EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 537 



traced their foundation to the Worcester flock. Most of the Merino 

 flocks of Medina County were started on the coarse- wooled sheep by 

 Dickinson and Saxon rams and then crossed by Vermont rams at a later 

 day. There was a great variety in the sheep, but the wool was supe- 

 rior, due in a measure to the introduction into the county of a portion 

 of the Saxon flock of Henry D. Grove, of New York. Erie County 

 derived its fine-wooled sheep from Vermont, principally, Vermont rams 

 being extensively used after 1847 to cross on the mixed grades then 

 known to the growers. In 1850 the wool ranged about one-quarter 

 blood and averaged about 3 pounds per head. From that time great im- 

 provement was made. Vermont rams were brought in extensively and 

 many purchases were made of Mr. Worcester, of Loraine County. The 

 leading improver on the sheep of Huron County was D. C. Jefferson. 

 In 1849 he purchased of Erastus Robinson, of Shoreham, Vermont, 14 

 Spanish Merino ewes and 2 rams, from which he bred a flock by cross- 

 ing with the best Spanish Merino rams he could get from the Hammond 

 and other flocks. In 1855 and 1856 he introduced a French Merino ram 

 into his flock, very sparingly, however, for he had but little faith. The 

 result was 13 ewe lambs, half French, averaged first fleece, 4jV pounds, 

 and 28 Spanish ewe lambs, thoroughbred, averaged per head, the first 

 fleece, 5 pounds and a small fraction, showing 15 ounces in favor of the 

 Spanish. He tried other varieties, but without success, and came to 

 the conclusion that the nearer he could arrive at thoroughbred Spanish 

 Merino sheep the more pounds of wool he could get and of a better 

 quality. Between 1855 and 1861 his flock of 100 breeding ewes paid 

 him annually $800 to $1,000, and his testimony was that the best rams 

 for Ohio were those from Vermont blood. Owen Jefferson formed a 

 flock in 1850, from the Eobinson Vermont stock, and other flocks suc- 

 ceeded, founded on Vermont purchases or those made from the Jeffer- 

 son flocks. In 1860 the average amount of wool per head of the Erie 

 and Huron sheep was 3 pounds. The great improvement made in 20 

 years is shown in the increased weight of fleeces. In 1845 the average 

 weight of the fleeces on the Western Eeserve was 2J pounds; in 1865 it 

 was 4 to 4| pounds, some counties running up to nearly 6 pounds. 



In 1864 S. W. Thomas, of Greenwich, Huron County, laid the foun- 

 dation of his celebrated flock by purchasing 2 ewes bred by C. W. 

 Mason, of Vermont, to which addition was made in 1865-'66 of 12 ewes 

 bred by C. D. Lane, Vermont; in 1866 11 ewes from Horace Phinney, 

 who purchased from S. S. Andrews, Vermont, and in 1871 6 ewes bred 

 by L. P. Clark. He made many other purchases of Vermont ewes and 

 rams and constantly added the best to be found until in 1884 he had a 

 choice flock of 91 rams and 320 ewes. The sales from this flock were 

 large, both of rams and ewes, and found purchasers in many parts of 

 the State. 



The Hocking Valley, though not large in extent, is an excellent sheep 

 country and has had some fine flocks. The range of hills or highlands, 



