No. 3. 



When, ichere, and how to get a drove of Sheep. 



75 



defect, and that was natural, and to be ex- 

 pected. It was not sufficiently agricultural 

 for the occasion — however this might be re- 

 gretted, it showed the orator's good sense, 

 not to attempt to assume the agriculturist, 

 as some have done, who could neitlier look, 

 nor play the character of a farmer. 



But the great moral of these splendid ex- 

 hibitions is, their influence on the patriotism 

 and prosperity of the State of New York. 

 Here were to be seen highly educated men, 

 of boundless wealth, commingling with the 

 hard-working, every day farmer, cheering 

 him on, and rendering his path less rugged 

 and thorny, by participating, as it were, in 

 his toils, abridging his work, and demon- 

 strating to him the happy results of an im- 

 proved husbandry. Would that the rich 

 proprietaries of Philadelphia and Pennsyl- 

 vania in general, had witnessed the scene 

 I have hastily, and but feebly described. It 

 would have taught them a lesson of truel 

 wisdom, in this, that whatever promotes the 

 landed interest, enriches them, by enhancing 

 the value of their own property; enabling 

 their tenants, through improved culture, to 

 pay their rents; and the farmers in general 

 to pay the taxes necessary to liquidate our 

 enormous debt. How selfish, and how blind 

 to their own interests are the wealthy, who 

 refuse to contribute to this great end. The 

 subscribing for a few copies of your useful 

 paper, which, if they did not read them- 

 selves, they should bestow upon their ten- 

 ants, or others, or by making a donation to 

 our Agricultural Society, or even the annual 

 contribution of a member, would not only 

 be serviceable in a pecuniary point, but 

 highly beneficial, by way of example. And 

 especially should the State of Pennsylvania 

 do something to encourage agriculture, by 

 establishing a State Society, similar to that 

 of New York. It will not do for the com- 

 monwealth to say she has no funds. If ag- 

 riculture is permitted to languish, she never 

 will have funds. The farmers will feel dis- 

 couraged, refuse, perhaps, to pay taxes, or 

 abandon the lands. 



New York gives to her Agricultural So- 

 ciety, some seven to eight thousand dollars 

 annually — there is not one Act of her legis- 

 lature that illustrates more forcibly her wis- 

 dom, than this small gratuity to agriculture. 

 It is now repaying her a thousand fold, as is 

 demonstrated yearly, by the spirited, intelli- 

 gent, and enterprising gentlemen of tlie 

 New York State Agricultural Society. Glo- 

 rious New York! when will Pennsylvania 

 shake off her lethargy and imitate your 

 noble example. 



J. G. 



Sept. 23rd, 1844. 



When, where, and how to get a drove 

 of Sheep. 



There is something so matter-of-fact and to the 

 point, in the following letter from our friend Solon 

 Robinson, to the Prairie Farmer, that we conclude our 

 western friends will hardly fail to be Interested in his 

 mode of operating. Many of them are looking to- 

 wards raising a flock of sheep, and the when, ichere, 

 and how, are important considerations. — Ed. 



You state that particular information is 

 wanted as to where a person shall go to buy 

 sheep — when and how to go — the expense — 

 cost of sheep, &c. 



The best information I can give is my 

 own experience, and advice founded upon 

 that experience. 



The nearest point where sheep can be 

 bought to good advantage, is in some of the 

 central counties of Ohio; distance from 

 Chicago, 300 miles; the route, by La Porte, 

 South Bend, Goshen, and Fort Wayne, la., 

 Wiltshire, St. Mary's, Sidney, Urbana, 

 Springfield, &c. ; or else from St. Mary's 

 bear more east, through Logan, Union, and 

 Delaware counties of Ohio. Another route 

 is throuoh Michigan, by wny of Toledo, into 

 the north-eastern part of Ohio, which will 

 increase the distance and cost of sheep, but 

 generally speaking, give a better quality — 

 that is to say, a finer wool breed ; leaving 

 the word belter for future discussion. 



I left home last year the last of August, 

 with one man and a boy twelve years old ; I 

 was absent thirty-seven days, and brought 

 in about 800 head of "good common" sheep, 

 that is, an average of about half-blood Meri- 

 noes. I bought in Champaign and Clark 

 counties, on the waters of Mad river. The 

 prices varied from 50 to 87^ cents, and aver- 

 aged upon the 500 which I bought myself, 

 6(i| cents. The other part of the drove 

 was bought by the man who drove in com- 

 pany with me, and I have not the cost. I 

 sold a part of the wool from this purchase 

 when last in Chicago, at 'Sb\ cents, and ac- 

 cording to that, the average price would 

 have been about 31 cents upon the whole 

 clip. The average weight of the fleece^ is 

 two and a half pounds. Drove sheep never 

 yield as much wool the first year as after, 

 especially when poorly wintered. The aver- 

 age cott of my sheep at home, was 81^ cts. 

 each, which includes all the expense of three 

 iiands and. three horses, going, buying, and 

 extra help at times, and the expense of one 

 additional horse on the return, except about 

 a quarter of the total expense out, which 

 was borne by the man in company with me, 

 as his proportion. This average also in- 

 cludes all lost sheep, but does not include 

 my own time. We will therefore add thir- 



