Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-09

Blacow, of Centerville, Cal, which
weighed fifty-one and half pounds.
This wonderful growth of wool having
been called in question, Mrs. R.
Blacow sends the folio wing letter to
the Lire Stock Journal, together with
satisfactory affidavits:
81 was not aware that any comments
were being made IN regard to the
weight of the fleece taken from the
French MerinO ram Napoleon " until
a copy of the Journal was given me by
4 friend. at once took steps toprove
that this is not "a California humbug,"
but living fact-that the sheep and
fieece,are now on the farm, and can be
seen at any time. l have had charge
of Mr.. Blacow's sheep for some time,
and know what we say about them
are facts, as we do business in no other
way.
When Napoleon ". was two years
old, clipped from him 46 pounds, one
years growth; at three and four years
/ was not there, but know the parties
well who sheared him. at FIVE years
old, sheared him again. At six years
old We intended he should carry his
fleece, and be exhibited at the State
fair In September; but in this we fail
ed, as his fleece got so heavy that it re.
duced his weight about 100 pounds;
and in July we were compelled to shear
him, when his fleece was sixteen
months growth, and not twelve as you
have 1t.
Some of our ewes shear from p to
30 pounds; the flock on the average
yielding % pounds.
If this proof is not considered salts
factory, hope that some of our Eastern
friends who were so badly "choked"
with the "big fleece" llsatisfy them
selves Of the thing by coming to our
State and inspecting the flock, which
numbers nearly SIX hundred head.
They were originally imported from the
French imperial flock at Rambouillet.
In connection with the above, an
Illinois wool-grower makes the follow
ing pertinent remark:
In California, sheep will grow one
third to one-half larger than they viii
here. A good medium-sized French
Merino will weigh there from 200 to
go lbs. and grow a fleece in proportion.
California is better climate for sheep
than we have in Illinois.
He viii not think IT a humbug when
he VIII have to compete against the 5la
pounds sheared at st. Louis this fall,
with some As pounds of No. wool on
its back, and a carcass that viii
weigh 200 pounds. l have been
a fne-wool breeder for some 10 or
y years, and don't doubt Mr. Blacow's
weights, when l can clip % pounds
from % pound sheep, at IL months
growth. There Is one certain ram in
Illinois that will beat the California
sheep. if you will take into considera-
ton age of fleece and weight of carcass.
Said sheep will not weigh more than
100 pounds in full fleece, and Will clip
80 pounds of wool That will beat the
California ram. Mr.. j. j. Broward, of
Africa. y. Y, has a Spanish MerinO
ram that clipped, for two years in sue
cession. % pounds of wool, which
cleaned 9 lbs. , OF. Mr.. Stickney, of
Vermont, once owned ram that
clipped 81, and once IS pounds, even l.
months growth. Mr.. Blacow's entire
flock of 800 head makes an average of
% pounds.
We do not think it necessary TO copy
additional evidence to satisfy the read
ers Of the UNION AND AMERICAN that
noticeable progress and improvement
have been achieved in the art andscience
of producing wool and superior wool
growing sheep. These sheep have a
pedigree which runs back not only to
Rambouillet and the royal focks of
France and Spain, but to ancient Rome,
where Marcus Columella saw at public
games, and on agricultural show,
new and dirty variety of sheep from
Africa, which he bought, bred at Tar
entum, and finally took to his estate in
Spain as horned merinos.
In his celebrated work on sheep,
Blackjack states that the greatest TT.
corded improvers of sheep in ancient
times were Lucius Columella and his
uncle Marcus Columella, Spaniards of
distinction, who removed to Rome in
the reign of Tfberius, and made agri-
culture the study and business of their
lives. The former commenced his
treatise on husbandry during the reign
of Tiberius and Caligual, and appears
to have finished it in the year A. D.
80. Ancient writer's on De Re Rustica
did not have our knowledge of organic
chemistry, animal and Vegetable physi-
ology, and could not change vital func-
tons as seen in our sheep, dairy cows