978 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



year French Merinos. J. Cogswell imported New Oxfordshires and 

 Hampshire Downs. Southdowns, New Leicesters, and Merinos had 

 been returned to Oregon in 1854 by Dr. W. F. Tolmie, who, as manager 

 of the flock, had used them to improve the Lease sheep. In 1858 E. 

 C. Geer imported Jonas Webb Southdowns from England. Ex-United 

 States Senator Ben Stark imported a pure-blood Ootswold. In 1864 

 John D. Patterson brought in some of the largest class of French Me- 

 rinos. About this same date (1864) sheep of the popular British breeds 

 began to arrive from the various Australian colonies and from Canada, 

 since which time the flock owners of Oregon have had ample variety of 

 the best herds to choose from. 



Oregon is sharply divided by the Cascade range of mountains into 

 two diverse climates. Western Oregon may be described as mild and 

 moist, yet has its wet and dry seasons the wet or damp, from October 

 to April $ the dry, from April to October. The following averages of 

 temperature and precipitation are the result of ten years of observa- 

 tion made at Eola, near Salem, and probably give us as near the aver- 

 age for western Oregon as can be taken from any single point: 



Seasonal temperature. Mean annual, 50.9; spring, March to May, 

 60.2 5 summer, June to August, 62.9 5 autumn, September to Novem- 

 ber, 50.8 5 winter, December to February, 38.8. 



Precipitation Average of ten years. Total annual inches, 40.70 j 

 spring, March to May, 9.87 ; summer, June to August, 2.03; autumn, 

 September to November, 10.56; winter, December to February, 17.41. 



The temperature and amount of precipitation are closely similar to 

 middle England, except that Oregon has by far the best ripening and 

 harvest seasons. Yet the temperature is so nearly similar that all 

 kinds of English domestic animals find congenial homes in Oregon, 

 and the British breeds of sheep can all be kept here as well as the 

 different families of Merinos. 



tennial Exhibition of 1876, for which a first-class medal was awarded for the follow- 

 ing reasons given by the committee on awards: "Some very fine specimens of Merino 

 wool of fine fiber and good staple, very much resembling Australian wool, and giv- 

 ing evidence that Oregon can produce wool of very great value." The story is that 

 King George III expressed his thanks to the Marchioness del Campo di Alange for 

 her courteous gift of a small and choice flock of Negrettis by presenting her with 

 "a present of eight splendid coach horses." To show that the poor home-builders 

 of Oregon could give a royal recognition of this valuable breed of sheep, a copy of 

 the bill of sale of the Vermont and French families is here inserted: 

 March 31, 1860. We have this day sold to Joseph Holman and J. L. Parrish : 



One French Merino buck, $500 $500 



Four breeding ewes, at $275 each 1, 100 



Two young ewes (not in lamb) at $100 100 



1,700 

 Received payment in cash and notes. 



R. J. JOXES and S. B. ROCKWELL. 



These sheep, it will be understood, were not more than average specimens of the 

 respective families. Much higher prices were paid subsequently for fancy animals. 



