[260] 



from her the succeeding spring. One mature ram to about fifty ewes, 

 with a little grain twice a day, as his attention to the ewes prevents his 

 grazing, and without extra feed would cause him to decline in flesh and 

 strength, and be less able to perform his duties. In summer they graze 

 upon my meadows and grass lots, destroying noxious weeds, briars, etc.; 

 in winter upon the winter grazing oat, and are fed only when the oats are 

 too wet to graze or the ground frozen ; they are then removed to sod 

 ground, and if necessary, feed hay or grain. In the spring of 1877, 1 

 sowed a field to clover ; during the summer the rag weed was about to 

 take possession of it and smother out the clover. I cut it and cured it, 

 and stored it away in the shed, salting it as I hauled it in ; upon this the 

 sheep have principally fed this winter, preferring it to the best timothy 

 hay. I market my mutton at home markets and my wool in Boston. My 

 flock averages about nine pounds each, of fine combing wool, not sur- 

 passed by any, and retains the fineness of fibre and softness to the touch 

 transmitted by the Merino. . I sent samples of wool from sheep of my 

 own breeding, and samples from an imported Cotswold, to Boston for com- 

 parison the preference was given to that of my own breeding, it being 

 equal to the imported in every respect, and superior in strength and fine- 

 ness of fibre. I would prefer to market my wool at home, but from some 

 cause there is too great a margin between the home and the Boston mar- 

 ket. It costs me, in commissions and freight less than three cents per 

 pound to market it in Boston. 



My ewes are now lambing, in which they have heretofore been very 

 proficient. At one time 23 ewes brought consecutively, 47 lambs; 22 

 having twins and the 23d triplets. In 1877, 50 ewes raised 79 lambs. 



Since 1866 I have received for sheep and wool sold $ 3,974 00 



I have now on hand 100 head, which I could not replace by 



purchase for 1,500 00 



Value of flock and increase from it ,.$ 5,474 00 



I have expended for breeding ewes and rams 657 50 



Leaving a gross profit for 12 years, of $ 4,816 50 



or over 60 per cent, per annum upon the capital invested, supposing the 

 same to have been invested at the beginning, while about one-half of it 

 has been invested in the past few years. 



I have said nothing as to the cost of keep, or the benefits derived from 

 the sheep, but taking one-fourth of the gross profits, which is about $1.50 

 per head per annum, without giving to the sheep any credit for benefits 

 desived from them, which are many, and there is still left over 45 per 

 cent, per annum for twelve consecutive years. 



I have sustained losses by dogs, by accident, by theft and by disease, 

 the latter principally with lambs but none of the diseases incident to 

 European flocks have troubled me. With dry grounds, proper attention 



