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Previous to my coming to this country, I followed the profession of 

 agriculture in Germany. The fine-wooled race of sheep, especially, 

 attracted my particular attention ; but not until I made several journeys 

 in different sheep districts in that country and examined a great many 

 flocks which excelled in excellence, that my predilections in favor of 

 this interesting and very useful animal, were more particularly aroused. 

 Being permitted to examine the flocks of some of the most eminent 

 breeders, their courtesy and liberality to communicate their experience 

 and observations, exact experiments and their results, gave me advant- 

 ages for acquiring knowledge on this subject, for which twenty years' 

 experience in my individual flock would have been insufficient. T could 

 make comparisons between the different modes of breeding, and noted 

 the favorable and unfavorable results, but I always found, that where 

 the mode was based upon scientific principles, the improvements 

 were much more rapid, than when bred on the hap-hazard plan. 



One of the modes of the systematic breeder in Germany is an exact 

 classification of his flock, and the keeping a correct record of it. Since 

 the introduction of this system in Germany, the improvement of sheep 

 took anew start and was much more rapid than it ever was before. 

 Those flocks where it was first introduced, soon went ahead of others, 

 and it was not long before most of the owners of fine flocks followed 

 their example. 



The first class is denominated " Super Electa ;" second class 

 " Electa ;" third class " Prima ;" fourth class " Secunda ;" fifth class 

 " Tertia ;" not many have more than the first four classes, and any in- 

 dividual falling below tlie last, is at once rejected and disposed of. 

 Three small samples of wool, one from the neck, one from the shoul- 

 der, and one from the thigh, are taken from each sheep (they should 

 be cut off with a pair of scissors and not pulled out) and rolled up in a 

 piece of white paper with the number and age of the sheep marked on 

 it. In order to make the classification with accuracy, the animal is 

 placed upon a table made for that purpose and held by a man, so that 

 the examinator has a fair chance to view it critically. A clerk with 

 paper, pen and ink, is in attendance, who notes down the texture of the 

 staple, whether short or long, round, flat, or spiral, exterior appearance 

 of the fleece, evenness, size and shape, &c. &c. 



Every sheep is numbered and recorded in a book kept for that pur- 

 pose, which is called the " Sheep Register." It is done by making notches 

 and holes in the ears, an ingenious method, invented and brought into 

 notice by the celebrated agriculturist, Mr. Albrecht Thaer, of Marglin, 



