed. The finest are select¬ 
ed for breeding, and receive a first mark. When they 
are one year old, and prior to shearing them, another 
close examination of those previously marked takes 
place: those in which no defect can be found receive a 
second mark, and the restare condemned. A few months 
afterAvards, a third and last scrutiny is made; the prime 
rams and eAves receive a third and final mark, but the 
slightest blemish is sufficient to cause the rejection of 
the animal.” 
Considerable attention has also been bestoAved in Ger¬ 
many on the breeding of grade sheep—a cross between 
the Merino and the native sheep of the country. These 
native sheep Avere of two varieties, and they bore a 
strong resemblance to the old common stock of the Unit¬ 
ed States,—those which Avere fed on the uplands being 
smaller and of finer fleece, and the loAvland sheep carry¬ 
ing more flesh and coarser wool. The sheep holders, 
who were unable to purchase pure bloods, resorted to 
this cross. The wool of some of these flocks, after a 
feAv generations, has rivalled even the electoral in fine¬ 
ness ; but it loses in quantity, as the native German 
carried much lighter fleeces than the Spanish sheep, 
The sheep themselves are much less perfect in form, 
the means of the common breeder not permitting, and 
indeed there being no prospect for an adequate return, 
should he bestoxv the same labor that the breeder of 
pure bloods does—sacrifice for the least defect, and, in 
short, incur the same expenses—Avhen at best, his sheep 
will not sell for more than one-eighth or tenth of the price 
of pure bloods. 
In 1834, the best Spanish avooI sold in the English 
markets at 2s. 6 d., to 4s.; the Saxon at the same time 
commanded from 4s. 9 d. to 5s. 3d. per pound.f In the 
United States, Avhere less difference, and very unjustly, 
is usually made, the full blooded Saxon sells for about 
one-third more per pound than the Merino. The fleece 
in good flocks averages about tAvo and a half pounds, 
and often, if grown sheep Avere only included, xvould 
rise as high as three. But this is far from the standard 
of many flocks in the United States, called, and doubt¬ 
less believed by their OAvners, to be genuine Saxons. 
This brings us to a most painfulpartof our subject, and 
and which we Avould willingly pass over in silence, were 
not our obligations to the public paramount to any con¬ 
siderations for the feelings of individuals. In disclosing 
the frauds practised on the American public, we are 
compelled for the purpose of doing justice to the inno¬ 
cent and the guilty, and also for the information of those 
Avlio haA r e been the purchasers of the imported sheep, to 
go into a minuteness of detail, Avhich would other Arise 
be uninteresting, and perhaps be deemed censurable. 
The folloAving statement was submitted to the com¬ 
mittee by Mr. Grove: 
“The first importation of Saxony sheep into the Unit¬ 
ed States Avas made by Mr.-, a mer¬ 
chant of Boston, at the instance of Col. James Shepherd, 
of Northampton. They were but six or seven in num¬ 
ber. In 1824, Messrs. G. and T. Searle, of Boston, im¬ 
ported seventy-seven Saxon sheep. They were selected 
and purchased by a Mr. Kretchman, a correspondent of 
the above firm, residing in Lepzig, and shipped at Bre¬ 
men on board the American schooner Velocity. I was 
engaged to take charge of the sheep on the passage, 
and I also shipped six on my OAvn account. I am sorry 
to say, that as many as one-third of the sheep purchased 
by Kretchman (who shared profit and loss in the under¬ 
taking,) were not pure blooded sheep. The cargo were 
sold at auction at Brookline, as ‘ pure blooded electoral 
Saxons,’ and thus unfortunately in the A'ery outset the 
pure and impure became irrevocably mixed. But I feel 
the greatest certainty that the Messrs. Searle intended 
to import none but the pure stock—the fault lay xvith 
Kretchman. In the fall of 1824, I entered into an ar¬ 
rangement Avith the Messrs. Searle to return to Saxony, 
and purchase, in connexion with Kretchman, from 160 
to 200 electoral sheep. I was detained at sea seven 
* Neither are there inclosures in Saxony; but the division 
is effected by the bucks being placed in pairs, and the ewes 
classified and marked. The ewes are from time to time dri¬ 
ven in the yard around the pens, and when the teaser has se¬ 
lected one, it is placed in the pen of the buck for Avhich it is 
marked. 
f “Farmer’s Series.” 
