372 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



nately for 'Sew York, she had preserved a few pure flocks, -wliich have 

 been noted; but there were only a few flocks of this kind, and those 

 were small. Throughout the State there were few flocks that numbered 

 over 200, and as a general rule the best were one-half to seven-eighths 

 blood, and kept in the hill towns, where the pasturage was short. In 

 1841 Ontario County had 28,000, chiefly Merino and Saxon mixed upon 

 the common sheep of the country. Tompkins County had lost all her 

 extensive flocks through the unfortunate cross with the Saxons, and 

 was again introducing the Spanish. Brie County was increasing in 

 wool-growing, the Spanish Merino and grades predominating, though 

 some long wools were coming in. Oneida had many fine flocks of Saxons 

 and all the grades of them. In 1849 the prevailing races in Delaware 

 County were the Saxon, Spanish Merino, and the Southdown. The 

 Saxon gave 2^ pounds of wool, the Spanish 3 pounds, and the South- 

 down 3 pounds. At Buffalo in 1849 sheep husbandry had declined, be- 

 cause wool for two years past, since the passage of the tariff of 1846, 

 had been so low as to afford the wool-growers but a small remuneration, 

 and dairy farming had become more profitable. Yery little wool was 

 brought to the market (except from Canada) that did not show, to a 

 greater or less extent, the effects of a cross with a flne-wooled sheep. 

 It was difficult to define the sheep by any distinctive names. In i^ar- 

 ticular sections sheep of pure Saxony and pure Spanish Merino, as also 

 Southdown, could be found. Generally, however, the great mass of 

 sheep were grades between the Saxony and Merino and the common 

 sheep of the country. The weight of fleeces ranged from 2| pounds 

 washed wool for Saxony and grades to 3^ for Spanish Merino and 

 grades. 



In 1842 Jesse Harron, Monroe County, sheared from 2 Merino 

 rams two years' growth of wool which weighed 23 pounds 13 ounces, 

 and one fleece from a ram of one year's growth which weighed 10 

 pounds. In the Genesee Valley the average Merino fleece was 3 pounds 

 4 ounces, washed on the sheep's back. Mr. Wadsworth had several 

 thousands, and the Shakers at Groveland, Livingston County, a con- 

 siderable flock. In 1845 the Spanish Merino flock of J. Speed, near 

 Ithaca, averaged 5 pounds of clean- washed wool per head. In the same 

 year E. E. and L. G. Collins, Otsego County, from 65 fuU-blood Spanish 

 Merinos sheared 304 pounds of wool, averaging within a fraction of 4 

 pounds 11 ounces per head. Twenty -three were yearlings and averaged 

 4 pounds 14 ounces. The sheep were well washed. In 1844 Henry S. 

 Eandall received the premium for the best-managed and most profitable 

 flock in the State. In 1845 Mr. Eandall sheared from his Paulars an 

 average of over G pounds well-washed wool. A three-year-old ram 

 sheared 13 pounds 3 ounces, and a yearling 8-J pounds of unwashed wool. 

 Many ewes sheared 0, 7, and 8 pounds; 1 slieared 9 pounds and 1 ounce. 

 In 1846 Mr. Henry S. Eandall's flock averaged over 6 pounds of well- 

 washed wooL Some of the ewes ran to 8 pounds, and 1 to 9 pounds 2 



