698 



SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



The folloAving table shows the comparative amount of wool grown 

 east and west of the Mississippi from 1840 to 1890 : 



It thus appears that while from 1840 to 1890 there was a decrease in 

 the number of sheep east of the Mississippi of 10 per cent, there was 

 an increase in the wool clip of 243 per cent, or in other words that one 

 sheep in 1890 grew as much wool as 2.73 sheep in 1840, and as much as 

 two grew in 1850. Taking the whole country the increase in number 

 of sheep from 1810 to 1860 was only a little over 100 per cent, and the 

 increase in wool clip was about 350 per cent during the same period of 

 fifty years, while for the next twenty-five years, from 1860 to 1885, the 

 increase was greater than for the former period of fifty years, viz., over 

 140 per cent in number of sheep and over 375 per cent in wool clip. 

 From 1885 to 1890 sheep diminished over 10 per cent in number, and 

 there was a decrease in the clip of nearly 9 per cent. 



In 1840 the average weight of the fleece east of the Mississippi was 

 barely 1.85 pounds; in 1850 it was 2.48 pounds; in 1860, 2.86 pounds; 

 in 1870, 3.67 pounds; in 1880, 4.71 pounds, and in 1890, 5.04 pounds. 



This improvement has been fully noted in the preceding pages and 

 the causes therefor amply enlarged upon. With the increase in fleece 

 there has been an increase in the size and weight of sheep of all kinds. 

 We have no accurate data as to the weight of the American sheep in 

 1800, and assume that it was somewhat less than its English ancestor. 



Old writers would have us believe that six hundred years ago some 

 of the English breeds of sheep were no larger than rats and rabbits. 

 There were a great number of breeds of sheep in the thirteenth century. 

 The animal was small, and a wether in good condition weighed a good 

 deal less than 40 pounds. The wool of the sheep was coarse and full 

 of hairs. The fleece was light, an average giving 1 pound 7f ounces to 

 each sheep. There was but little improvement until long after 1700. 

 At that date an ox, without skin, head, and offal, did not weigh on 

 an average more than 400 pounds. At Smithfield fair in 1700, oxen 

 weighed 370 pounds, calves 50, sheep 28, and lambs 18. The live 

 weight of English cattle in 1800 was 800 pounds for oxen, 140 for calves, 

 80 for sheep, and 50 for lambs. Messrs. Armour & Co., of Chicago, 

 slaughtered in 1891 more than 2,000,000 sheep. Their average live 

 weight was 99 pounds, and dressed weight 48 pounds. These sheep 

 were mostly from points west of the Mississippi, and were undoubtedly 

 grade Merinos to a great extent. The sheep east of the Mississippi, 

 made up more largely of English blood, will weigh more than those 

 handled by Armour & Co. 



