176 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



ish a male to every county. When all shall have been provided with rams, we may, 

 in a year or two more, be in a condition to give a ewe also to every county, if it be 

 thought necessary. But I suppose it will not, as four generations from their full- 

 blooded ram will give them the pure race from common ewes. 



In the meantime, we shall not be without a profit indemnifying our trouble and 

 expense. For if of our present stock of common ewes we place with the ram as 

 many as he may be competent to, suppose 50, we may sell the male lambs of every 

 year for such reasonable price as, in addition to the wool, will pay for the mainte- 

 nance of the flock. The first year they will be half-bloods, the second three-quarters, 

 the third seven-eighths, and the fourth full-blooded, if we take care in selling 

 annually half the ewes, also to keep those of highest blood ; this will be a fund for 

 kindnesses to our friends, as well as for indemnification to ourselves; and our whole 

 State may thus, from this small stock so dispersed, be filled in a very few years with 

 this valuable race, and more satisfaction result to ourselves than money ever admin- 

 istered to the bosom of a shaver. There will be danger that what is here proposed, 

 though but an act of ordinary duty, may be perverted into one of ostentation ; but 

 malice will always find bad motives for good actions. Shall we, therefore, never do 

 good? It may also be used to commit us with those on whose example it will truly 

 be a reproof. We may guard against this, perhaps, by a proper reserve, developing 

 our purpose only by its execution. 



To this letter Madison replied as follows, on the 25th : 



I have duly received your favor of the 13th. The general idea of disposing of the 

 supernumerary Merino rams for the public benefit had occurred to me. The mode 

 you propose for the purpose seems well calculated for it. But as it will be most 

 proper, as you suggest, to let our views be developed to the public by the execution 

 of them, there will be time for further consideration. When the sheep came into 

 my hands they were so infected with scab that I found it necessary, in order to 

 quicken and insure their cure, to apply the mercurial ointment. I hope they are 

 already well. One of the ewes has just dropped a ewe lamb, which is also doing 

 well. I expect my overseer every day to conduct them to Orange. As he will have 

 a wagon with him, the trip, I hope, may be so managed as to avoid injury to his 

 charge. 



The Joseph Doherty referred to in Madison's letter of May 7 was 

 a farmer living near Alexandria, who was then breeding the Merino 

 from Dupont's stock. The National Intelligencer of July 23, 1810, con- 

 tains his advertisement for the sale of " several three-eighths blooded 

 Merino rams of Mr. Dupontfs stock, yeaned in February." To him Jef- 

 ferson writes, May 24 : 



I have duly received your two letters of the 5th and 14th, and am thankful for 

 your aid in the safe delivery of our Merinos. The President, on their arrival, had 

 notified me of it, and that he would receive and forward mine to Orange with his 

 own ; from thence I can get them here in a day. As soon as I heard of their arrival 

 I made up rny mind, instead of receiving thousands of dollars apiece for their off- 

 springs, to lay myself out for furnishing my whole State gratis, by giving a full- 

 blooded ram to every county, as fast as they can be raised. Besides raising from my 

 imported ewe I shall put as many of my own as the ram is competent to, and as four 

 crossings give the pure breed, when that come in, I shall make quick work of fur- 

 nishing one to every county. By these means I hope to see my own State entirely 

 covered with this valuable race, at no expense to the farmers, and the moderate one 

 to me of maintaining the flock while doing it. In the meantime I shall have half- 

 blood rams the first year, three-fourths blood the second, and seven-eighths the third 

 to give to my friends. Any of these which would be acceptable to you you shall be 

 welcome to. I shall keep my flock under my own eye; I have been obliged to do 



