258 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



January 3, 1811. It is claimed that this ram, which may be called the 

 Bacon ram, was an Infantado. Such is not the fact, as the cargo of the 

 Bellona consisted of Guadaloupes and Negrettis. Mr. Atwood, how- 

 ever, used other full-blood ranis of Humphreys descent, and with the 

 exception of the Bacon ram, and possibly a Blakeslee ram from the flock 

 of Humphreys and Heaton sheep, he had essentially an Humphreys 

 flock. If not pure Humphreys it approached it nearer than others at 

 that time. But it is better known now as the Atwood Merino, the lead- 

 ing Merino of the United States. 



Mr. Atwood began his flock with the idea of combining three prop- 

 erties, viz, constitution, quantity, and quality, and he succeeded in a 

 remarkable degree. He was one of the earliest and most successful 

 improvers of Merino sheep, and from 1844 to 1850 his sheep were in 

 greater demand and brought higher prices than those from the flocks of 

 other breeders, and most of the best flocks in Vermont and other States 

 trace, in whole or in part, their pedigree to his flock. 



It is of interest to note the proceeds of Mr. Atwood's shearings as 

 recorded in his memorandum books. In 1814 the old Riggs or Hum- 

 phreys ewe sheared 3 pounds 9 ounces of wool, sold at $1.50 per 

 pound, and in 1815 she, with her twin lambs or yearlings, sheared 13 

 pounds an average of 4J pounds each. In 1816 the old ewe with her 

 lambs viz, one 2-year old ewe, one yearling ewe, one 2-year old ram, 

 and one yearling ram sheared 23 pounds 11 ounces, an average of 4J 

 pounds, nearly. In 1820 17 full-blooded sheep sheared 70 pounds 5 

 ounces, or an average of 4 pounds each with 2 ounces over. In 1824 

 103 sheep sheared 425 pounds. Thirteen of the heaviest fleeces weighed 

 8 pounds 9 ounces each. In 1825 118 sheep sheared 459 pounds 9 

 ounces, and, like that of 1824, so entered on the memoranda that the 

 full-blooded wool can not be separated from the other wool, but one 

 Guadaloupe ewe is put down as giving 4 pounds 12 ounces, and another 

 3 pounds 15 ounces. In 1826 140 sheep sheared 545 pounds 2 ounces, 

 but again the full-blood wool can not be distinguished from the other. 

 It averaged 3 pounds 11 ounces, nearly. In 1828 152 sheep sheared 629 

 pounds 15 ounces, or an average of 4 pounds 2 ounces, nearly. In 1829 

 167 sheep had 640 pounds of wool, an average of about 3J pounds. 



A comparison of these figures and others shows that Mr. Atwood 

 made large and material improvements in the weight of his fleece. In 

 1814 the Riggs ewe sheared 3 pounds 9 ounces ; in 1816 she sheared 4 

 pounds 4 ounces, and a yearling ewe sheared 5 pounds. In 1820 his 

 heaviest ram fleece was 7 pounds 1 ounce, his heaviest ewe fleece 4 

 pounds 6 ounces. In 1824 his heaviest ram fleece was 7 pounds 3 ounces. 

 In 1826 one ewe gave 4 pounds 5 ounces and several rams are recorded 

 as giving from 4 pounds 10 ounces to 7 pounds 14 ounces. In 1828 the 

 ram fleeces ran from 6 pounds 12 ounces to 7 pounds 9 ounces, and one 

 ewe sheared 4 pounds 10 ounces. In 1844 Mr. Atwood's ewes sheared 

 yearly 5 pounds of wool per head, his lambs 5 pounds each, and wethers 



