44 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



ton market, the neighboring towns, and many of them are sent to the 

 surrounding cities, Portsmouth, Concord, Fall River, and Manchester. 

 There are, of course, a large number of dressed sheep sent to the Bos- 

 ton market from other places, not included in this number. 



In regard to Kentucky sheep, my informant one of the gentlemen 

 referred to, who does not desire his name to be published tells me 

 that about 20,000 are annually sent to this market. This includes, as 

 I understand, all the sheep from Kentucky. Before the war, the sheep 

 sent from this State, though less in number, were superior to those now 

 sent; being almost all full-blooded Leicesters, Cotswolds, or South 

 Downs. Lately, many of these long-woolled sheep have been crossed 

 with the native mountain or " Tennessee ewes," which are of an inferior 

 grade. The principal supply of sheep for this market, from Kentucky, 

 comes from four counties [of course, the blue-grass counties. Ed.~\. 



The first-class Kentucky sheep will weigh about 150 pounds. Lots 

 will average from 125 to 150 pounds. Kentucky sheep, dressed, bring 

 two dollars per hundred more than ordinary sheep. 



The price of Kentucky lambs is as follows: from June 1st to July 

 1st, about eight cents; from. July 1st to August 1st, about seven cents. 

 The sheep average about six cents, live weight. Ordinary New-England 

 sheep average about four and a half cents, live weight. 



My informant says that many of his best sheep come from Ohio 

 and Canada. 



I saw, in the pens at Brighton, some very fine Kentucky sheep, just 

 received, and some excellent sheep from Michigan. In the latter State, 

 the merino is crossed with a long-woolled sheep, which increases the 

 size of the animal, and improves the mutton. 



My informant has agents in various parts of the country, in Cov- 

 ington, St. Louis, Ohio, and other places ; and does an immense business, 

 amounting in one year as high as 245,000 sheep. He thinks that the na- 

 tional encouragement of sheep and wool production will lead to an im- 

 mense export of mutton, and that we shall supply England and the 

 rest of Europe with all that they can take. Since December 1st, he has 

 killed and exported from New York 2,500 sheep per week. He pre- 

 dicts, that, in the course of a few years, the character of the business 

 will change in Boston, and will become like that of Chicago ; the " tail 

 end" only of the supply remaining here, the best animals being 

 exported to Europe. He also, without any suggestion from me, stated 

 that the South is to become a great sheep-producing country ; and that 

 there sheep could be produced more cheaply than in Ohio and the 

 West. 



