EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI EIVEE. 475 



profit, but the industry was not pursued. But again, in 1878, tlie sub- 

 ject was revived by the preparation of a special report on the subject 

 by the United States Department of Agriculture. In this report J. 

 Washington Watts, of Laurens County, who had been a breeder of 

 sheep for many years, states that he found the Spanish Merinos the 

 most profitable, the first of which he had from the Kew York flock of 

 Mr. Eandall. He had crossed the Merino with all the breeds then 

 known in the State, and said that if wool-growing was the primary con- 

 sideration he would by all means raise the Merino. They did not 

 mature as early as the other breeds, but when matured made as good 

 mutton as any breed he had ever raised. The actual cost of raising 

 them was not over 60 cents a head, and the annual clip of unwashed 

 wool per sheep from full-blood Merinos was 7 pounds. The average 

 number of lambs raised was 80 per cent. His pasture was broom sedge 

 and Japan clover until after harvest, when his sheep were allowed the 

 run of the grain fields. For winter pasturage he usually sowed rye lots 

 for the ewes and lambs and gave all the flock the run of oats sown in 

 August and September. As a mixed food cotton seed was wholesome 

 and economical. 



Although mutton was not formerly much eaten in South Carolina, 

 there were many who appreciated it very highly and kept fine mutton 

 flocks. Col. Wade Hampton had a fine Leicester flock in 1845, and. 60 

 lambs dropped from it that year produced, in 1845, when 14 months old, 

 llj to 13J pounds of wool each, and lambs of 1845 had 4-pound fleeces 

 in July. Col. Hampton had Southdowns also, and there was a general 

 dispersion of the best breeds over the State. 



The commissioner of agriculture of South Carolina instituted some 

 inquiries as to the condition and prospects of sheep husbandry and the 

 results were published in 1881. There were very few localities in which 

 sheep could not be raised in sufficient numbers, at least for home con- 

 sumption, at a very moderate cost; and there were many favored locali- 

 ties where they could be profitably raised in large numbers. To be 

 profitable they should be raised with a view to what could be made both 

 on the wool and mutton, and the breeds combining these qualities should 

 be selected. With very little care and small expenditure every farmer 

 could raise annually mutton enough to supply his family with the best 

 and most nutritious food, and sell wool enough to add considerably to 

 his income. The great unanimity expressed for the Merino and its 

 grades for crossing is somewhat remarkable, and the reports from vari- 

 ous counties of the State indicate its general prevalence in small num- 

 bers. Very little attention was paid to the improvement of breeds; the 

 Merino, the Southdown, the Leicester, tTie Cotswold, the Broad-tailed 

 sheep and the natives had all been crossed in various degrees, but the 

 Merino grades were good wool producers, hardy, thrifty and fair for 

 mutton, averaging in some counties 4J to 5 pounds of wool per head. 

 In some counties natural pasturage afforded them their entire living ; in 



