EAST OP THE MISSISSIPPI KIVER. 305 



1,771. Nine hundred and thirteen were of the Merino class and were 

 from every part of Europe — France, Italy, Austria, Russia, and Ger- 

 many being represented. The only sheep exhibited Irom America were 

 those of Mr. Campbell, and he took three premiums — two first and one 

 second. One first premium was taken for length of staple, another for 

 weight of fleece. The longest staple from these sheep measured 3J 

 inches, others 3 J, 3 J, and 3 inches; the shortest was 2f inches. These 

 prize sheep were subsequently sold to Count Shen Thors, of Silesia, for 

 $5,000, strong confirmation of the fact that America was producing 

 Merinos more valuable than any in Europe. 



Some of Mr. Campbell's sheep were sold to go to Dunedin, in the 

 southern part of New Zealand, and in 1884 their descendants retained 

 many of their characteristics, good size, larger than the flock from 

 which they descended, with fleeces of fair density and great length of 

 staple. 



The first French Merinos taken into Vermont were the flock of D. C. 

 Collins, of Connecticut, purchased by L. G. Bingham, of Williston, prior 

 to April, 1846. In the fall of 1846 one ram of the Taintor importation 

 was added to the flock, and in 1847 1 more ram and 8 ewes. 



Between 1847 and 1853 A. L. Bingham purchased of John A. Taintor 

 161 French Merinos, for which he paid $37,500. In 1853 Mr. Bingham 

 had a pubMc shearing of some of his French sheep at Sudbury, Vt. 

 Eighty ewes were shorn, 15 of them having been imported that year. 

 The heaviest fleece was 33J pounds, the lightest 11 pounds. The car- 

 casses of the 80, after shearing, weighed 8,240J pounds, an average of 

 103 pounds. The total weight of the wool was 1,344| pounds, unwashed, 

 an average of 16^ pounds per ewe. The shrinkage in washing was 5G 

 per cent. A 2-year-old ram weighing 216 pounds sheared 30J pounds 

 of wool. In 1856 another shearing showed the following: 



Thirty-eight French Merino ewes; average weight of body, 76^ pounds ; 

 fleece, 17f pounds. 



Nine French Merino rams; average weight of body, 94J pounds; 

 fleece, 19J pounds. 



Fifteen half French and Spanish ewes; average weight of body, 56 

 pounds; fleece, ISJ pounds. 



All of these were shearlings. 



In 1851 George Campbell purchased some French Merinos from the 

 flock of Mr. Cugnot, principally, and after their arrival they were 

 sheared, with this result: 



Average live weight of ewes, 103 pounds; average weight of fleece, 

 12J pounds, unwashed. 



The proportion of wool to live weight was 1 to S-^^o- Lambs 5 months 

 old, although they suffered much from the voyage, gave an average of 

 3J pounds. The ram Matchless, when 5 years old, weighed 280 

 pounds, and gave a 25-pound fleece. Mr. Campbell made other impor- 

 tations, and of some Silesians also, but all previous importations were 

 22990 20 



