48 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



From the mention made by the Eev. Mr. Eliot of the Cotswold sheep, 

 and of his reference to a ram he had of the pure breed, it is possible 

 that that blood was infused into some of the Connecticut flocks about 

 1750. 



THE CAE0LINA8. 



Sheep were taken to these provinces at an early day, and were gen- 

 erally of a superior kind, both for food and wool. Iforth Carolina pos- 

 sessed some of the better kind in its earlier history, which were very 

 thrifty, having most commonly two lambs at a yeaning, improving much 

 on open pastures. The mutton generally was exceedingly fat, and of 

 good relish. The wool was described as very fine, with a good staple. 

 The women made of it woolen cloth, most of the families being kept in 

 apparel, so that they had no occasion to run into the merchants' debt, 

 or lay their money on stores for clothing. At a later day ; large poi- 

 tion of its sheep came with settlers from Yirginia and partook of the 

 general character of the sheep of that colony, including a strain of the 

 old Leicester. In South Carolina the first notice we have of the use of 

 the wool is in 1682, when some parties proposed to mix it with the na- 

 tive silk, producing a new kind of stuff. Many of the sheep were 

 brought from England, and some from Ehode Island, and scattering 

 notes of them indicate that some care was taken in the choice of them. 

 Lawson said in 1714 that the mutton in the vicinity of Charleston was 

 good. 



GBOKGIA. 



Of the sheep of this colony, settled in 1732, not much has been re- 

 vealed to us in its history. The mutton was pronounced good, and it 

 was yet scarce in 1740, commanding i^d. to 5d. a pound. In later days 

 the wool was pronounced superior to that of the English kind, and fur- 

 nished homespun garments for the majority of the people. In the 

 southern part of the colony, bordering on Florida and the Spanish 

 possessions, the Spanish sheep obtained a foothold, which they have 

 maintained to the present day; they have degenerated, it is true, but 

 are still hardy sheep, and held in some repute. 



EARLY EFFORTS AT IMPROVEMENT. 



With the approach of the Eevolution, more attention was paid to the 

 raising of sheep. A feeling of independence showed itself in the in- 

 crease of flocks, that the domestic manufacture might be carried on, 

 and there was an increased demand for homespun garments from those 

 who had usually worn the finer products of the British looms. The 

 press of the country called particular attention to the importance of 

 increasing the number of sheep and improving them by selecting the 

 best and discarding the poorest, and he was no patriot who continued 

 to wear an English coat, or rather a coat made from English material. 



