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however, less than 10,000 sheep iu Racine county, and the product of wool will 

 not much exceed 25,000 lbs. for the past season. Of this quantity of wool, the 

 three woollen factories in the county, (two at Burlington and one at Waterford) 

 together with the family spinning wheels and looms, and the fire-side knitters, 

 use np a good deal. A large proportion of the wool produced in the counties 

 immediately west of us, sought and found a market at Racine, as is evidenced by 

 the heavy shipments of that article from this Port in 1851, the exports of that 

 year being 1 06,471 lbs. Prices paid for wool the past season have justified a 

 renewed attention to sheep; and our farmers are now selecting the best breeds 

 •with which to replenish their flocks. A determination to go more largely into 

 the wool business than heretofore, is prevading our county. It has been demon- 

 strated, that, with judicious management, sheep rearing can be made a profitable 

 branch of farming in this county. Mr. Benjamin Stock, of the town of York- 

 ville, purchased 565 choice sheep in 1850, for which he paid $847 50, or rather 

 gave his note for that amount payable in one year at 12 per cent. From the 

 product of wool from his flock, and from the sale of fat wethers and lambs, he 

 was enabled, at the end of the year, not only to pay the principal and interest of 

 the purchase money, but to retain the full number of sheep with which he 

 began ; the increase of lambs having been equal to the deaths by casualty, fat- 

 lings sold, &c. 



Again : Another farmer of that town, took 100 on terms similar to those just 

 named ; and from the fleeces of his flock, and the fatlings he sold from it, he 

 realized sufficient to pay principal and interest of the pui'chase money, with about 

 $5 cash as a surplus, and his full complement of 100 sheep remaining, and 

 paid for, at the expiration of the year. These operations are the result, doubtless, 

 of good farming; but they are conclusive as to the gainfulness of this branch of 

 agriculture, where good management is favored by moderate]}' good luck, good 

 markets, &c. 



Manufactures. — Independently of the considerable amount of wool worked 

 up in families, there are three woollen factories in the county — two at Burlington, 

 owned respectively by Messrs. James Catton and Pliny M. Perkins; and one at 

 Waterford, owned by Mr. Dean, which consume a good deal of wool in the ma- 

 nufacture of cassimeres, flannels, sheep's gray cloths, and divers other fabrics. 



An oil mill is in operation at Burlington, owned by Mr. Perkins. His pur- 

 chases of seed for the year amounted to 600 bushels of flax seed, at 84 cents per 

 bushel, and 200 bushels of rape seed, at 75 cents. From this 800 bushels of 

 seed, it seems he manufactured 1,300 gallons of oil, worth $1 per gallon. This 

 certainly exhibits a remunerating business. 



Of flouring mills, there are seven or eight principal ones in the county, which 

 involve a capital of something like $100,000, and work up, say, 300,000 bushels 



