1819 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



211 



lUool anii lUool (Eu-ounnq. 



WOOL. — WEIGHT OF FLEECE, CARCASS, &c. 

 BY W, I'. DICKIMSOHi 



Messrs. Editors: — In late numbers of your paper 

 I notice some accounts of large fleeces, taken from 

 Merino sheep and their grades. Now, this is all 

 right, so far as it goes: but, in order to form a 

 correct opinion of the value of the animal, we 

 should know not only something about the size of 

 the sheep, but the value of the wool per pound. I 

 think it will not be deputed that the cost of keeping 

 is in proportion to their weight, or that one sheep 

 weighing 120 lbs. will consume as much fodder as 

 two of the same age weighing 60 lbs. each. I 

 usually winter about 200 sheep. My wethers over 

 two vears old, together with my oldest and coarsest 

 ewes, are separated from the rest of the flock in the 

 fall and fattened, and generally sold previous to 

 shearing. The remainder, consisting of stock bucks, 

 ewes, yearlings and two years old wethers, generally 

 average about 4 lbs. per fleece. When I have 

 sheared my fat sheep, the average has been from 4| 

 to 4| lbs- 



My sheep are all numbered, classed and registered, 

 so that by referring to my book, I can ascertain the 

 connection existing between any individuals — their 

 age, grade of wool, weight of fleeces and carcass, 

 fee, for the last three years. 



I sent my clip of wool last season to the wool 

 depot at Kinderhook, where it was assorted and sold 

 as follows: — Super 60 cts. per lb.: Extra 46: Prime 

 39; No. 1, 35; No. 2, 33; No. 3, 26. The last 

 grade was sold in October, which will account for 

 its selling so much lower than No. 2. The remain- 

 der was sold in February, at the same time and to 

 the same individual. My present clip I sent to the 

 same place, where it remains as yet unsold. My 

 average weight of fleeces this year, with the value 

 per fleece at last year's prices, is as follows: 



For the last three years I have weighed my sheep 

 as the fleeces were taken off, and find the live weight 

 in proportion to the weight of fleece between tire 

 different grades nearly the same — although the dif- 

 ference between individuals of the same grade is 

 frequently great. In 1847 I sheared two sheep of 

 the same age and grade, and wintered in the same 

 yard: the difference in the live weight'was only Slbs., 

 whilst that of the fleece was 3 lbs. 3oz. — one shear- 

 ing 3 lbs. 3 oz. and the other 6 lbs. 6 oz. I find 

 that yearlings consume the most food and produce 

 the most wool in proportion to their weight, and 

 breeding ewes the least. 



It will be seen that my finest grades, although they 

 yield the lightest fleeces, produce the most money. 

 They are likewise equally hardy, and raise as many 

 lambs as the coarse grades. I have spared no pains 

 in having my wool clean and in good condition. It 

 was examined this year by an extensive dealer in 

 wool, and one who has perhaps purchased more wool 

 for the last 10 or 15 years than any. other individual 

 in this section of country, who said it was in the 

 best condition of any he had ever seen in Western 

 New York. W. D. D.— Victor, JY. Y., Aug., 1849. 



MERINO SHEEP. -MORE LARGE FLEECES. 



IV REED HI KKITT. 



Messrs, Editors: — I have been calculating to 



send you my annual report concerning my Merino 

 sheep, the weight of their fleece time, 



but being cumbered with many things have deferred 

 it. On seeing a communication from Mr. Bmbbjbb, 

 in your last number, (page 187.) in which be requests 

 that if any had come up to 6 lbs. per head, they would 

 make it known through the Farmer, I thought that 1 

 would wait no longer. 



Last spring I sheared 2b full Hood Merinos, which 

 averaged a trifle over 5 lbs. per head, being no more 

 than a common yield. My breeding ewes averaged 

 4 lbs. 13 oz., and my ewe lambs averaged 4 lbs. i 1 

 oz., and a few bucks, which gave of course he 

 fleeces, brought the whole over 5 lbs. per head. I 

 have about 115 that are high crosses of the Merino 

 with some Saxony, and some native, which ^ave 

 lighter fleeces. I had 236 fleeces in all, wlrich 

 weighed 1,044 lbs., and I sold it for 35 cts. per lb., 

 cash. I am calculating to increase my flock to 300, 

 and have them all pure bred Merino, as soon as I can 

 raise them myself — though the frequent applications 

 that I have for my full bloods prevent my increasing 

 my flock as fast as I should if I could keep the whole; 

 and when I sell my ewes for from $5 to $10 per 

 head, I must sell the good ones, and keep the poor 

 ones, which prevents the improvement of my flock. 

 Could I keep all my best, and sell the poorest, I would 

 soon have a flock of 300 that would average 5£ lbs. 

 per head. One ewe at my last shearing, with a lamb 

 by her side, gave 6| lbs., and one ewe lamb (year- 

 ling,) gave 6 lbs. 6 oz. The buck that I have im- 

 proved from for several years past, shears, when 

 thoroughly washed, 8J lbs., a sample of which I en- 

 close — also a sample of the ewe lamb that sheared 

 6 lbs. 6 oz. 



In December, 1847, I purchased a buck lamb of 

 Stephen* Atwood, of Watertowri, Conn., having 

 the choice of his entire flock. His dam sheared 6 

 lbs., and his sire 10 lbs. 7 oz. I of course calcula- 

 ted on a 10 lb. fleece when he came to maturity; but 

 I was unfortunate in getting him home. He was 

 shipped in April, 1848, but on account of breaks in 

 the canal, and other hindrances, he was 22 days on 

 his passage, and in a small cage; he lost his appetite, 

 got very poor, has grown but little since, and I fear 

 that he will never be common size. His first fleece 

 weiged 7 lbs. 14 oz., well washed on the back; his 

 second weighed only 7| lbs. I feared his being so 

 dwarfed would affect his stock, but it does not: his 

 lambs are large enough, and I think the best that I 

 ever saw. We had 133 of his getting, and raised 

 130 of them. I paid Mr. Atwood $50 for him. 



I cannot say, as Mr. Embree does, that I have 

 paid no high prices, as I have paid for two bucks $50 

 per head; for 14 ewes, $25 per head; for 11 ewes, 

 $20 per head; and for some 20 ewe lambs, $10 per 

 head. For five years past, I have spared neither 

 pains nor expense — calculating to have as good a 

 flock of pure blood Merinos as could be found any 

 where. R. B. — Burdelt, Tompkins Co., JY. Y., 

 August', 1849. 



Wool Growing is becoming an extensive busi- 

 ness at the West. We have accounts of large and 

 profitable clips, the past season, in various sections 

 of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and other 

 western and south-western states. 



