No. 63.J 29 



REPORT ON FINE WOOLED SHEEP. 



[Committee: — Messss. J. P. Beekman^ E. C. Delavan and S. D. Colt.] 



The committee appointed to examine the Fine Wooled Sheep ex- 

 hibited for premiums, beg leave to report: — 



That the number of animals of that description, that were present- 

 ed for exhibition, was small — nothing in number to what we were 

 entitled to expect, considering that Albany is the center around which 

 it is thought there are large and valuable flocks of that useful animal. 

 In the State of New-York, there are probably as numerous, and as 

 fine wooled sheep, as there are in any State in the Union. Some pa- 

 triotic and spirited gentlemen early entered into that branch of agri- 

 culture, and it has been pursued from that period until this time, by 

 a large number of our best farmers, with the best spirit and more or 

 less success. It is a branch of agriculture that will keep pace with 

 the increasing wealth of our people, and the capacity of our manufac- 

 turers to make a good article from the raw material. From the in- 

 genuity of the American people, we have every reason to believe that 

 in the manufacture of fine cloth, the time will soon come, that for 

 cheapness, strength, and finish, their cloth will compete with that of 

 any people in Europe. 



We report that Charles W. Hull of New Lebanon, Columbia 

 county, is entitled to $10, the first premium, for the exhibition of the 

 best Saxony buck. 



That Henry D. Grove of Rensselaer county, is entitled to $8, the 

 second premium, for the exhibition of the second best Saxony buck. 



That John Mott of Mechanicsville, Saratoga county, is entitled to 

 $5, the third premium, for the exhibition of a fine wooled merino 

 buck. 



The committee would wish to draw public attention to this 

 class of fine wooled sheep, which have recently been neglected for 

 the finer but not more profitable Saxony, from the fact that the Meri- 

 no shear much the heaviest fleece, which in quality and price is but 

 little inferior to their competitor, the Saxony, but in amount of mo- 

 ney realized from the' same number of fleeces, exceeds them. The 

 fleece from the buck to which the last premium has been awarded, 

 and which was exhibited with the animal, for instance, weighed 9# 

 lbs. and was of fair quality as to fineness. 



The committee award $10 to Henry D. Grove of Rensselaer, for 

 the best pen of ewes, and to the same person, $8 for the second best 

 pen; and to Charles W. Hull of Lebanon, Columbia county, a diplo- 

 ma for the fourth best pen. 



