Annual Report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture

No. 26. The common varieties are found here on nearly every farm, in small flocks, varying from ten to fifty. Wool growing is in its infancy

here.

DAVID GATES.

No. 37.-As regards quality, my wool will grade with the first flocks of Saxony in Harrison county. My flock is a cross of the full blood Saxony ewes, with the full blood Spanish bucks. In the year 1851 I moved from Harrison county to this county. I then owned a flock of 400 head of Saxony Merinos, from which I assorted 100 choice ewes and brought them with me. I afterwards bought some thirty head of ewes, raised by Samuel Patterson, of Washington county, Pennsylvania, nearly of the same grade of my own. This was the commencement of my present flock. Up to the fall of 1856 I bred chiefly from bucks that I brought with me from Harrison county. Being convinced from my experience, observation and reading, that the Spanish sheep are the best sheep in the world, I came to the conclusion that I would henceforth breed from Spanish bucks, and I have done so. The first Spanish buck I obtained was from Mr. Hammond's flock, of Vermont-a choice animal; his fleece weighed 14 pounds, clean, "unwashed wool, one year's growth; would compare with Saxony wool in quality. My second purchase of Spanish sheep consisted of 10 ewes and two bucks-my choice from 100 head bred in Vermont. My third purchase of Spanish sheep was made last October, consisting of five ewes and one buck, thoroughbred; the buck and two of the ewes bred by H. F: Dean, one ewe by Robison, one by Wilson, one by Hammond-all thorough breeders of Vermont; four of those ewes are with lamb to Mr. Campbell's famed young buck, of Vermont, exhibited at Cleveland fair, and also Detroit, Michigan, last fall. I have some twenty head of full blood and thoroughbred Spanish ewes. I believe the secret of success in obtaining an extra flock of sheep is in always breeding from select choice bucks, and never from exceptionable ewes. I might say more, but I presume you wish brevity. I may say that my flock pleases myself as regards quality of wool, (and I have had an experience in the wool growing of some thirty years,) but lacks in quantity, averaging 4 pounds of well washed wool to the clip. However, having last year sold my lightest shearers, by judicious management I confidently expect an increase of quantity, and in that way expect to be repaid for my outlay of thorough breeds.

Yours truly,

SAMUEL P. JOHNSTON.

No. 42.-I have given you a brief history of a few flocks in the neighborhood. In this county it is supposed there are about 30,000 sheep, and, as a general thing, the sheep are not pure bred; many of them have been

picked up within the last five or six years, of flocks in Harrison, Guernsey and Belmont counties. But at present there is in this county quite a disposition to invest capital in sheep, and also to improve the blood and weight of fleece.

DR. A. B. CoVERT.

No. 54. We have been in the sheep business for eighteen years, and from my experience I would say to all to get Spanish sheep, if they want to make anything in the sheep business.

Yours truly,

E. BURT.

No. 60.-In 1834, two bucks and twelve ewes, from Duchess county, N. Y., brought to Ohio by Cope & Marsh, who resided in Columbiana county, O.

In 1841, buck, of Nathan Armstrong; 1841, bucks and ews, of Dr. Stough; 1842, bucks and ewes, of A. Marsh, each of Columbiana county, Ohio.

1845, bucks and ewes, of Cyrus C. Taylor, Granger, Medina county, of H. D. Grove, flock, Ohio.

1845, buck, of Mr. Wallace, Brandywine Mills, Ohio.

1845-6, buck and ewes, from the flock of Samuel Patterson, Washington county, Pa.

1845-6, bucks and ewes, from the flock of Samuel Cole, Washington county, Pa.

1845-6, bucks and ewes, from the flock of Mark R. Cockrill, near Nashville, Tennessee.

1846, buck, from flock of Perkins & Brown, Akron, Ohio.

1846, ten ewes, from the flock of Charles B. Smith, Wolcottville, Connecticut.

1849, bucks and ewes, from the flock of Charles B. Smith, Wolcottville, Connecticut.

1853, H. T. Kirtland & John Hisey purchased a buck, No. "70," imported by Catlin & Smith, from the flock of Maximilian Baron De Speck, near Leipsic, Saxony. C. F. Kirtland, the same year, bought of C. B. Smith, 1 buck and 16 ewes.

1859, C. F. Kirtland purchased a buck of Anthony Hoffman, of Duchess county, N. Y., imported from Silesia.

Nine-tenths of the flock now are from the ewes obtained of Charles B. Smith and buck No. 70, and his descendants.

Respectfully yours, &c.,

C. F. KIRTLAND.

No. 64.-I am now crossing my ewes with Silesian bucks, obtained from Wm. H. Ladd, of Richmond, Jefferson county, Ohio, with a view of

increasing weight of the fleece; which I intend to do without essentially increasing the size of fibre. I have bred my Saxons in such a manner as to secure a good constitution; short legs, round compact body, full breast, and they are now a hardy, strong constitutional sheep. Have sheared, of clean washed wool, on the average, three pounds, the flock through; for which the average price obtained for a term of years has been (delivered at my barn) from 60 to 63 cents per pound.

Respectfully and truly yours,

ALVAH UDALL.

No. 100.-The Dana flock is the oldest and largest flock in the county. I believe the flock when started by Benjamin Dana, were called the Black Top Merino. This was in 1819. From that time until 1859, they were crossed on Saxon bucks, from the best flocks of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Since 1859 the cross has been with the Silesian.

Respectfully yours,

WM. B. SHAW.

SILESIANS.

For the history of Silesians see page 472 of Ohio Agricultural Report for

1862.

No. 1.-The flocks of sheep I have named above, were mostly from im ported bucks, and crossed with the common sheep of the neighborhood. They are a very healthy quality of sheep, and are considered among the best. The modes of wintering are various, as hardly two farmers winter their stock alike--some feed hay, some corn-fodder, and others corn and fodder; but there are very few stall fed sheep in this part of the country. Very respectfully yours, &c., THOS. J. HAUGHEY.

No. 1.-I am breeding more for wool than for carcass. My experience in the above varieties of sheep is that the Saxony sheep are too delicate for this climate, and too light fleeced to be profitable. Silesians are better, but to some extent labor under the same difficulties of the Saxonys, I am well pleased with the cross of the Spanish Merino, and have procured, at very high prices, some of the thorough breeds, from the best flocks in the State of Vermont, for the purpose of breeding a flock of that kind of sheep.

Yours respectfully,

SCOTT M. FOWLER.

SOUTHDOWNS.

For history of Southdowns, see page 430 of Ohio Agricultural Report for

1862.