230 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



liglit-fleeced animal. But the saciiflce of x)liysical points attain.ed 

 end in view — a wool of almost gossamer fineness, weighing only IC 

 20 ounces to the fleece, but finding a market willing to pay a good pr 

 for it. 



From the first period of its introduction until 1814, when Europe o •ce 

 more began to enjoy the blessings of a general peace, Saxon wool ■ as 

 gradually, though surely, spreading itself over the surface of the king- 

 dom of Saxony; but when the continental trade was thrown quite open 

 by the events of the short campaign of 1815, and the minds of men were 

 set at rest by the final overthrow of Napoleon, the Saxon wool-dealers 

 began to open a regular trade in this article to England, and they soon 

 discovered the real value of their new branch of German commerce. 



Pounds. 



In the first year (1814) there were imported into England 3,593,146 



In 1819 there were imported into England 4,557,938 



In 1824 there were imported into England 15,432,657 



In 1828 there were imported into England 23,110,882 



The great increase in the demand for this wool naturally excited the 

 emulation of the states lying contiguous to Saxony, and the flock- 

 masters of the kingdom carried on, for a considerable period, a very 

 prosperous trade in rams and ewes with the landowners of Silesia, 

 Bohemia, Austria, and other parts, who were desirious of changing the 

 nature of their flocks to this more profitable breed. All the superabun- 

 dance of grain, which had no external market to absorb it, was given to 

 the sheep in order to accelerate their approach to the maximum degree 

 of fineness of which their wool was susceptible, thus actually creating a 

 profitable consumption for their corn, through the eagerness of England 

 to obtain a superior quality of wool. 



This eagerness for fine wool was not confined to the English manu- 

 facturer. Wheu the goods of great excellence fabricated from this fine 

 Saxon wool were imported into the United States they challenged ad- 

 miration and found quick sales. The American manufacturers began 

 the importation of the wool, and finally introduced the Saxony Merino 

 sheep into the United States. 



Dr. Henry S. Randall says that these Saxony sheep, when introduced 

 into the United States, lacked at least one-fifth and often more of the 

 weight of the parent Spanish Merino as it then was; they were longer 

 legged in proportion to size, sUmmer, finer boned, and thinner in the 

 neck and head. At every point they gave indications of a more deli- 

 cate organization. Their fleeces averaged from IJ to 2 pounds of 

 washed wool in ewes and from 2 to 3 pounds in rams. There was 

 sufficient yolk in the fleece to give it pliancy and brilliancy, but the 

 yolk was colorless, limpid, and easily liberated in washing. It never 

 assumed a viscid, waxy consistency or became indurated into "gum " 

 either within or on the outer extremity of the wool, and consequently 

 having nothing on the surface to catch and retain dirt the fleece 

 remained almost white externally. The staple was usually from an 



