APPENDIX. 



A.— (p. 120.) 



SHEEP AND WOOi;. 



I subjoin a communication from William Jarvis, American Consul at 

 Lisbon, in 1809 — 10, and then a large purchaser of Merino Sheep to be 

 sent to this country. He is now an extensive farmer in Wethersfield, 

 Vermont; and has as good sheep as are to be found. I have never 

 seen sheep in better condition. Two other communications follow from 

 Henry D. Grove, a native of Germany, bred a farmer and a shepherd, 

 and at one time President of the New York Agricultural Society. 

 Such men are a great acquisition to the country and do much for our 

 agricultural interests. No man is more competent to speak with au- 

 thority in these matters ; for no man's flocks are better managed or 

 make better returns. 1 have had repeatedly the pleasure of visiting his 

 premises, and of being instructed by their excellent condition. 



Two of these communications were addressed to Benton & Barry, 

 who published Statistical Accounts of the Sheep and Woolen Manufac- 

 turing Establishments in the country, in 1816 ; a work of great labor 

 and value, showing in a striking manner the great importance of this 

 interest. 



I. — Extracts from a Letter of William Jarvis to Benton and Barry. 



" Out of a hundred Spanish Merinos five may, be selected that are a 

 shade better than the rest, and five that are somewhat inferior ; the 

 other ninety will be so nearly alike as to the quality of the wool, as to 

 leave but little other choice than what arises from shape and size. A 

 quf;stion will very naturally arise here, how it happens that the Spanish 

 Merinos should be so much better built and stronger, and yield a fleece 

 one third heavier than does the Saxony, when the latter is derived from 

 the same stock. This is a question of difficult solution. The best 

 reasons that I can assign for it are, that all the feebler sheep in Spain 



