822 SHEEP RAISING IN TEXAS. 



interesting account of his own great success in sheep-raising on Mata- 

 gorda Bay, sees fit to disagree with me in my estimate of the necessity 

 of breeding from no other than pure Meiino bucks. Now, Mr. Decrow 

 may be right, and I altogether in the wrong ; yet his argument does not 

 convince me that a grade buck, which is peihaps just as apt to brcjod 

 back as ahead, is as useful in a flock of Mexican ewes as a square-built, 

 compact, stout, vigorous, well-wooUed, thorough-bred Meiino, an animal 

 perfect iu all those parts where the Mexican is naturally defective. Ithia 

 year sheared many grade sheep, three and four removes from conmion 

 Mexican ewes, which yielded 8, 8^, and some of them 9 pounds of wool, 

 and wool so fine that it would require a sharp sampler to distinguish it 

 from pure Merino, while the animals were perfect in form, lusty, and of 

 most vigorous constitution. I could not have got along so fiist with grade 

 bucks, and I think Mr. Decrow was wrong when he says that he had 

 made up his mind to " sell or exchange his thirteen pure Merino bucks, 

 even at half-price, and furnish liis newly purchased Mexican ewes (GOO in 

 number) with rams of his own raising, from his own flock in preference." 

 The flock master who breeds altogether from pure Merino bucks, knows 

 always where he is, and where he will come out at the expiration of a 

 certain time ; but if he uses no other than grade rams, he is ever living 

 in uncertainty, and will never reach any particular end. My great object 

 is to breed up until every sheep I may own, may be safely marked a 

 thorough, full-blood Merino ; and in the course of a few years, should 1 

 live, I shall achieve this result. But not in a century could I attain an 

 end I neem so desirable, were I to breed continually from grade rams. 



I do not wash my slieep at all, and for what I deem good reasons. 

 About the middle of April, or at the time when one half my ewes have 

 young lambs at their sides, and the balance are about to di-op, would be 

 the only time I could wash in this region. At this period I would not 

 race or worry iny ewes at all on any account ; they should be pestered as 

 little as possible, and any advantage to the fleece from washing cannot 

 make up for the injury to the animal. I might wash my bucks and 

 wethers without injury, and my yearling lamb flock, made up of ewe? and 

 wethers, and I may possibly try the experiment ; but my old ewes never. 

 Could my lambs come the latter part of February, as Mr. Decrow deeniM 

 best, I might then wash all ; but in this high mountain region yeaning 

 time cannot prudently come before the latter part of March or April, the 

 the very period when we must commence washing and shearing. We 

 are apt to have bad weather in February in this section, and even up io 

 the 15th or 20th of March. Now, as my lambs come at the outset at the 

 rate of over one hundred a day, a single cold, rainy or sleety norther 

 would carry off" one half of those dropped during its continuance ; and 

 hence I say that in this parallel of latitude, and north of it, our yeaning 

 '.ime cannot commence before the latter part of March, without running 

 great risk of loss. 



I will not ti-espass farther upon your valuable space at this time: 

 another year, should you wish it, I will give you a fourth article upon my 

 experience in sheep raising in Texas. 



Respectfully, your friend, 



Geo. Wilkins Kbndaix. 

 Nbw Bbaunfet^, August 1, 1859. 



