EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 619 



ns the most profitable and commendable thing to do, as it gave the 

 slirt'p industry a healthy pruning. But among these coarse- wooled 

 sheep were some of undoubted purity and much worth, which were bred, 

 and with good results. The Cotswold was a favorite, particularly to 

 cross on the Merino. The progeny was esteemed a good mutton sheep. 



The census of 1870 showed 1,985,906 sheep and 8,726.145 pounds of 

 wool, an increase of 714,163 sheep, or 56 per cent since 1860, while the 

 yield of wool had more than doubled in the same time. The average 

 yield per head was 3.11 pounds in 1860, and 4.39 pounds in 1870. 



There was a gradual improvement in the market for fine wool after 

 1S71; flocks were enlarged and new ones formed. The growth of the 

 industry was steady and healthy. The flocks were preserved in purity 

 and their increase was conservative. As a rule the inferior sheep were 

 weeded out and oidy the best kept. With the general improvement 

 came notices of sheep shearings and yield of flocks. In 1872 C. P. 

 Hooper, Macoinb County, sheared 5,000 pounds washed wool from 1,000 

 sheep, which he sold for $3,000. At a shearing in Calhoun County in 

 1875 four rams gave this result : 



In May, 1876, Lyinan Cate, of Highland, sheared 20 yearling rams 

 that averaged 14 pounds of wool each ; 1 sheared 18 J pounds. Mr. 

 Cate was the owner of the ram Highland Chief, which sheared for its 

 first fleece 22J pounds, second fleece 34J pounds, and third fleece, in 

 1877, within a very small fraction of 35 J pounds. 



On May 4, 1876, Messrs. Wood Bros., of Saline, sheared 9 ewes of 131 

 pounds of wool, an average of 14| pounds each, one 3-year old ewe giv- 

 ing 20 pounds. Thirteen ranis were shorn, 7 yearlings, and 6 2 years 

 old and upwards. Two of the 2-year old weighed over 160 pounds each 

 and gave over 22 pounds of wool. The 7 yearlings averaged 112f pounds 

 each, live weight, and yielded 15f pounds each of wool. One weighed 

 132 pounds and was sheared of 17 pounds of wool. 



At the annual State shearing of 1879 6 rams were shorn, giving 20 

 pounds and upward of wool, as follows: 20 J, 21 J, 21 , 22, 23J, and 26 

 pounds. The general average of 16 shorn was light, as compared with 

 other years and other States. 



