among others, that belonging to
Stephen Atwood, of WatertoA^n, Conn., and selected and purchased
from his flock, thirty, and in the next four years several more.
These Mr. xVtwood had from Col. Humphreys' flock, under such
circumstances, that he had satisfactory assurance that they were
pure and free from Saxony and other breeds. From these their
present flock has been bred.
Mr. Sanford and the Messrs. Hammond, having, for several yeara
increased and improved their flocks by breeding '• in and in," were
desirous of finding other sheep, at least as good as theirs, to cross
with them, and Mr. Sanford, in behalf of both parties, went to
Europe for the purpose of examining the best flocks in the different
countries, and of purchasing the best he could find. He examined
the most distinguished in Spain and France. In the formercountry
he found none which he was willing to import ; in the latter ho
purchased twenty French Merinos. He went then into Germany,
and, with the advice and aid of the American Consul, at Stuttgard,
who had made himself thoroughly informed on the subject, and who
accompanied him for a fortnight, he examined the most celebrated
flocks in the different States of Germany, and extended his examina-
tion as far as Prussia, and there purchased twenty Silesian sheep.
These and the French sheep he imported. The French are much
larger than the Spanish Merinos, or their descendants, with fleeces
in proportion. But Mr. Hammond states, that the wool is not so
even, varying in different parts of the body. The Silesian sheep
nre Braaller than the Spanish, but the wool is fine. Thev did not
14 '
102 HISTORY OF ADLIiON