FINE WOOL SHEEP HC5BAXDKY. 19 



ness, with American brook-washed Merino fleeces, 

 we should not deduct more than one-third of the given 

 gross weight. There is something exceedingly un- 

 satisfactory in statistics which are so vague as not to 

 mention the respective number of rams and ewes, the 

 fleeces of which go to make up a mean-weight when 

 all know the produce of the former is nearly double 

 that of the latter.* But here we have something more 

 definite, and it shows another decided stride upwards 

 in the Hambouillet sheep. Lasteyrie, in his report to 

 the National Institute in 1802, states " that the me- 

 dium weight of fleece of full grown nursing ewes was 

 8 Ibs. 7 oz. ; of the ewes of three years old, which had 

 no lambs, 9 Ibs. 13 oz. ; and two-tenths [grade] ewes 

 10 Ibs. 8 oz."f By the rule of estimating above 

 adopted, the Rambouillet grown ewes, sixteen years 

 after the foundation of the flock, produced, on an 

 average, not far from six pounds of wool, washed in 

 the American way. 



It is true that Mr. Livingston's own sheep, im- 

 ported from France in 1802, bore less wooL* but it is 

 evident that he made fineness, instead of quantity of 

 wool, the leading consideration in their selection. 



* As already said, not having Lasteyrie's works to refer to, I am 

 not certain that he does not supply this omission; but I think not or, 



1 should have quoted his statements on former occasions, 

 f Quoted hy Livingston. 



j Yia^ hi 1807, three ewes, having lambs, bore 11 Ibs. 12 oz-, or 

 nearly 4 Ibs. each, of unwashed wooL In 1808, " he did not keep a 

 separate account, but as they were in better order he thought the 

 average was near 5 Ibs." In 1809, seven ewes bore 36 lbs_ or 5 Ibs. 



2 oz. per head. The same year, his three rams bore, respectively, 

 12 Ibs. 14 ot, 9 Ibs. ; and a ram fourteen months old, of ~ uncommon 

 size" (imported from France in 1808), bore 9 Ibs. 6 os^ afl un- 

 washed. 



