farmer's miscellany. 301 



been smuggled into the country, and it seems impossible that its 

 fineness should escape the notice of custom-house officers. I know 

 not, however, how it is ; but I do know that unless each great 

 interest looks out for itself, nobody else will, and certainly the 

 manufacturer is the last one who will look after the interest of the 

 wool-grower. 



With these remarks, I close by subscribing, &c. 



P. S. Since writing the above, I have been favored with some 

 Saxon wool by the Hon. Senator Beekman, from his flock, which 

 I am much gratified to find is finer than any of the above : the 

 finest specimen is nearly ygVo of an inch in diameter. It is deci- 

 dedly finer tlian that which I measured from the celebrated flock of 

 the late Mr. Grove. I finrl one thing peculiar to the fine saxon : 

 the hollow part of the fibre is larger than in the coarser wool, which 

 I believe gives it that silky lustre and soft feel. I designed to have 

 given you the comparative strength of the above examples of wool ; 

 but I find my lime so much taken up with other matters, that it is 

 impossible to enter upon experiments which require so much care 

 and time in order to be of any value. I shall, however, in the next 

 series, give you these results. 



Letter VIII. 



Skaneateles, September 30, 1845. 

 My Dear Sir — I left Mr. Geddes to-day, and am now on the 

 extreme western border of the county of Onondaga, at Skaneateles. 

 I have just been looking over the farm of my friend Fuller, who 

 makes quite a figure at farming, and is another example of the right 

 sort of farmers. Mr. F.'s farm is about half a mile from Skaneateles, 

 upon the eastern slope of a range of elevated ground on the western 

 shore of the lake. The slope is gentle and uniform. The eastern side 

 is probably based on the upper limestone of the Hydraulic series, but 

 extends up so as to reach on the western side the Marcellus shales 

 probably. The soil, however, is deep, and no rock crops out on the 

 surface. The eastern side was low and wet, and in fact the whole 

 slope has been found to require draining, or at least one half of 

 the whole farm. It is a most interesting case, and presents also a 

 triumph of skill in the draining and reclaiming of lands. A person 



