[13] 



ventitious circumstances, it has lost its position : but it yet 

 retains much of its ancient fame as a sheep growing country. 

 This fact should be borne in mind by the people of Tennes- 

 see in engaging in this important branch of husbandry. 



While the mania for sheep growing and improvement of 

 wool was at its height, more care was bestowed upon the 

 animals than we can conceive possible in this age. The 

 sheep were closely watched, and the choicest specimens were 

 selected and housed. Sacks were sewn on their bodies. 

 Besides, the fleeces were washed in wine, and frequently 

 combed so as to secure the finest specimens of wool. This 

 course, persevered in for several generations, produced its 

 inevitable result. The fleece was greatly improved in tex- 

 ture, fineness, and softness, but it was done at the expense 

 of the constitution of the sheep, which was greatly impaired 

 thereby. They became less robust, smaller in size; but 

 they little recked upon the carcass, which they only con- 

 sidered as a vehicle to carry the fleece. It is only in recent 

 times that attention has been directed to an improvement of 

 the body as well as the fleece, its popularity as an article of 

 food having grown at a great rate for the last few centuries. 

 It is only in thinly settled countries now that sheep are 

 grown for the wool alone, its mutton being of as much or 

 more consideration than wool in the thickly settled portions 

 of the world. The choice of breeds becomes of more or 

 less consequence according to the proximity or distance from 

 the point of consumption, and, in fact, this has given rise to 

 the creation of new varieties to suit the demand. So the 

 necessities of sheep breeders have modified to a great extent 

 the system of agriculture, so that, while the improvement 

 in the character of the sheep has become well marked, the 

 method of agriculture has kept pace, showing itself in the 

 increased richness of the soil, and an increase of its produc- 

 tiveness. In this way profitable sheep husbandry is synony- 

 mous with profitable farming. But this improvement of the 

 soil relates only to the mutton raisers. If the sheep are 



