328 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



Two hundred-pound Spanish Merino rams are not very plentiful, but 

 the writer just quoted, Mr. C. R. Jones, says that he has owned hun- 

 dreds of them that weighed from 140 to 180 pounds per head, and that 

 sheared from 20 to 30 pounds per head. 



While the peculiar sheep husbandry of Vermont is that of breeding 

 fine-wooled Merinos, sheep for mutton play an important part in her 

 economy, though not to the extent that they should. Some choice 

 mutton sheep and early lambs are raised, and the business is remuner- 

 ative. There are some parts of Vermont where the Merino can not be 

 profitably raised, but where the mutton sheep can, and here are kept 

 the Southdown, the Ootswold, the Hainpshiredown, the Shropshire- 

 down, and their grades. The Southdown was once a very popular 

 cross, and then came the Leicester and the Cotswold. In 1869 the 

 Ootswold cross on the common sheep was very successful and popular, 

 and Ootswold rams were crossed on common Merino ewes. As early 

 as 1870 one of the most profitable products of some of the farms was 

 early lambs. For a season of five or six weeks the demand was lively 

 and the farmer could sell to the butcher all he could raise. Good 

 lambs sold for $4.50 to $5 per head at four months old, at which age 

 they were the most profitable. The low price of wool in recent years 

 has given an impetus to the mutton side of sheep-raising, and the 

 English blood has increased in the State until now it is represented in 

 more than one-half of the sheep. The Southdown cross is predomi- 

 nant, but there are many Hampshires and Shropshires, and their num- 

 bers are increasing. The first cross between a Southdown ram and a 

 Merino ewe makes a good mutton lamb, but they are not good to breed 

 from. 



The profit of sheep raising is given in the case of a farmer's expe- 

 rience in 1890 with 100 ewes, weighing each 100 pounds, shearing 6 

 pounds of washed, or 8 pounds of unwashed wool per head. The esti- 

 mated value of the ewes was $4 each. They consumed 20 tons of hay 

 and 100 bushels of oats. Supposing them to rear 90 lambs the flock 

 required 75 acres of pasturage. 



Receipts. 



600 pounds washed woo], 35 cents per pound $210. 00 



90 lambs, $3. 50 per head at Aveaning time 315. 00 



Total 525.00 



Expenses. 



20 tons of hay, $8 per ton $160. 00 



100 bushels of oats, 40 cents 40. 00 



75 acres of pasturage, $1. 25 93. 75 



Interest on value of flock 24. 00 



Total 317.75 



