EAST OP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 



281 



for by breeders out of the State that by 1850 they had practically dis- 

 appeared, both from the exhibits at the State fairs and from the farms, 

 and the early breeders turned their attention to Southdowns, Leicesters, 

 and Cotswolds. It was found also that wool-growing would not pay 

 unless connected with raising mutton and lambs for the market. Pre- 

 vious to 1870 sheep husbandry for mutton, lambs, and coarse wool was 

 pursued with great advantage. Almost every farmer kept his flock, 

 large or small, according to his facilities for maintaining them, which 

 fully repaid him for expenditure and care. But from 1840 to 1890 the 

 flocks have greatly diminished. In 1840 there were 90,146 sheep in the 

 State. Many of these were Merinos and their grades, which now began 

 to disappear, and in 1850, or a period of ten years, the number of sheep 

 had fallen one-half, to 44,296, and to 32,624 in 1860. The facilities for 

 keeping sheep were not less than in former days, and the value of the 

 fleece as well as the flesh had not diminished. But there was some 

 competition, sheep and lambs being brought from Kentucky. But the 

 principal reason assigned for the decrease from 1840 to 1860 was the 

 increase in the number of dogs, there being in 1860 one dog to every 

 five sheep. 



The breaking out of the civil war and the demand for wool and woolen 

 clothing stimulated sheep husbandry, and from 32,624 in 1860 the num- 

 ber of sheep rose to 40,717 in 1865, yielding 114,781 pounds of wool. 

 Some fine wool was raised and a few Spanish Merinos were introduced 

 into the State, but in number inappreciable, and at the present day 

 none exist. The rapid decline in the sheep and wool of the State is 

 shown in the following census returns : 



VERMONT. 



It is not positively known when the first Merino sheep were in- 

 troduced into Vermont, but some were taken there from the Hum- 

 phreys importation, a few of his full-blood stock appearing in Ben- 

 nington County, the property of Mr. Stoddard, of Rupert, previous to 

 the Jarvis importations of 1810. Mr. Stoddard raised full-blood and 

 half-blood sheep which he sold or let, and which laid the foundation of 

 some flocks in western Vermont and in Washington County, Few York. 

 The first Merino blood taken into Washington County, Few York, was 

 when Aaron Cleveland, of Salem, in that county, obtained a half-blood 





