EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 



143 



Chancellor Livingston gave these figures to the public through Dr. 

 Bard, president of the Agricultural Society of Dutchess County, N. 

 Y.. and commented upon them; built up an argument, in fact, why 

 [the farmers of the country should substitute the Merino for the com- 

 piion sheep. The average proportion of the Merino ewe fleeces to 

 their weight being one to ten and a half, while that of the common ewes 

 was one to twenty; and, the consumption of food in animals of the same 

 species being in proportion to the carcass, it followed that 1 pound of 

 common wool worth 3s. cost as much hay and grass as 2 pounds of wool 

 from a three-quarter Merino, worth $2.50. It was observed that the 

 proportion of wool to the carcass was not the same in the males as in 

 the females, probably because of their great weight of bone and horns. 

 Tims the tup Cleruiont weighed without his coat 126 pounds, his fleece 

 9 pounds 6 ounces. His wool, therefore, was to his carcass, when shorn, 

 as one to twelve and a half. Rainbouillet weighed 140 pounds, includ- 

 ing his coat, and his fleece 9 pounds, the general average being, then, as 

 one to fourteen, while in common wethers it was as one to twenty-seven. 

 He found the weight of his Merino, or, rather, three- fourths blood 

 wethers, to be about 128 pounds, the average of their wool to be about 

 5 pounds if well kept, which indicated that it was much less profitable 

 to keep wethers than ewes. 



From 1807 to 1810 this Clermont flock was increased to the number of 

 645 sheep from full to half blood and 310 of the best American ewes 

 and half or three-fourths wethers. 



At Livingston's sheep-shearing at Clermont, June 15 and 16, 1810, 

 the following results were obtained: 



Clermont stock rams Pounds. Ounces. 



Rambouillet 9 



Clermont 9 



Jason, a shearling 11 11 



Hornless, an old ram 7 



One hundred and ninety-six ewes were sheared and gave as follows : 



This table is noticeable in that it shows the progressive improvement 

 of the flock, and that the quantity as well as the quality of the fleece 

 increases with the purity of the blood. The fleece from Jason sold for 

 $2 per pound, realizing over $23. 



To the honorable Col. Barclay, of England, Livingston, under date 



