488 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



Later in the month he purchased 9 select ewes from Mr. E. J. Jones' 

 Atwood flock, and 6 ewes from Mr. Cutting's flock, and during the 

 winter 7 Atwood ewes and a ram from other flocks. In 1859 and 1860 

 he added to his purchases 112 ewes and 4 rams from Atwood flocks, 

 and 10 ewes and a ram from the flock of Mrs. Eobinson. This was a 

 noble flock, and he added to it by subsequent select purchases. The 

 shearing record of this flock from 1853 to 1880 is highly instructive. 



In 1853 Gen. Goe gave the weight of his fleeces from 40 ewes and 

 rams as running from 4f pounds washed wool to 24 pounds unwashed. 

 From 2 rams he sheared 23 and 24 pounds unwashed fleeces; from 12 

 full-blood Spanish ewes 6, 6, 6, 6J, 6J, 7, 7, 7J, 8, 8, 10, and 11 pounds 

 of wool washed on the back of the sheep. In 1856 4 Spanish rams 

 gave 6f , 6^ 6 -, 6f^, and 7J pounds washed wool, and 14 ewes gave 4J to 

 6J pounds, the average being 5J pounds. In 1857 31 Spanish rams 

 averaged 5J pounds washed wool. In 1859 4 Spanish rams gave 

 unwashed fleeces averaging 12J pounds each, and 8 ewes 8f 6 - pounds 

 each. Fifty Spanish ewes, well washed, gave an average of 5 i ff pounds. 

 In 1860 30 Spanish ewes averaged each G-?$ pounds washed wool. The 

 lowest fleece was 5 pounds, and the heaviest 9J pounds. In 1861 5 

 Spanish Merino rams, unwashed, averaged 11-^- pounds each; 10 rams, 

 washed, averaged 8}f pounds, and 42 ewes averaged 5|| each, washed 

 wool. Passing a period of ten years and we have in May, 1871 : 



161 ewe fleeces, washed, weighing from 4 to 5{f pounds. 



51 ewe fleeces, washed, weighing from 6 to 7 { pounds. 



5 ewe fleeces, washed, weighing from 8 to 10} f pounds. 



2 ram fleeces, washed, weighing from 11 to 11-J pounds. 



2 ram fleeces, washed, weighing from 12 to 12}f pounds. 



3 ram fleeces, unwashed, weighing from 15 to 19 pounds. 



19 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighing from 8 to 11 jf pounds. 



14 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighing from 12 to 14f pounds. 



7 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighing from 15 to 18-J- pounds. 



At the shearing of May, 1872: 



1 ram fleece, unwashed, weighed 30| pounds. 



1 ram fleece, unwashed, weighed 21 pounds. 



1 ram fleece, unwashed, weighed 21f pounds. 



1 ram fleece, washed, weighed 15-^ pounds. 



1 ram fleece, washed, weighed 15| pounds. 



1 ewe fleece, unwashed, weighed 23f pounds. 



1 ewe fleece, unwashed, weighed 20^ pounds. 



9 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighed 19^ to 19| pounds. 



5 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighed 18,\ to 18|f pounds. 



45 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighed 13-jV to 16f pounds. 



68 ewe fleeces, unwashed, weighed lO^V to 12j pounds. 



The average weight of the unwashed fleeces of the 129 ewes was 13f 

 pounds. A comparison of 1871 and 1872 with 1860 and 1861 shows 

 great increase in the weigh t of unwashed fleeces. The rain fleeces from 

 an average of 11 ^ pounds in 1861 went to 18 pounds in 1871 and 24J 

 pounds in 1872. 



