LETrER OF TRANSMIITAL. 



TJ. S. Dbpabthent op Agrioultuee, 



BuRBAtr OF Animal Industry, 



Washington, D. C, April 11, 1892. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith a report upon the history 

 and present condition of sheep husbandry in the United States. The 

 work has been prepared with great care and is believed to be thorough,, 

 comprehensive, and exhaustive. The first two chapters give the his- 

 tory of the iirst sheep introduced into the infant colonies, their charac- 

 teristics, and their improvement, together with a brief sketch of the 

 household woolen industry down to the period of the general introduc- 

 tion of the Spanish Merino breed in 1810-'ll. 



The third chapter is devoted to the history of the Spanish Merina 

 and its introduction into the country between 1801 and 1811. Many 

 hitherto unpublished facts are here presented, which are of interest as 

 bearing on the economic history of the country and as affecting the 

 pedigrees of noted flocks. 



The remaining chapters of the report trace the history and progress 

 of the sheep and wool industry in the several States, the introduction 

 of the flne-wooled Spanish, Saxon, French, and Silesian in each, the 

 varying phases of the wool industry, and the gradual extension of the 

 English mutton breeds over the whole region, and the present status 

 of the industry both for wool and mutton. Included in this treatment 

 of the subject is the general and pedigree history of the early Merino 

 flocks, traced from the first importations down to and, in some cases, 

 including the flocks of the present day. There is shown the progressive 

 improvement of the flne-wooled sheep now inhabiting the continent, the 

 great increase in fleece and the tendency of its present development. 

 The system of breeding pedigreed flocks and the management pursued 

 by the most successful sheep husbandmen are given, covering a period 

 of wide and varied experience from the beginning of the century down 

 to the present day. The experience of those who have been the most 

 successful in the breeding of the improved English mutton sheep has 

 also been given, as well as the methods followed by those who have 

 been most successful in supplying the markets with early lambs and 

 mature mutton. 



9 



