FINE WOOL SHEBP HUSBANDRY. V1 
In 1845, Mr. Stephen Atwood wrote to the author 
of the American Shepherd, that his flock consisted of 
150 half ewes and half rams, and wethers; that his 
ewes yielded 5 lbs. of washed wool per head, and his 
lambs an equal amount; that his wethers yielded six 
pounds, and his rams from seven to nine pounds; that 
his heaviest ewe’s fleece in the preceding spring was 
6 Ibs. 6 oz., and the heaviest ram’s fleece 12 lbs. 4 oz. 
it is my impression that several other small flocks, 
whose product of wool was published at that period, 
yielded about the same amount; but none of those 
statements are at hand. 
Many of the Saxon breeders strove to shut their 
eyes to such facts as the preceding. They called 
loudly for more discriminating prices from the manu- 
facturers, and for high protective tarifis from the 
Government. The first did not come; the last did 
not remain. The financial crash of 1837 carried the 
price of Saxon wool absolutely below a remunerative 
point. There was a very brief rally towards the 
close of 1839, but it again sunk to the non-remunera- 
tive point, and Aas never sence regained it. From 
that period the difference in the prices of Saxon and 
Spanish Merino wool has not usually exceeded five or 
eight cents per pound. After that failure of our 
broadcloth manufacturers which followed the tariff of 
1846, the breeders of Saxons gave up all hope, and 
rapidly relinquished their flocks or crossed them with 
other breeds or varieties. 
