EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI EIVER. 551 



Twenty-three Saxon fleeces were put in tlie hands of a woolen manu- 

 facturer at Fall Eiver, Mass., for scouring, with this result: 



One ram fleece before cleaning weighed SJ pounds; cleaned, If pounds; value, 

 $1.20 per pound. 



Five ewes' fleeces before cleaning weighed 15 pounds; cleaned &} pounds; value, 

 $1.14 per pound. 



Five ewes' fleeces before cleaning weighed 19^ pounds; cleaned, 11 poimds; value, 

 97 cents per pound. 



One ram fleece before cleaning weighed 6^ pounds; cleaned, SJ pounds; value, 85 

 cents per pound. 



Five ewes' fleece, before cleaning, weighed 17f pounds; cleaned, 11 pounds; value, 

 83 cents per pound. 



One ewe's fleece, before cleaning, weighed 12 pounds; cleaned, 4J pounds; value, 

 74 cents per pound. 



Five ewes' fleeces, before cleaning, weighed 23| pounds; cleaned, 13J pounds; 

 value, 74 cents per pound. 



By 1860 the Saxons had practically run their course in Ohio, and 

 were generally superseded by the Spanish Merino. There was some 

 crossing with the French Merino, as also with the Silesian, introduced 

 by WUliam H. Ladd into Jefferson County in 1854, and which prom- 

 ised well. 



While the eastern counties excelled in fine wool, sheep throughout 

 the State could be shown yielding 4 pounds each of prime wool that 

 sold at 45 to 60 cents a pound, and flocks were numerous that would 

 yield as much wool per head of first quality as was formerly obtained 

 of quarter and half blood Merino of the old Wells and Dickinson sheep. 

 But, upon the whole, the number of flne-wooled sheep greatly dimin- 

 ished from 1854 to 1860. 



Long-wooled sheep began to attract more notice, and were more pop- 

 ular for the small farms of the country near the cities, particularly on 

 the rich bottom lands. The common, or so-called native, sheep went 

 into Ohio with the early settlers, but were eventually crossed out by 

 the Merino. The improved English breeds were taken into the State 

 as early as 1830. Mr. T. S. Humrickhouse says that the first South- 

 downs, New Leicester, Lincolnshire, and Ootswold sheep he ever , saw 

 were brought into Coshocton County, from England, by Isaac Maynard 

 in 1834. There were about ten Southdowns, and a trio of each of the 

 other kinds. Mr. Maynard was offered $500 for his Lincoln ram as he 

 passed through Buffalo, but refused to part with him. In about three 

 y«ars most of these sheep had perished. On the contrary, Henry Par- 

 sons, of Massillou, succeeded admirably with imported sheep, which 

 he had for sale. He had a flock of Leicesters in 1840, of which he thus 

 speaks : 



My sheep you would scarcely know again, they have so increased in size. This 

 climate suits them far better than their native one. They have, since they have been 

 put up, had little more than oat straw to eat, and are greatly too fat for breeding- 

 sheep or even the butcher. I can keep five Leicesters where I can keep three common 

 ones, and the former shall be fat. 



