EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 



241 



Tlie Massachusetts census of 1885 gives the number of sheep in each 

 county and the value thereof, and the amount of wool produced. 



Barnstable - 

 Berkshire. - - 



Bristol 



Dukes 



Essex 



Franklin ... 

 Hampden... 

 Hampsliiro . 

 Middlesex .. 

 Nantucket.. 



jN'orfolk 



Plymoutll .. 



Suffolk 



"VVorceBter . . 



County. 



INuni- 

 l)er of 

 slieep. 



Total 65, 140 



347 



17,211 



78.T 



9,038 



1,776 



11, 526 



3,399 



5,027 



1,091 



415 



206 



1,069 



28 



3,224 



Average 

 value. 



$3.81 

 3.76 

 3.52 

 2.21 

 4.73 

 8.60 

 3.64 

 3.70 

 7.47 

 4.16 

 3.88 

 4.32 

 8.00 

 6.66 



3.64 



Spanish 



Merino 



"wool. 



Pounds. 



14, 889 

 235 

 168 

 775 



6,365 

 659 



2,672 

 325 



25 

 833 



Saxon 



Merino 



wool. 



Pounds. 



10, 120 

 85 



Pounds. 

 779 



190 

 3,340 

 810 

 606 

 322 



1, 400^ 



16, 913J 



other 

 "wools. 



2,166 

 33, 906 



6,607 

 39, 710 

 13, 369 

 24,599 



6,127 



1,658 

 498 



3,121 



The following table shows the number of sheep in the State of all 

 kinds, and the wool product at different periods from 1830 to 1890: 



The number of sheep here given for 1890 is the estimate made by the 

 United States Department of Agriculture. The returns of the State 

 assessors show but 45,899. The breeds are not given, but there has 

 been a decline of the Spanish and Saxony Merinos greater than in those 

 of English descent. Mr. James S. Grinnell, of the State Board of Agri- 

 culture, doubts if there is among the 1,000 Saxonies estimated one genu- 

 ine pure-bred Saxony, and the number of pure-bred Spanish Merinos is 

 confined to some half dozen flocks. 



The average price of Massachusetts wool was 36 cents per pound in 

 1845, 37 cents in 1855, 76 cents in 1865, and 41 cents in 1875; and in 

 the latter year there was a close approximation in price of the various 

 wools. The finest Saxony was 44 cents, the Spanish Merino 42, and 

 the coarse and middle wools 41 cents. The sheep also differed but little 

 in price, the Saxony Merino grades $4.90, the Spanish Merino $4.03, and 

 the long-wooled mutton sheep $4.21. 



