The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-08-29
T. I'VE SToCE
SOME S MsRINos.

In a preceding article the Secretary
of the Kansas Board of Agriculture
made mention of wool yields by a
flock of Merinos maintained in Sedg.
wick county, Kansas. Continuing
along the same line in the Boards
March Q larterIy an account OF what a
Cofey county fl Jck, now consisting OF
900 head, has done and is doing in the
line of wool production, Secretary Co.
burn writes:
While some other States may excel
In the mere matter OF numbers, there
are nsne whose f1cks of fine wools are
more ~favorably known among breed
ers, wool buyers and wool manufac
turers for large yields and superior
quality of product than those reared
IN Kansas. The wherefore Of this is
we'll suggested by the performance OF
such fJcks as the one referred to in a
preceding article, and another, for ex
ample, many years maintained in
Cofey county, famed far and wide for
heavy faeces Of finest texture and in
nOmeraDle winnings Of prizes over
world dgfying competition.
The greater number Of this flock are
the broad backed, round ribbed and
heavy qlarCered large sheep, yielding
a long Staple, deuse f3eces, and having
extra we'll covered heads, legs and
bellies, neCkB, fl tnhs. and tails, and
generally smooth bodies, although a
few wriuklg sheep are bred for chow
purposes and to keep up the highest
standard OF Merino fleece. THESE
wrinkIy sheep carry a very long staple,
end are Of fine form and strong consti.
tuition, the stock ram OF shat ty pc
weighing over 2O0 pounds, and ewes
100 &c $50 p-urds in fleece.
a y in this f3cK sleared an eggre
gate Of 154+ pounds Ct wool in six
daeces, which is believed to be the
heaviest yield ever ob58ined t2r Elk
consecutive years, in two OF which she
yiaIdcd co~nsecutiveIy the Two heaviest
faeces ever taken from a eve, being
324 and 81 pounds, respectively. This
wonderful eve also raised a lamb in
each Of tie six years, besides being a
winner o. first and sweepstakes pr.z9s
at numerous leading fairs, and Yves
v Defeated. Her weight at last
shearing was $50 pounds. At later
prominent shows another eve OF this
flock won fl ST and sweepstakes prizes,
and there are many ewes, ranging
from one year up wards, that shear
any w here from 20 70 % pounds to the
aaece. 1t seems to be a fact also, that
the heavias. eight f9ecss, aggregatirg
3O1B pounds, ever sheared from a ram
IN eighI consecutive years, were Ero-
duced in this q ok, making a yearly
average Of 377 10 pounds. This ram
proved to be q great sire, many of his
get being first psizo winners at lead
ing State fairs. While yet young
and undeveloped he secured second in
a flock a ram aud three ewes at the
Columbian Exposition, AID as a yearl
ing won first pr;za at each OF the fairs
in Lincoln, Topeka, and Kansas City;
in 1894 he was first and sgeepst2kcs,
as well as at the head of first prize
flock, and sired most Of the prize win.
ners at the State Fairs Of Iowa, Min.
nesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, and at
st. Louis, and was first and sweep
stakes winner at the Trans Missippi
Exposition, at Omaha, in 1898, and
also sired most Of the winners there,
besides yielding a fleece weighing A
pounds. His sire weighed at three
years Of aga 213 pounds, and sheared
385 pounds, and has been sweepstakes
winner at the leading fairs from B1f
falo West, twenty two in all. Like the
ewes, there are also numerous rams
that yield exceptionally heavy feeces.
not to say any thing Of the unusually
large size and weight of the sheep
themselves.
At q public shearing, six rams from
this flock made an average o. 81 pounds
to the fleece; six ewes averaged 264
pounds; six yearIings averaged II
pounds, and the entire number sheared