FINE WOOL SHELP HUSBANDRY. § 
or 
but some of them, with high keeping and light use, 
have sheared more, and my yearling rams have 
generally sheared from 15 to 22 pounds each. My 
breeding and yearling ewes have never averaged as 
low as 15 pounds each, unwashed, taking the entire 
flock. Some of them have sheared over 20 pounds 
each, but these were exceptions, being large and in 
high condition. 
“The live weight of any animal of course depends 
very much upon its condition. My yearling ewes 
usually range from 90 to 180 pounds each, and the 
grown ewes from 180 to 170 pounds each, and I have 
had some that weighed over 200 pounds each ; but 
these would be above the average size and in high 
flesh. My yearling rams usually weigh from 120 to 
180 pounds each, and my grown rams from 180 to 
250 pounds each—some of them have weighed over 
800 pounds each, but these were unusually large and 
in high flesh and in full fleece. Ihave hadram lambs 
weigh 120 pounds atseven months old, but they were 
more thrifty, fleshy, and larger than usual at that age. 
“ As you request the height from the top of the 
shoulder to the gronnd, I have measured some of 
those of medium height, and find that yearling ewes 
run from 26 to 28 inches, the grown ewes from 28 to 
30 inches, the yearling rams from 28 to 82 inches, and 
the grown rams from 80 to 34 inches. You also in- 
quire the color of the great body of French sheep, 
externally; what color the wool is when opened on 
the sheep, whether the oil in the wool is white or yel- 
low, and if they exhibit much gum ? 
“When running out and exposedto the storms, thev 
are, as a whole, light-colored when compared with the 
Spanish Merinos, for the reason that they have much 
less yolk or gum in their fleeces, besides their oil o1 
yolk is more of a soap-like substance, and separates 
from their wool so readily that the rains will wash 
their surface comparatively elean, leaving them light 
