. Cyclopedia of farm animals. Domestic animals; Animal products. 620 SHEEP SHEEP Infantado Merinos were bred by the Duke of Infantado and were very superior sheep. Their horns came close to the sides of their heads, while those of the Paulars and Negrettes stood out. Many Inf antados were brought to America, notably by Colonel Humphrey. In this connection, mention should be made of some of the families of Merinos that have been built up in European countries on foundation stock imported from Spain. Notable among these fami- lies are the Saxon, Silesian or German, Australian, French (Rambouille
. Cyclopedia of farm animals. Domestic animals; Animal products. 620 SHEEP SHEEP Infantado Merinos were bred by the Duke of Infantado and were very superior sheep. Their horns came close to the sides of their heads, while those of the Paulars and Negrettes stood out. Many Inf antados were brought to America, notably by Colonel Humphrey. In this connection, mention should be made of some of the families of Merinos that have been built up in European countries on foundation stock imported from Spain. Notable among these fami- lies are the Saxon, Silesian or German, Australian, French (Rambouillet) and Swedish. Saxon Merino.—From the Escurial flocks of Spain, about three hundred Merinos were sent, in 1765, to Saxony. These were naturally among the finest wooled of Merinos, and in their new home. Fig. 623. Americas Merino ram. more attention was paid to this quality; so much attention, in fact, that the sheep themselves lost stamina and hardiness and became very delicate and hard to raise. The wool of these sheep, how- ever, is of extraordinary fineness and beauty. They yield about two to three pounds of washed wool per head. There are not many breeders of pure Saxon sheep in America, although they have been bred to some extent in western Pennsylvania and Virginia. This family is now almost extinct. Silesian, or German Merino.—This breed was established in Silesia by an importation of Infan- tado and Negrette Merinos in 1811, although importations had been made earlier with some suc- cess, notably those of Von Vinke in 1768 and 1778. Since that day they have been bred pure, princi- pally on the estate of Ferdinand Fishcher of Wir- chenblatt. For many years a careful record of each sheep has been kept on this estate. Silesian ewes shear eight to eleven pounds of unwashed wool, the rams twelve to sixteen pounds. The wool is two to three inches long, dark on the out- side, not gummy, but with a white, clear oil. The ewes weigh 110 to 130 pounds and the rams 145 to 155
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