SHEEP AND CATTLE. 13 



ber of sheep is largely due to the fluctuation and depression 

 in the price of wool (more especially fine wool), and the 

 impossibility of competing with the owners of the broad 

 plains and enormous ranches of the West and South. 



Probably at that time more than three-fourths of all the 

 sheep in the county were Merinos or Saxonies : now there is 

 not one-fourth. The wool has became a secondary considera- 

 tion, while mutton and early lambs claim our first attention. 

 We send annually about ten thousand lambs to market, at 

 an average, from May to September, of over five dollars 

 each. The wool of our coarse and middle woolled sheep is 

 worth as much, sheep for sheep, as that from the fine wools. 



We have the Downs, and some large moderately fiue wool 

 sheep, which may properly be called American Merinos, 

 — crosses of various breeds with the large French Merino, 

 probably, where the predominant antiquity of the Merino 

 blood has been so broken down and controlled as to make a 

 large, good-shaped, well-woolled sheep, giving good early 

 lambs. The Cotswolds are now being a good deal introduced 

 for crossing for lambs. 



The great obstacle now to sheep-growing here, as in other 

 parts of the State, arises from the ravages of unrestrained 

 dogs, which, roaming generally at night or early morning, 

 too often cause havoc in a flock, killing some, mangling 

 more, scattering and demoralizing the whole flock for the 

 season. 



In all our animals there has been a great improvement by 

 adopting improved breeds, and cultivating them. Attempts 

 have been made, but without success, to introduce and popu- 

 larize the Ayrshires, the Devons, and the Herefords ; but the 

 grandeur of the Short-horns has overshadowed them all. 



About thirty years ago the Jerseys were first brought 

 into the county ; and as the making of butter has gradually 

 and greatly increased, so has the use and breeding of Jersey 

 cows and their grades, till they now rival in numbers and 

 popular esteem their majestic sisters which sprung from the 

 Valley of the Tees in the fertile county of Durham. 



The first agricultural society in this section was the old 

 Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden, covering these three 

 counties, organized in 1818, and for many years the only 

 society, and very successful. 



