646 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



heaviest shearing, nor did they contend that the heaviest sheep were the 

 best. Their aim was for fair size in the sheep and resistance and qual- 

 ity of wool, with a fair length of staple. One of the prominent breed- 

 ers said in 1876 : 



We have searclied and looked Vermont, New York, and Illinois over, examining 

 sheep, and besides have purchased the very best we could find, both rams and ewes, 

 paying high prices and taking them to Wisconsin. Thus you see the base of our 

 breeding from these different States. While much credit is justly due Vermont, yet 

 we assert from experience, that the second or third generation from Vermont, grown 

 in Wisconsin, are a superior sheep for general purposes. They have a larger car- 

 cass, heavier bones, quantity and quality of fleece equal if not superior. They also 

 withstand more hardship and exposure than Vermont stock. 



The earliest record that we have of the weight of the Wisconsin 

 Merino fleeces is May 29, 1854, when a shearing took place at White- 

 water of about 120 sheep. TLe sheep were washed one or two weeks 

 before the shearing and some of the fleeces yielded as follows : 



Pounds. 



Ten Spanish Merino fleeces, lOJ months old 52-i% 



Ten Spanish Merino fleeces, 10^- months old 55 ,\ 



Ten Spanish Merino fleeces, 11^ months old 57i^ 



These were from 2-year-old ewes, and gave an average of 5J pounds 

 each. Six rams, 2 to 4 years old, gave 70 pounds, an average of llf 

 pounds. The heaviest ram fleece was 14 pounds 2J ounces, from a 

 3-year-old ram. 



In 1861 Alvin Thomas, of Eipon, sheared 2 Spanish Merino rams of 

 an average of 14 J pounds of wool each; 6 yearling rams of 9^^ pounds 

 each, and 51 ewes of 6^ pounds each; all the wool well washed on the 

 sheep's back. In June, 1863, Mr. Thomas sheared 22 J pounds unwa shed 

 wool from a 3-year-old ram. 



In 1865 at the second shearing held at Whitewater, the average of 

 6 ram fleeces was 16-j^ pounds. The heaviest fleece was 18-rg pounds 

 from a 3-year-old ram. A yearling ram gave 14|f pounds and a year- 

 ling ewe 11 pounds. At Eipon, in May, 1867, 5 rams gave fleeces aver- 

 aging 17-1% pounds each. The heaviest weighed 20|-f pounds, from a 

 3-year-old ram. A 2-year-old ewe gave 13 jS^ pounds. 



In 1874 the Merino breeders of Waukesha County had a shearing at 

 Caldwell's Prairie, where 201 sheep were exhibited. Fifty of these 

 were sheared, the ram fleeces running from 10^ pounds to 19}% pounds, 

 the ewe fleeces from 9^ pounds to 19^: pounds. In the same year J. H. 

 Paul, of Genesee, sheared a 2-year-old ram of 24 pounds. In 1875 Mr. 

 Paul's flock sheared at the average weight of 15-iV pounds for ewes and 

 21J pounds for rams. The flock of G. Lawrence averaged 14 pounds 

 for ewes, 19^ pounds for old rams, and 15i\- pounds for yearlings. The 

 heaviest ram fleece was 28J pounds; the heaviest ewe fleece 18 pounds. 

 Paul's heaviest ram fleece was 26^ pounds, the heaviest ewe fleece 17f 

 pounds. 



