"The honour of bringing into the United States the first merino sheep is a question that has been much discussed. Colonel Humphreys thought that he could claim that distinction, for in writing to Dr. Dexter he says: 'Convinced that this race of sheep of which, I believe, not one has been brought to the United States, until the importation by myself, might be introduced with great benefit to our country.
    "Those who have thoroughly investigated the claims made for various persons, state positively that the first importation from Spain was by the Hon. William Porter, of Boston, in 1798. It consisted of two ewes and one ram. They were brought from Spain in the ship Bald Eagle, by Captain Atkins. Mr. Porter gave them to Mr. Andrew Dragrie, of Cambridge. He was unaware of their value and killed them and ate them for mutton. It is said that he afterward paid one thousand dollars for a merino ram of the Humphreys flock."
    As a result of earlier importations, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture awarded a premium of fifty dollars to Seth Adams of Ohio, for the importation in 1801 of a pair of Merinos, as the first person to bring a superior breed of sheep into Massachusetts. However, they at the same time issued a gold medal to Humphreys, "for his patriotic exertions in introducing into New England one hundred of the Spanish merino breed of sheep."

THE MERINO SHEEP-AN IMPROVEMENT IN WOOL PRODUCTION

    The merino breed is what is known as a 'fine wool type" sheep - which means it belongs to a group of breeds which have individual fibers of wool which are much finer and smaller in diameter than other groups of sheep. In addition, there is a greater amount of wool per sheep in this group. Yet, despite these advantages, there are relatively few sheep of this type in New England today. Although these sheep are rugged and can live under unfavorable climatic conditions, while producing a highly desirable fleece, they lack the meat-type confirmation necessary for marketing meat.
    While wool from the merino is far superior to that of other breeds, the income from wool accounts for only 25 to 40 per cent of a sheep farmer's income, depending on the breed.