266 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



were introduced his entire flock averaged 4J to 4| pounds of washed 

 wool, and sold at 70 to 75 cents a pound. There were no wethers, and 

 the ewes would shear from 3f to 4J pounds; bucks from 6 to 9 pounds, 

 and yearlings from 4 to 4J pounds. Soon after crossing with the 

 Saxons he lost not only in the value of the fleece, but still more by 

 feebleness of constitution. In 1833 he became satisfied of his mistake 

 and sold out all his Saxons, reserving to himself such of his old Merinos 

 as he could select that had escaped the general slaughter, and by repur- 

 chasing some he had previously sold formed a new flock. There was at 

 this time in Connecticut a general disposition to get rid of the light- 

 fleeced Saxon and replace them by the Spanish Merino. 



Among the early breeders was a Mr. Wadsworth, of Middletown, 

 Conn., who, on June 8, 1825, exhibited a ram, 6 years old, weighing 

 140 pounds, that had never been sheared and had not shed his wool. 

 The length of his fleece was 17 inches, estimated to weigh 30 to 40 

 pounds. For fineness of texture, length of staple, and beauty of appear- 

 ance, it was believed not to be surpassed by any single fleece in the 

 country. The animal enjoyed perfect health and did not suffer from 

 the changes and the extremes of the climate. 



Although Connecticut was, in many parts, well adapted to the raising 

 of Merino sheep, and had many factories to consume their wool, for 

 causes operating similarly to those of Massachusetts the growing of 

 fine wool was not successfully prosecuted, and she yielded her breeding- 

 advantages to Vermont, many of the choice sheep of her most noted 

 flocks being taken into that State. In 1824 the Saxony Merinos were 

 introduced into the State and most of the flocks crossed with them, 

 that of Stephen Atwood being the noted exception. Mr. Scoville, 

 of Salisbury, commenced a Saxon flock this year and maintained it for 

 many years, disposing of choice animals to woolgrowers of Massachu- 

 setts and other States. Mr. Hurlburt, of Winchester, in connection 

 with Henry Watson, of East Windsor, purchased some of the best 

 Saxons of the first importations, and Charles B. Smith, of Walcottville, 

 at a later day, made importations from the best Saxony flocks. In 1845 

 there were Spanish Merinos and Saxony Merinos of various grades dis- 

 posed all over the State, but the pure blood flocks could be counted on 

 one's fingers. In 1846 John Ward, of Salisbury, had a flock of 700 

 Saxons with fleeces averaging 2J pounds. E. G. Camp, of Litchfield, 

 had 170 Saxons, derived mostly from the flock of Charles B. Smith. 

 The wool was very fine, averaged 2}|- pounds to the sheep, and sold for 

 66 to 68 cents per pound. Henry Watson had a flock of high grade 

 Saxons crossed with Spanish Merino rams. The average yield of wool 

 was 3 pounds per head, the rams giving 5 to 6J pounds. The market 

 for Saxony sheep from 1840 to 1850 was not good in Connecticut, but 

 many were sold in western Pennsylvania and Ohio. 



With the elimination of the Saxony opened the era of the French 

 Merino. The orginal breeds of France have been so generally crossed 



