288 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



sheep, and six of the leading markets of the United States show 

 that the receipts of sheep in 1914 was 777,134 less thaai in 1913, and 

 in fonrteen markets including those just mentioned we find a short- 

 age of 950,000 sheep. With the European war on hand and the 

 armies being followed by bands of sheep for food, it is quite to be 

 expected that the 113,000,000 sheep now owned by the warring na- 

 tions will be almost exterminated before the war ends. Besides the 

 increased demand for wool by these nations, large orders for army 

 blankets and clothing have been placed here by the French Govern- 

 ment. With the present prospects of a wool scarcity and the fact 

 that we have a vast amount of land here in Pennsylvania well 

 adaipted to sheep raising — rough hills too steep to cultivate — that 

 should remain in permanent pasture and are not as yet infected with 

 parasites — I would urge all farmers to raise some sheep. It may be 

 the time of large flocks in Pennsylvania is past, but now is the 

 time for a small flock on every farm. 



A sheep bred exclusively or chiefly for wool must necessarily be 

 valued in proportion to the value of the fleece. The wool of a pure- 

 bred Merino of any value should stand at right angles to the skin, 

 presenting a dense, smooth, even surface on the exterior, opening 

 only in those natural cracks or divisions which separate tlie fleece 

 into masses. These masses should not be small in size or tliey in- 

 dicate excessive fineness of fleece, (a quarter of an inch is the limit 

 in this respect) nor too large, lest the wool be coarse or harsh. The 

 length should be such as combined with thickness of staple will give 

 the greatest weight of fleece. Medium wool is generally in greater 

 in demand than fine wool, and is more profitably produced. Two or 

 three inches is probably the most desirable length of fleece for 

 profit. The wool should be sound, that is, of even strength from 

 end to end, of the fibre. It should be highly elastic and wrinkled, 

 curved or wavy, the number of these curves or waves to the inch 

 is not so much a test of excellence as their regularity and beauty of 

 curvature. The softness to the touch in handling is an excellent 

 test of quality so much prized by manufacturers. 



Much space you say is given to the Merino sheep in this report. 

 The Chairman of your Committee represents a county which the 

 Merino sheep made famous as the first and best fine wool producing 

 county in America. The latest available reports show the county 

 clip of wool to be around 1,000,000 pounds and the market quotations 

 28 to 30 cents per pound. In November, 1914, at Bufl'alo, Washing- 

 ton county, during one session of the Farmers' Institute, 22 sheep 

 owners present reported having on hand 3,670 sheep, and it was 

 also stated that within a radius of eight miles, 5,000 sheep were 

 owned. The last census showed that 196,000 sheep were owned in 

 Washington county. It is the prediction of your Committee that 

 many of the bovs now being reared on the farm will remain there 

 and raise animals to restock the nations now at war, and a great 

 future is in store for the Pennsylvania sheep man. We give the 

 following reasons why most all Pennsylvania farmers should raise 

 a few sheep: 



1. They will thrive and do well on the rough hillsides better than 

 any other of our farm animals. 



2. They are the cheapest means of eradicating weeds on the 

 farm. 



