Vol 6. 



GENRSEE FARMER 



(which IS, however, incideni to improving- the con- 

 stitution,^ we hold to be the true system. In order, 

 however, the more fully to appreciate Air. Jewett's 

 efforts, we make further quotations from our favorite 

 author, as referring to the 'shape of ihe J^Ierino sheep 

 when first introduced into Spain, and the average 

 quantity of wool, as compared with the same race 

 now ; as also, to their origin and peculiarities : 



" The Merinos received their name from a pecu- 

 liar buff or reddish hue of the countenance, and are 

 supposed to have come originally from Africa ; at 

 least, Marcus Columella, having seen a strange vari- 

 ety from that country exhibited at Rome during some 

 public games and shows, took them to his farm, and 

 having crossed them with the breeds of Tarentum, 

 sent their offspring to Spain. There they throve re- 

 markably, attracting the attention of other nations, 

 to whom they were from time to time exported, and 

 at present may be found in almost every part of the 

 world. The horns of the Merino sheep are of large 

 size, twisted spirally and extended laterally, ap- 

 proaching closely in these characters to the sheep of 

 Mount Parnassus. The ficc has a characteristic 

 velvety appearance, but the cheeks and forehead are 

 disfigured by coarse hair. The legs are long, and 

 small in the bone ; the breast and back are narrow, 

 the sides flat, and "oo much of the weight expended 

 on the coarse parts. There is a peculiar looseness 

 in the skin beneath the throat, which is adm'red in 

 Spain as denoting a temjency to weight and fineness 

 of wool. The average weight of the fleece in Spain 

 is 8 pounds for the ram, and 5 ])ounds for the ewe." 



Thus much for the description of the Merino 

 sheep as they existed originally in Spain. The va- 

 riety owned by Mr. Jewett is the Paular, a minute 

 and interesting account of which may be seen in the 

 "Farmers' Museum" of Jan. 1844, penned by Henry 

 S. Randall, Esq., of Cortlandville, N. Y.; and their 

 pedigree in another article by the same gentleman, 

 in the December number of the Cultivator, 1844 — 

 leaving no doubt with even the most sceptical as tc 

 their purity of blood. Mr. J.'s Paulars vary so much 

 in shape from those described above, that it might be 

 difficult to trace their identity; all that we have seen 

 having great depth of shoulder, and breadth through 

 the breast and back ; the fore parts in proportion to 

 the lateral, being much heavier than in any sheep 

 we have ever examined. It is in these respects that 

 Mr. Jewett excels as an improver : the width and 

 drpth through the breast denoting constitution, 

 while increasing proportionately the amount of fine 

 wool. The average weight of fleece from his buck 

 Don Pedro, up to and including his fifth year, being 

 10 13-lG lbs.; and of Fortune, up to and inclu- 

 ding his third year, 10 11-16 lbs. Of the averag-e 

 weight of wool from the ewes we are not informed, 

 the yearling purchased by Mr. Randall cutting 

 5 12-lf) lbs,, and his yearling buck 8 lbs. 



If Blacklock's description of the Merino sheep as 

 originally existing in Spain be correct, then we can 

 the more fnlly appreciate the efforts of Mr. Jewett 

 as an improver, for the reasons, that in the general 

 configuration his sheep are more perfect ; their con- 

 stitutions equally good, or bettor ; the quantity of 

 wool increased, the fineness of fibre retained, and a 

 predominance .of the fine to the coarser parts. We 

 design at some future time to speak more fully of 

 Mr. Jewett's stock ; believing the Paular variety to 

 b? that required by our northern farmers, and that 

 Mr. Jewett's sheep will not suffer by comparison 

 with those from any other flocks. E. C, 



^alina, February, 1845, 



HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMEJ^T. 



BY P. BARRV, 



THE GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Pruning. — Those who are in the habit of doing 

 things in their proper season, have their fruit-trees 

 all carefully pruned, where pruning was necessary, 

 before this time. There are always some, however, 

 behind-hand, either from negligence or adverse cir- 

 cumstances. We would remind such, that it is not 

 yet too late, particularly for apples, pears, Ike. The 

 stone fruits should not be pruned after the warm 

 weather has set in sufficiently to put the sap in mo- 

 tion, as in that case they will be liable to bleed. 

 They can be pruned in midsummer with less risk. 

 Where fine fruit are wanted, a careful pruning, 

 where the heads of trees have become dense and 

 woody, is absolutely necessary in order to give free 

 access to light, air, &:c. ; and where the trees exhibit 

 a stunted, unthrifty appearance, the ground to some 

 distance, as far as the roots extend, should be spade! 

 so as not to injure the roots, and a few inches of old 

 well-rotted manure applied. This may seem to 

 some rather too much labor to expend ; but we can 

 tell them that it will be ivell expended. If your 

 trees are not worth this care, cut them down, at 

 once. 



Pruning, we ai-e sorry to say, like most of the 

 other operations pertaining to horticulture, is, gene- 

 rally speaking, but little understood, farther t'.:i.i '.he 

 mere sawing or cutting off a limb. Quite recently, 

 we met with several instances where the are had 

 been used on fine young orchards, to cut off what 

 w^as deemed superfluous wood ! This is pruning 

 with a vengeance indeed ! In pr-uning out superflu- 

 ous wood, regard should be had to the shape of the 

 tree ; and where limbs interfere with each other, as 

 is frequently the case, one should be cut off, or both 

 if necessary. Branches should be cut off as close 

 to the main stem as possible, without injuring it, in 

 order to prevent a cluster of young shoots being im- 

 mediately produced in lieu of the removed limb. 



A fine pruning-saw should be used, where a saw 

 is necessary ; and the incision should be smoothed 

 over with a pruning-knife. We should like to add 

 further explanatory remarks on pruning, but space 

 will not permit. 



Grafting. — The season for performing this opera- 

 tion is at hand. Those who have worthless, or even 

 middling varieties of apple, pear, plum, fee, should 

 at once' have them grafted with the most valuable 

 sorts. Nurserymen and others have disseminated 

 fine sorts throughout the whole country ; and com- 

 munication is now so rapid from place to place, that 

 there is no difficulty in obtaining them. Be careful 

 whom you trust toprovide you with grafts, and to 

 graft your trees — gross frauds have been practiced 

 upon farmers throughout the country, by unscrupu- 

 lous persons who make grafting their business during 

 the season. Nothing is easier than to deceive in 

 this respect— the deceiver has ample time to escape 

 before it is possible to detect him. Let such per- 

 sons do the labor, if they choose to warrant it ; but 

 provide the scions yourself, and be sure they are of 

 good quality, and genuine, 



