362 



THE FARMER AT HOME. 



and by those means lessens its cohesion and solidity Split timber, 

 indeed, turns out often crooked and warped ; but in raany purposes to 

 which it is applied this is not prejudicial ; and these faults may some- 

 times be amended. As the fibres, however, retain their natural length 

 and direction, thin boards, particularly, can be bent much better. 

 Thus a great advantage in making pipe staves, or sieve frames, which 

 require still more art, and in forming various implements of the like 

 kind. 



SAXON BUCK. 



SAXON SHEEP. The invaluable properties of pure Saxon wool, 

 and the demand consequent for its manufacture into fabrics, the fine- 

 ness of which the world has never before produced, is the cause of the 

 high value of Saxori sheep, and their spread over so lar^e a portion of 

 Europe, and of their introduction to our own country. No other breeds 

 are so highly prized on the continent of Europe, and none which com- 

 mand such enormous prices. Individual uncori laminated rams, often 

 bring from one hundred to two hundred and fifty dollars ; and a whole 

 flock was purchased in Germany, a few years since, destined for Russia, 

 for which an average price of five hundred dollars was paid ; and, on 

 the authority of Mr. Spooner, it has been stated that rams have been 

 sold there at the incredible prices of one hundred to near three hun- 

 dred guineas per head. And in our own country, for rams, there have 

 been sales at prices approximating five hundr jd dollars each. 



