596 



SHP:EP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



At the Stark County fair, May 30, 1866, 34 sheep were sheared. Sever 

 yearling rams gave from 8 pounds to ISf pounds unwashed wool. Seven 

 teen rams 2 years and over gave from 8 pounds to 17 J pounds. 812* 

 yearling ewes gave from 5 pounds to 8J pouiids, and 4 ewes 2 yearH 

 old and over gave from 7J pounds to 8jf pounds. At the Marior 

 County fair, the same year, the first premium Merino ram weighed 

 158 pounds and gave a fleece of 18J pounds, the second premium ram 

 weighed 121 pounds and gave a fleece weighing 16J pounds. 



The report on scoured fleeces at the Illinois State fair of 1866 is very 

 full, and presents some features of permanent interest: 



Months. 



In 1867 the Northern Illinois Wool-Growers' Association held a shear- 

 ing and scouring match, and about 20 sheep competed. The result on 

 the four heaviest of each sex is here given: 



The wool clip of Illinois in 1865 was the largest ever produced in the 

 State, amounting to nearly 12,000,000 pounds from a little less than 

 3,000,000 sheep, or something over one to each of her inhabitants. By far 

 the greater portion of this amount, more than three-fourths, was clothing 

 or card wool, the product of the Merino sheep and its crosses. Wool- 

 growing had advanced with rapid strides, until the prairies which once 

 counted the sheep by thousands now counted the flocks by thousands. 

 There was also a healthy increase in manufactories during the years 1863 

 and 1864. But there was a great change. The war closed, foreign goods 

 flooded the market, the United States Government added its accumu- 



