EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVEK. 499 



mixture of clover and timothy hay, with about 8 pounds of salt on 

 every ton. Five tons for a hundred sheep was a fair allowance where 

 some provision had been" made for winter pasture. In this way they 

 obtained a mixture of succulent and dry food, which conduced to good 

 health. The wethers required no grain. About three or four weeks 

 before lambing time heavy ewes were fed with a little oats in the straw 

 or thrashed, and a little grain was given during the winter to the last 

 year's lambs. When grain was cheap an increased quantity of wool 

 paid for extra-good keeping. Some successful sheep farmers fed their 

 flocks almost entirely on oat straw. The oats were cut before they 

 became ripe were exposed to but little sun and no rain. Chopped rye 

 about yeaning time greatly increased the quantity of milk. Sowing a 

 field of early rye as spring pasture for old sheep was a paying practice. 

 From the low price of mutton and the anxiety to increase the fine- 

 wooled sheep they were never fattened for the butcher. Sheds were 

 considered indispensable, especially for breeding ewes and lambs. It 

 was generally believed that early lambs made the hardiest sheep, but 

 experience did not always confirm this opinion. Rams were not per- 

 mitted to remain more than about one month with the ewes. Those 

 who desired early lambs bred from strong ewes, as old and weak ones 

 could not support their lambs through the winter months without more 

 trouble than they were worth. In large flocks it was almost impossible, 

 and most farmers soon gave up the practice of having early lambs. 

 No ewes under 18 months old were permitted to remain with the rams 5 

 to extend the time to 2J years was thought to be more profitable in the 

 end and was sometimes practiced. Although in the latter case the 

 flocks did not increase so fast, compensation was gained in the improved 

 size and quality of the stock. Diseases were rare; old age and the dogs 

 were the only foes dreaded. 



The excellent care vouchsafed the sheep, the strong healthy stock 

 from which they sprung, the climate and fine herbage, all combined to 

 produce a large sheep with fine wool, such as have been the glory of 

 Washington County, and which have enriched it beyond that of any 

 similar section of the United States. In 1824 more than 10,000 sheep 

 were sent from this county to found flocks in Ohio. In 1825 there were 

 110,451 sheep in the county shearing over 400,000 pounds of wool. 

 Between one-third and one-fourth of the wool was Merino of different 

 grades from full down to quarter-bred. About three-fourths of the 

 whole was manufactured in a domestic way into narrow cloths, blankets, 

 linseys, flannels, and stockings. Considerable linsey was sent down 

 the Ohio. Wells & Co., at Steubenville, consumed one-third of the 

 remaining 100,000 pounds, the small manufacturing establishments one- 

 third, and the remainder, or about 33,000 pounds, was sent eastward. 

 In 1836 there were 225,000 sheep, shearing over 000,000 pounds of the 

 finest wool. One-eighth of the number raised in the entire State were 

 in Washington County, and this with Fayette, Beaver, and Allegheny 



