172 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



The present worth of the land is $6500 — considered 

 a low estimate; net profits, $4831. 



Remarks. — The above shows the effect of culti- 

 vation in a striking degree. So" far as the latter 

 crop is concerned, however, the land had infinitely 

 better have remained in a "worthless peat 

 swamp." 



For the New Ensland Farmei . 

 RACES AND VARIETIES OF ANIMALS, 



Mr. Brown : — The Natural History and varie- 

 ties of mankind have recently received an increasing 

 attention. In a work on the subject, just pub- 

 lished by Dr. William B. Carpenter, an eminent 

 English physiologist, the author has referred to 

 the statements in the subjoined paper to prove, 

 that from the accidental or "spontaneous" pro- 

 duction of a peculiar form or variety of animals, 

 and, by analogy, of man, a new type or race may 

 beeome permanent and be perpetuated. The arti- 

 cle was communicated by Col. David Humphrey 

 to the Philosophical Society of London, and pub- 

 lished in their transactions for the year 1813. The 

 importance attached to the statements by Dr. 

 Carpenter and others — intelligent agriculturists 

 as well as scientific men generally — induces me to 

 ask the use of your valuable journal for its repub- 

 lication. In doing it, I desire to call the special 

 attention of your readers and correspondents to 

 some queries, having a general bearing, which the 

 subject suggests : — 



1. Are the statements given in the article 

 founded on facts within the recollection of any one 

 now living? and are there races of sheep of the 

 form and description here given now existing in 

 New England? and, if so, can they be traced to the 

 Dover breed as their progenitors? 



2. Are there any well authenticated facts exist- 

 ing to show that a new and permanent race or type 

 of any domestic animals can lie produced under 

 circumstances similar to those here stated? 



If any substantial facts and illustrations on this 

 subject are known to any of your intelligent cor- 

 respondents, they would subserve the progress of 

 science, and promote the real interests of the agri 

 culturist, by their publication. l. s. 



Boston, Feb. 17, 1852. 



HumphreysviUc, (in the State of Con- 

 necticut,) Nov. 1, 1811. 



Sir : — I propose to give some account of a new 

 variety in the breeds of sheep, which has lately 

 sprung up in America. 



Seth Wight, who possessed a small farm on the 

 banks of Charles River, in the town of Dover and 

 State of Massachusetts, about sixteen miles dis- 

 tant from Boston, kept a little flock composed of 

 fifteen ewes and one ram. In the year 1791, one 

 of the ewes produced a, lamb of singular appear- 

 ance. By the advice of some of his neighbors, he 

 killed his former ram, and reserved the young one 

 for breeding. The first season, two lambs only 

 were yeaned in his likeness. In the following 

 years, a number more, distinguished by the same 

 peculiarities. Hence proceeded a strongly marked 

 variety in this species of animals, before unknown 

 to the world. It has been called by the name of 

 the Oiler breed. 



This name was given from a real or imaginary 



resemblance to that animal, in the shortness of the 

 legs and length of the back ; by some supposed to 

 have been caused by an unnatural intercourse ; by 

 others, perhaps as fancifully, from fright during 

 gestation. It is only certain, that otters were 

 then sometimes seen on the banks of this river. 

 They have since disappeared. 



The person, who was the first to dissect one of 

 these sheep for the purpose of ascertaining the 

 properties and qualities which distinguish them 

 from our common breed, has added the appropri- 

 ate term of Ancon. 



The singularity of form seems to be comfirmed 

 in the blood. Experiments, in crossing, have 

 changed the strain, or, if I may be allowed so to 

 express it, amalgamated the qualities of this with 

 those of other breeds, so as to produce a mixed or 

 mongrel race, in too few instances to form an ex- 

 ception to the theory. 



When both parents are of the otter or ancon 

 breed, the descendants inherit their peculiar ap- 

 pearance and proportions of form. I have heard 

 of but one questionable case of a contrary nature. 



The small number of cases where the young are 

 said to partake in part, but not altogether, the 

 characteristics of this breed, will not invalidate the 

 general conclusions, established on experience in 

 breeding from a male and female of distinct kinds. 



When an ancon ewe is impregnated by a com- 

 mon ram, the increase resembles wholly either the 

 ewe or the ram. 



The increase of a common ewe, impregnated by 

 an ancon ram, follows entirely the one or the oth- 

 er, without blending any of the distinguishing and 

 essential peculiarities of both. 



The most obvious difference between the young 

 of this and other breeds, consists in the shortness 

 of the legs of the former, Avhich combined with de- 

 bility or defect of organization, often makes them 

 cripples in maturer age. 



Frequent instances have happened where com- 

 mon ewes have had twins by ancon rams, when 

 one exhibited the complete marks and features of 

 the ewe, the other of the ram. The contrast has 

 been rendered singularly striking when one short- 

 legged and one long-legged land), produced at a 

 birth, have been seen sucking the dam at the same 

 time. 



The facts respecting the fleeces have not been so 

 well ascertained. They have been judged by some 

 to be finer and heavier than those of our common 

 breed ; by others, of a medium fineness, but pos- 

 sessing more uniformity of pile on the same, and 

 on different sheep of this kind. I have seen in- 

 stances of their varying considerably from each 

 other. 



One case, where the young assumed the perfect 

 likeness of the ewe, together with a meliorated 

 pile, apparently derived from the ram, is too inter- 

 esting to be ommitted. The enclosed specimen 

 of wool, No. 1, is from an ancon Merino : That is 

 to say, the offspring of an ancon ewe and Meri- 

 no ram. Its shape is the very image of the for- 

 mer : its wool, which covers almost the whole face, 

 and extends quite down to the fetlocks, of a pretty 

 fine quality (a common sign of the best blooded 

 Merinos) partakes of the silky feel and felting qual- 

 ity of the latter ; with, I judge, about the same 

 portion of fineness as the fleeces, which my quar- 

 ter-blooded Merinos ordinarily carry. The locks, 

 No. 2 3 and 4 were clipped from a wether, ram 



