88 FINE WOOL SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



crease the heft very much. I enclose two samples of 

 wool, from two of the ewes."* 



I subsequently inquired of these gentlemen whether 

 their French sheep were driven to the barns at night, 

 and in rain storms in summer, or if they went there 

 without driving. Their reply was, that they some- 

 times drove them in during cold rain storms in the 

 fall, but otherwise not ; that, however, the sheep gen- 

 erally went under shelter at all times when wetted by 

 rain ; that in fair nights they " seemed to prefer sleep- 

 ing out in the yards." The means used to guard them 

 against dogs, brought them also to sleep on the dry 

 straw of the barnyard, instead of the damp sod of the 

 pasture. 



Introduction of the Silesian Merino, 



Still another Eichmond was to appear in the field 

 of competition the exquisitely wooled Silesian Me- 

 rino. The following account of its introduction and 

 characteristics, is contained in a letter to me from the 

 principal importer of the variety, William Chamber- 

 lain, Esq., of Red Hook, New York. He writes : 



" Your favor, dated 24th ult., is received, and it 

 gives me pleasure to furnish the required information 

 in regard to my flock of Silesian sheep, with full lib- 

 erty to make such use of the facts as you please. 



" 1st. I have made importations for myself and 

 George Campbell of Silesian sheep, as follows : 



In the year 1851, say 40 ewes and 15 bucks. 



" 1853, " 21 " 4 " 



" 1854, " Ill " 13 " 



" 1856, " 34 " 2 " 



212 " 34 

 * This letter is dated January 2, 1862. 



