TEE 



\G11IGULTURAI. MUSEUM. 



UMNIS FERET OMNIA TELLUS. VIRG-. 



Vol. I.] Qeorg&towi, Ca. Nov. 9, 1810. [No. 10. 

 NOTES AND REMARKS, 



ON THE 



Swnmani of Fads relative to American Sheep, hy a Fai^' 

 iwr of Pennsylvania. Transniilted to the English Board 

 of Agriculture, by General Washington, in 1794.- 



BY MR. CUSTtS. 



(a) The Pcr.^ian Sheep were imported direct from the 

 East Indies, and a Ram and Ewe prcsenfed to Ccneral 

 Washington, either by Colonel O'Donnel, or Mr. Bar- 

 ry. At thf- sale of the General's Stock in 1802, Mr. 

 Castis purchased the imported ram for the siJm of tea 

 pounds;, a sum in those da^s deemed the etlecfc ,of mad- 

 ness or folly. — In these days Eleven Hundred and fifty 

 Dollars have been given fora Ram, and the sum deem- 

 ed the result of wisdom and patriot sm. 



The imported Persian had tupped at IMount Vernon, 

 but a short time previous to his sale, but his g-ct had wou- 

 der'ully improved the form and greatly increased the 

 iength of staple in the Mount Vernon flocks, and altho* 

 the mutton at that hospitable board was always much 

 esteemed, its delicacy and flavor was greatly increased 

 bj^ the Persian ad.mixture. 



The Persian are a Sheep of flne constitution, and pos- 

 sess the admirable requisites of short legs, and round 

 bodies, and aUho' the wool is harsh in fibre, it forms an 

 excellent foundation for long wooled stock. The Arl- 

 ington long- vvooled, founded on this race, have had 

 their staple much meliorated by the introduction of 

 iiner wooled crosses, and the length at the same time 

 retained in sufficient degree. The ver}' superior flocks 

 of Mr. Foote, and Mr. Meade of Frederick, bred from 



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