EAST OP THE MISSISSIPPI KIVEE. 649 



increase weiglit of carcass and amount of wool in fleece, of tlie best 

 quality, and take all advantage possible of modern science in feeding, 

 so that production from tlie same farm might be greatly enlarged, tlie 

 profits would compare favorably with other branches of legitimate 

 fai'miug, all things considered. This direction has been taken by the 

 larger number of farmers, and the Wisconsin Merino of to-day is being- 

 bred and fed with a view to secure both wool and mutton, for which the 

 numerous flocks give ample facilities Avithout any iu-breeding or impor- 

 tation from other States. 



Notwithstanding the efforts of the leading breeders, there was a stam- 

 pede in the Merino flocks and many swelled the receipts of the Chicago 

 markets. There seemed to be a disposition all over the Iforthwest to 

 abandon them, and they diminished at a rapid rate in Wisconsin — so 

 rapidly as to call from one of the leading live-stock journals of Chicago 

 the remark that "farmers vie with each other to see who can run away 

 from their flocks the fastest or reduce them some way." From 1884 to 

 1887 the growers held on well, but hope seemed to have fled in the lat- 

 ter year, and the number of sheep in the State dropped from 1,218,800 in 

 1886 to 809,009 in 1890, and the loss was entirely in Merino sheep. 



There came about in this interval from 1884 to 1890 a great change in 

 the sheep husbandry of the State — such a change as occurred at the 

 same time in Michigan, and produced by similar causes. It was found 

 that breeding sheep for wool alone would not pay, and that too little at- 

 tention had been given to the production of mutton, at least that qual- 

 ity of mutton that would command attention in the market. Those who 

 continued to breed for wool now gave some thought to the possibilities 

 of a mutton Merino. The direction of the thought is well told by a cor- 

 respondent of the National Live Stock Journal, Chicago, April, 1888: 



My flock consists of good higli-grade Spanish Merinos. It averaged 8 pounds of 

 fleece-washed wool last season, which sold for 32 cents perpound. Undesirable ewes 

 and wethers of feeding age are put in good condition for the shamhles and sell read- 

 ily. I am doing about as well as other farmers now, all thing considered, I think, 

 but believe that something further may be gained by giving the question of breeding 

 and feeding more consideration. Hitherto, like others, I have bred mainly for 

 weight of fleece. I know of no good reason why, and certainly it has not yet been 

 proven, that we can not have a large fleece of desirable Merino wool on a carcass 50 

 per cent hea\'ier than we now have, though lacking, perhaps, the excessive folds on 

 the body and amount of yolk in the fleeee. I am going to turn my attention in each 

 direction and see what I can do. Such a carcass will be valuable for the production 

 of mutton as well as wool, as I am satisfied that, properly fattened, the quality will 

 be entirely satisfactory. I do not expect to raise early lambs for market, but shall 

 produce mature mutton. All the talk about the economy of feeding will apply as 

 well to sheep as to other stock, and I shall try to take advantage of all that may rec- 

 ommend itself in that direction. 



Still others, who were disinclined to abandon the IMerino, sought a 

 different type from that generally bred in Wisconsin, and experi- 

 mented with the Delaine Merino of western Pennsylvania and eastern 

 Ohio. The experiments have resulted favorably, although they have 

 not been extended over much time. One must sufilce here. A breeder 



