228 RURAL SIKW YORK 



very partial to them as they are safer than horses in 

 the hands of poor horsemen who are common among 

 present day farm laborers. The production of mules 

 is small. This is indicated by the fact tliat there 

 were only 193 yearlings on farms in 1910. These 

 figures should be noted in connection with the num- 

 ber of asses and burrows kept in the State. This was 

 284, probably nearly all of tlie former type, the num- 

 ber of burrows being almost negligible. 



SHEEP (See Figs. 30, 31) 



There has been a nearly continuous and regular 

 decrease in the number of sheep on the farms of the 

 State since 1840. Only in the census year of 1900 

 was there an increase in number over the preceding 

 ten-year period, probaldy in response to the general de- 

 mand for wool and the low cost of feed. The follow- 

 ing table gives the number of sheep kept and the 

 amount of wool produced by periods since 1840. 

 About two-thirds of tliese are mature animals, and 

 the remainder are lambs. 



Table IX. Number of Sheep and Amount of 

 Wool Produced Since 1840 



The production of wool to an animal, estimating 

 two-thirds of the total number as mature animals 



