128 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



was a very perfect animal at all points. The second prize 

 Arabian was ridden by Lord Raglan in the Crimea. 



The king of Hanover had many fine riding horses on the 

 ground, and so also had the king of Wiirtemberg. These 

 formed an exceedingly attractive feature of the show. They 

 were on exhibition merely, and not entered in competition. 



In the class of farm horses, many of the prizes went to the 

 English Suffolks. A fine three-year-old Clydesdale, from the 

 royal farms at Windsor, took a second prize of 50 thalers. 

 Among the French horses in this class the Percherons took the 

 lead. They are large and extremely useful animals. 



Proceeding now to the sheep-pens, there is work for some 

 full days, if one expects to get a complete notion of the sheep 

 of the various sections which they represent. The show of 

 Merinos, in particular, was without doubt the most extensive 

 and most magnificent ever before made. They stood first in 

 the catalogue, first on the grounds in respect to aggregate 

 number, and among the most attractive to the large number of 

 sheep-fanciers there. It was easy to see that fine wools were 

 the order of the day on the continent, most of the long wools 

 coming from England. 



It was evident, too, I think, on a general look over the fine- 

 wool classes, that there has been a gradual increase of size of 

 body as well as of weight of wool. This may be owing to a 

 more careful selection, but is most likely due to increased care 

 and attention. There is, proportionally, a greater adaptation 

 to mutton, in which the Merinos have always been admitted to 

 be so deficient. If the breeders of fine wools can produce a more 

 profitable carcase, without at the same time lessening the value 

 of the fleece, they will deserve the thanks of mankind. 



I suppose that Saxony and Silesia hold the first rank at the 

 present time in point of relative amount of fine wools produced 

 in European countries. 



The introduction of pure Merinos into Saxony many years 

 ago, gave that country an early preeminence in the production 

 of fine wool, while the skill and care with which they have been 

 bred, the favorable climate, the sweet, hilly pastures, and other 

 circumstances, brought their flocks to a high degree of perfec- 

 tion, which they have maintained against all competition, unless 



