50 



will serve to show the extent to which the flock has varied over the course 

 of a century : 



Average Weight of Ram Fleeces. 



Number of Fleeces Average Weight of 



Weighed. Fleece. 



Year. Lbs. 



1794 99 .. 748 



1800 26 .. 9-35 



1804 45 .. 946 



1834 107 .. 12-23 



1838 49 .. 11-22 



1847 12 . . 12-14 



1851 4 .. 12-20 



1869 67 .. 14-64 



1877 79 .. 16-74 



1887 138 .. 17-27 



Average Live Weight of Rams. 



Number of Rams Average Weight of 



Weighed. Rams. 



Year. Lbs. 



1802 4 .. 144-1 



1847 12 .. 209-1 



1851 4 .. 176-3 



1869 7 .. 188-26 



1877 15 .. 182-3 



1887 56 .. 163-9 



Data as to Quality of Fleeces. 



Length of Staple. Serrations to the Diameter of Fibre. 



Period. In. Inch. In. 



1787-1796 2-20 .. 38-9 .. 0-00085 



1797-1806 2-34 .. 43-5 .. 0-00084 



1807-1816 2-30 .. 41-5 .. 0-00080 



1817-1826 2-22 .. 424 .. 0-00078 



1827-1836 2-13 .. 414 .. 0-00080 



1837-1846 2-18 .. 44-2 .. 0-00080 



1847-1856 2-36 .. 42-0 .. 0-00082 



1857-1866 2-29 .. 41-6 .. 0-00087 



1867-1877.. 2-61 40-0 0-00089 



Thus these tables show that during the course of a century the live weight 

 and fleece of the Spanish Merinos have been considerably increased at Ram- 

 bouillet, and that at the same time the length of staple has been added to 

 without appreciable loss of character and fineness in the wool. 



