EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 



389 



The war of the rebellion gave a great impetus to the sheep husbandry 

 of New York, as shown by the increase of flocks in 1862-'63, and the 

 importation of Merino ranis from Vermont. There was a sharp revival 

 of fine-wool growing and an emulation not only in the State but through- 

 out the entire country in raising heavy fleeces and announcing the 

 weights in the newspapers and agricultural publications of the day. 

 These weights show the great improvement made, and, though in some 

 cases probably excessive and lacking in uniformity of the standard, 

 deserve permanent record. 



In 1861 Dr. Ira Spencer, of De Buyter, sheared an Atwood Merino 

 flock of 40 ewes 3 years old and upwards, 10 yearling and 2 grown 

 rams, and 8 wethers. The average weight of the whole fleeces, washed 

 on the back, was a trifle over 7 pounds. As this small flock may be 

 accepted as a typical New York Atwood Merino flock of that date, some 

 particulars are given. 



The ram's fleece was of eleven months' growth and unwashed. The 

 sheep ran for nearly three weeks between washing and shearing. Their 

 winter feed was hay, and each received daily half a pint of provender, 

 made up of three parts by measure of oats and one part of oil-meal. 

 The ram received more. 



In the same year George Geddes, president of the New York State 

 Agricultural Society, procured from Sweet Brothers, of Onondaga 

 County, a statement showing the proportion of wool to meat in sheep 

 of different ages, sexes, and sizes. The flock of the Sweet Brothers 

 consisted of 180, of several grades, one-half to three-fourths Spanish 

 Merino, and a portion of the largest one-fourth French Merino ; the base 

 of the flock, but a few years previous, was Saxony. The sheep were 

 sheared June 26 and 27, 1861, and every sheep and fleece was weighed 

 and recorded on the spot. They were sheared promiscuously and classi- 

 fied both by age and weight. The heaviest sheep weighed 133 pounds, 

 the lightest 43. The heaviest fleece weighed 9 pounds, the lightest 

 3J pounds. 



