EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 



Sheep in Xeic Jersey, 1836 io 1890. 



433 



The continued ravages of the dogs, and the greater profits of the 

 dairy industry and trucking, operate against an extension of sheep 

 husbandry, and the number of sheep has slightly decreased since Jan- 

 uary, 1890. 



PENNSYLVANIA . 



Sheep husbandry and wool-growing have always received much 

 encouragement in this State, both from the legislative authorities and 

 the press. Public spirit and private enterprise responded. The vicin- 

 ity of Philadelphia has been, in an especial degree, the home of fine 

 flocks, and was early interested in the Merino sheep. The patriotic 

 efforts of Dr. James Mease and others to introduce them have been 

 elsewhere noted, and we have seen that some of the Humphreys sheep 

 were owned there prior to 1810. In 1810 and 1811 over 2,500 Merinos 

 were landed at Philadelphia, some of them being the very best that 

 were brought into the country. At first they were not generally appre- 

 ciated, but soon grew popular, and some choice flocks were formed; but 

 the known facts concerning them are sadly defective. The papers of 

 the day made casual reference to them, inculcated the duty of all true 

 patriots to patronize them and the goods made from their wool, but 

 gave very little other information concerning them. The wool sales in 

 the Philadelphia markets show that they must have been numerous, 

 and that their wool was of good quality as it commanded good prices. 

 The Essex (Mass.) Register, June 22, 1811, in noticing the success of 

 the Merino sheep, stated that the United States had 26,000 of them, 

 .and says that at a sheep shearing of Mr. Bicknall, of Pennsylvania, 

 62 Merino sheep of different grades, all ewes but one, gave on an aver- 

 age 4^ pounds washed wool. The ram gave 8J pounds, and the weight 

 increased as they approached nearer being full-blooded. There were, 

 at an early day, some Merino flocks in Luzerne County, and in February, 

 1814, Dr. Robert H. Rose read a paper before the Philadelphia Agri- 

 cultural Society respecting the cost of keeping them, from which it 

 appears that 1,000 head could be maintained for $800, and that it would 

 require six years to convert a flock of common sheep into Merinos. It 

 was by conversion that many flocks were formed. Rams and ewes of 

 full blood were held at too extravagant prices for farmers to purchase 

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