554 



SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



the heaviest and best fleeces of cleaned wool." The gross and scoured 

 weight of the fleeces presented are given: 



During this year 17 Merino fleeces were scoured. Before scouring 

 they averaged each 16.89 pounds of wool. When scoured they aver- 

 aged 5.61, showing a loss of 65.5 per cent. This was a heavier shrink- 

 age than shown in New York, Michigan, and Indiana wools. The com- 

 parison can be made by reference to this table: 



At the Ohio State Fair of 1866 prizes were given for the best fleece 

 of wool. There were six entries, and the weight of fleece as sheared 

 and then scoured are given : 



Mr. Buckingham's fleeces were Merinos 5 those of Messrs. Aston and 

 Joy were long-wool, the former being Cotswold and the latter Leicester. 

 The premium was awarded to Mr. Aston for the best ram and ewe fleece. 



The Ohio State shearing for 1866 took place at Wellington. Thirty- 

 four ram fleeces averaged 13|| pounds ; the weight of carcass averaged 

 98 pounds. The heaviest fleece was 22-J-f- pounds from a 4-year-old 

 116 pounds sheep. Twenty-nine ewes whose average weight per head 

 was 61 pounds sheared 9J pounds. 



At the Licking County shearing, May 17, 1866, five entries were made 

 of 3-year-old rams. One fleece was not weighed. The four that were 

 weighed turned the scales at 22^, 14, 26f , and 19 J pounds an average 



