64 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



curs to be seen wherever you go in California, we conclude the loss may 

 safely be set down as great, in proportion to the whole number of sheep 

 in the State, as in Ohio. Upon this basis, the number of sheep in our 

 State, in eighteen hundred and sixty-four, being, as will be seen above, 

 about the same as in Ohio in eighteen hundred and sixty, our losses in 

 the former year may be estimated as about the same as the losses in 

 Ohio in the latter, or at fifty-one thousand seven hundred and eight}^- 

 two killed and wounded. We shall count those injured the same as 

 destro^'ed, as they generally die or are rendered of but little value. By 

 the same reasoning, the total number of sheep destroyed in California 

 within the five years from eighteen hundred and sixty to eighteen hun- 

 dred and sixty-five, inclusive, would be about the same as shown by the 

 above table to have been destroyed in Ohio from eighteen hundred and 

 fifty-eight to eighteen hundred vand sixty-two, or three hundred and 

 thirty-one thousand two hundred and forty-two. Eeckoning them at 

 two dollars and a half a head, and the loss to California in the last five 

 years from the ravages of dogs has been eight hundred and twenty-eight 

 thousand and ninety-five dollars. 



It is believed that judicious legislation upon this subject, protecting 

 this kind of property from such loss and destruction, would also have the 

 tendenc}" to induce farmers to engage more generally in sheep hus- 

 bandry, each keeping a few sheep upon his farm, instead of following up 

 the ruinous practice, too much in vogue at the present time, of the con- 

 stant production of grain, and thus assist in bringing about a more 

 approved and prudent and more profitable sj'stem of farming. 



It would also encourage the introduction of better breeds of sheep, 

 and consequent improvement in the quantity and quality of wool, with- 

 out adding anything to the labor or expense of taking care of and feecl- 

 ing our sheep. 



B}' the census of eighteen hundred and sixty, the one million ninety- 

 nine thousand one hundred and thirty-two sheep, then in the State, pro- 

 duced only two millions six hundred and eighty-one thousand eight 

 hundred and twenty-two pounds of wool, or a trifle over two pounds and 

 seven ounces per head, and a large portion of this was of a veiy inferior 

 quality, commanding in the market only about half the price paid for a 

 number one article. 



Since that time our sheep have been considerably improved, and the 

 clip per head considerabh^ increased, so that, in eighteen hundred and 

 sixty-four, the average clip per head is estimated at three pounds and 

 seven ounces. From the experience of those who have improved their 

 common American flocks to one half or three fourths Spanish Merino 

 blood, we know that an average clij^ of five pounds and seven ounces per 

 head, or two pounds per head over the average of eighteen hundred and 

 sixtj^-four, may certainh' be attained. 



The number of sheep in the State in that year being, as above shown, 

 three million one hundred and eighty-seven thousand four hundred and 

 eighty-two, such improvement in quantit}' would have given us an 

 increased production of six million three hundred and seventy-four 

 thousand nine hundred and sixtj^-four pounds, which, added to eight 

 millions, the number of ])ounds actually produced, would have made our 

 whole product equal to fourteen million three hundred and seventy-four 

 thousand nine hundred and sixty-four pounds. Nineteen cents a pound 

 was the average price obtained that j'car for our wool, but those who 

 had flocks of from one half to thi-ee fourths Spanish Merino blood, 

 obtained, on an average, twenty-two cents. At this latter figure the 



