434 APPENDIX G. 



In proof of the first proposition, that sheep do consume in proportioi 

 to their bulk, Mr. Livingston submits, in an appendix to his essay, thi 

 record of many experiments which sliow conclusively that such is thi 

 fact ; but of his second proposition, that they shear in proportion to thei: 

 surface, he gives no facts, and I suppose it to be mere theory. Thi 

 attention of the writer was called to this subject by the Hon. Georgi 

 Geddes, some four years since, and at his request the trial was made 

 and the result has been given to the world by yourself. Experimenti 

 of the same character on the same flock have been conducted for. thre( 

 successive years, and their results are recorded in the following tables 



In one or two points they are not as perfect as I could wish, but thej 

 are the best that could be done with so small a flock. Had there beer 

 from forty to fifty in each class and every year, the natural law in rela 

 tion to them mi^ht be nearer in accordance with the facts noted ; for ai 

 there are exceptions to aU rules, I may be giving the exception and no 

 the rule. This can be true only in regard to five and six year old ewes 

 and five year old wethers. In all other cases, taking the three yean 

 collectively, I am confident that facts of value have been obtained. 



The base of the flock a few years since was Saxon ; they are no-n 

 classed from one-half to seven-eighths Spanish Merino — a portion of th( 

 largest, in 1861, was one-quarter French Merino. In 1861 the ewei 

 raised 35 lambs; in 1862, 30, and in 1868, 70. In the fall of '61 th( 

 oldest and largest were sold and replaced by 60 lambs purchased. Ii 

 the fall of '63, 70 wether lambs were purchased, part of the smallest o 

 them were sold, some three-year old ewes purchased ; and some oldei 

 ones sold. Other discrepancies that may be noted are attributable t( 

 death. They were all brook- washed about two weeks before shearing 

 The flocks at the time of shearing were in good condition — some of thi 

 ewes thin, of course. The four rams in the flock are included with thi 

 wethers, to save space, figures and calculation. The first table is thi 

 same as published in 1862, in Mr. Randall's Essay, in the Transaction 

 of the N. Y. S. Agricultural Society, except that I have subdivided thi 

 sexes. The fifth table is the same as the second one then published 

 except that I have added the last three classes, and called them one 

 They were sheared the 36th and 27th of June, 1861 ; 27th, 28th and 30t] 

 of June, 1862, and 35th, 26th and 27th of June, 1863. Every sheep am 

 fleece were weighed separately and recorded on the spot. 



[ The tables referred to in the preceding paragraphs are given oi 

 the two following pages.] 



