384 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



in our case, no sinecure. In fact, there was the best display of 

 sheep-fold that we recollect of ever having seen at any previous 

 show. The following varieties were liberally represented : — 



Spanish Merino ; cross of French and Spanish do. ; cross of 

 French and Silesian do. ; South Down ; cross of Bakewell and 

 South Down — a noble specimen of a wether from the fold of 

 Orsamus Bardwell, of Shelburne. A very fine specimen of the 

 Irish Smut — a buck 1 year old, very large — the property of J. 

 R. Smith, of Sunderland ; native ewes and wethers from the 

 folds of Messrs. Childs, of Deerfield. and Ewers and Larabee, of 

 Greenfield. Two South Down bucks, belonging to Thomas J. 

 Field, of Northfield, were shown ; not however, for competition, 

 as Mr. Field had but recently purchased them in Berkshire, 

 and they had never yet bitten the green carpet of the Connecti- 

 cut Valley. They were perfect models of comely sheep, and 

 attracted general attention. Mr. Field informed us that they 

 were of ' Thorn's flock' — the importer. "We congratulate Mr. 

 F. on this valual)le acquisition to his fold, and return thanks for 

 his gratuitous exhibition of the animals. 



Mr. B. of Leyden, who took the premiums offered for Merino 

 and cross Merino bucks, is entitled to much praise for his 

 endeavors to add to the show of sheep ; but it was very evident 

 that his breed of sheep suffered in a comparison with that of 

 most other kinds exhibited : the South Downs, the cross of 

 South Downs, and natives, even. But, according to the pro- 

 gramme of the society, premiums Avere offered for the best 

 specimens of animals, such as he exhibited, and he was accord- 

 ingly favored. But your committee, in justice to Mr. B., and 

 in justice to all other shepherds of our association, do not feel 

 at liberty to recommend the cultivation of the French and 

 Spanish, or French and Silesian crossed varieties of sheep. 

 John Randolph, in one of his unique debates, once said, that 

 he would go a mile at any time, out of his direct way, to kick 

 a sheep. Your committee think that John must only have been 

 acquainted with the French and Silesian cross. 



Your committee unanimously recommend to the farmers of 

 Franklin, the raising of full blood Spanish merinos, for wool; 

 and for the shambles, the South Down, crossed with the native. 



JosiAH D. Canning, Chairman. 



