THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



83 



Saxony are almost naked. Fineness of wool is 

 generally an indication of degeneracy— and fine- 

 ness of liair on the human head indicates the 

 same. 



The fineness of Saxony wool has been produ- 

 ced by breeding in-and-in. This course brings 

 degeneracy. These shei'p require a close house 

 and much care. The Merino will do well with 

 much less attenlion. Thinks sheep manure good ; 

 and when properly littered they will make more 

 from a given quantity of food than cattle. They 

 improve fields more when feeding upon them. 



Mr. Tidd, of New Braintree, asked whether 

 Mr. Filch had been speaking of pure Merinos. 



Mr. Fitch. Yes. The Merino will give as 

 much wool Qs any other sheep of the same 

 weight. The expense of keeping is in proportion 

 to size the loool is in proportion to surface. The 

 solid contents of cylinders are as the cubes of 

 their diameters : the surface is as the squares. So 

 that if the sheep are of equal length and round, 

 the smaller one will have the most surface in 

 proportion to weight. [Let the diameter of one 

 sheep be 2, and of another 3. The square of 

 2 is 4 ; its cube is 8. The square of 3 is 9— its 

 cube is 27. The surfaces in these cases are as 4 

 to 9 — while the bulk, weight, or solid contents is 

 as 8 to 27, — showing that there is obviously good 

 ground lor Mr. F.'s conclusion, that a larger 

 amount of sheep surface or wool ground can be 

 maintained at the same expense on email sheep 

 than on large ones. — Reporter.'] 



Wool on larse sheep is generally looser than on 

 small ones. The small have the most wool in 

 proportion to size. Merino and native cross give 

 good stock of fine constitution — better than Meri- 

 no and Saxony cross. 



Mr. Plunketr, of Pittsfield, said his experience 

 is not much, but he thinks that sheep should be 

 suited to the soil. Small ones are best lor hills 

 and short pastures, larger ones for rich pastures 

 and meadows. He can make about as many 

 pounds of fine wool as of coarse on the same 

 quantity of feed. The raising of sheep has not 

 been a very good business lately, owing to the low 

 price of v/ool— but perhaps it has been as good as 

 most other branches of farming. A cause of the 

 low prices and of need of better protection, may 

 be found in the following statistics. 



The growth of wool in the United Stales is 

 probably not less than forty millions of pounds. 

 It may be assumed that one half of this amount 

 is worked up in our manufacturing establish- 

 ments. 



The importance of this branch of agricultural 

 industry is not only great considered of itself, but 

 in Its etTect on the other branches of agricultural 

 labor. If the farmers are driven from the wool 

 growing business by low prices of wool, then the 

 dairy and beef growing business will become 

 depressed from ever production of those great 

 staples. 



It is well known to the farming interest that at 

 the present lime the price of wool is very much 

 depressed, and that our wool growers are gene- 

 rally desirous of getting out of that kind of farm- 

 ing ; and it might be useful to inquire into all the 

 causes that have tended to ihis depression. 



By the compromise sf the tariff question in 

 1832, all foreign wool costing at the place fi'om 

 whence imported leiiis than eight cents per pound. 



was admitted free of duty. There was imported 

 in the year ending Sept. 1832, 4,042,838 Ib^. ; 

 out of this amount were exported 1,227, 959 lbs. ; 

 leaving less than three millions of lbs. to be con- 

 sumed in this country. 



The importation of wool has gradually increas- 

 ed since that time. In the year ending Sept. 

 30ih, 1S38, there was imported 6,968,366 lbs.; 

 6,551,128 of which were impX)rted free of duty. 

 In the year endinor Sept. 30ih, 1839, there was 

 imported 7,824,548 lbs. ; 7,398,519 of which were 

 imported free of duty. Only 9,800 lbs. were ex- 

 ported during the same year. Mr. P. has not 

 been able to ascertain the importation of wool in 

 the years of 1840 and '41. We may, however, 

 from known facts about the importation of wool, 

 calculate the amount imported in the last year to 

 exceed ten millions pounds ; an amount equal to 

 about one half of what is raised by our farmers in 

 this country to be sold to the manufaclurers. 



Here we have a principal cause of the great 

 depression of the price of wool at this time. 

 * * ' « « * 



Mr. Cole, Editor of the Farmer's Journal, has 

 had experience with but kw kinds ; first had na- 

 tives — next 7-8 Saxony. This flock gave fleeces 

 of from 4 to 6 lbs. The Saxony, where he lived 

 in Maine, was preferred to any other. The re- 

 ports of the Agricultural Society of Kennebec 

 county. Me., show that they prefer the South 

 Downs to any others. Pastures for sheep should 

 be high and dry. They do best in dry seasons. 

 He has never seen them drink in summer. In 

 winter they will drink oftener than cattle. Clover 

 hay is good feed for them. Roots are excellent 

 for them in winter, but they should not have 

 many potatoes just before lambing ; better then to 

 give some grain. Evergreen boughs are often 

 aiven and answer a good purpose in feeding. 

 The manure is better than most other kinds. (L. 

 Peters, Esq., of Westboro', inquired what kind 

 of grain he would give.) Does not know whether 

 corn or oats is to be preferred, but would grind in 

 either case. 



Mv. Moseley, of Westficld, has found the 

 Johnswort poisonous and troublesome to sheep 

 when he gives ihem salt, but not so when salt ia 

 withheld. Ten sheep, with him, require two tons 

 of hay worth 24 dollars ; can get 12 dollars worth 

 of wool and 12 of lambs ; and by throwing in 

 the pasturing come out square : — that is the way 

 farmers are getting rich. Their manure ia 

 good. • * * * * # 



SCRAI'8 OF farmers' COKVERSATION. 



Reported by the Editor. 



Recently, though at difl"erent times, I met and 

 converged with three farmers, who, in remote si- 

 tuations and under very different circumstances, 

 have made remarkable improvements by enrich- 

 ing land and improved cultivation, and have also 

 reaped large profits from their improvements and 

 farming in general. The subsequent comparing 

 of some of the opinions expressed by these euc- 

 ceesful improvers, induced the belief that even a 

 very imperfect statement of them, and some of 



