106 



Fine Wool. 



Vol. VII. 



could not subsist. Their fleece is coarse and 

 inferior, small, light in weight and value ; 

 while their meat is not first rate; but on 

 their own native hills, and on other moun- 

 tainous districts, they have well nigh sup- 

 planted the original Heath breed : being as 

 hardy as they, larger in the carcass, and 

 coming to maturity earlier: a desirable sheep 

 for Scotland, but by no means so for Ame- 

 rica. We owe, however, thanks to the Cabi- 

 net, for bringing us acquainted with a race 

 of sheep, which are at present commanding 

 very great attention in many parts of Eu- 

 rope, but of which, little before had been 

 known in this country. 



But the cross which I advocate, namely, 

 the pure Merino on the thorough bred Lei- 

 cester, or Bakewell, or Dishley, would form 

 a breed of sheep worthy our care and atten- 

 tion; and I expect to see them introduced, 

 not only into our sheep-breeding districts, 

 but also upon our farms, as part of our gene- 

 ral stock; where they would be found a valu- 

 able variety, and be the means of conducing 

 much to our convenience and profit, in the 

 regular supply of our tables with an agree- 

 able and particularly wholesome food, be- 

 sides furnishing a lamb and fleece every 

 year in payment of their keep — the manure 

 of a well regulated flock defraying, most 

 amply, all expense of care and attendance. 

 I am at present turning down a clover-lay 

 of 16 acres, for wheat, the land being full of 

 natural grass; now, 1 am confident that a 

 flock of 50 such sheep, could have been kept 

 upon this herbage to far greater profit to 

 the wheat, than it will obtain from the green 

 crop turned in; I greatly prefer passing such 

 crops through the bowels of animals, to bu- 

 rying them ; and it will not readily be be- 

 lieved, how far the pickings of our fields 

 would go to the support of such a flock 

 through the year. An objection to the keep- 

 ing of sheep is urged, in the fear that they 

 would be worried by dogs ; but if a bell be 

 attached to the neck of every fifth sheep in 

 the flock, there would be no danger of that 

 kind. Their night-fold, if properly covered 

 from time to time, with dry muck or fresh 

 mould, would be found to yield a large quan- 

 tity of the very best compost, for dressing 

 young clover in the spring, of far more value 

 than the cost of attendance; and this svstem 

 is carried out on a large scale by .Major Rey- 

 bold, of Delaware, at whose farm, on my 

 last visit, I saw a mine of wealth in the 

 cleaning of his sheep-fold, all ready for car- 

 rying abroad. If persons would attend to 

 their flocks of sheep, and consider them as 

 part of their farm stock; not expecting them 

 to subsist without a regular supply of food 

 and care, any more than they do their 



horses, cows and hogs, I have yet to learn 

 why they could not be made to pay as well 

 — nay, better than they. And I would ask 

 of my brother farmers, if there be any rea- 

 son why we should not, each of us, keep a 

 flock of fatting sheep for the regular supply 

 of our tables with fresh mutton ! I am sat- 

 isfied, the change which it would make in 

 our food, would be conducive to health and 

 vigor of constitution, and be found as cheap 

 as any other; particularly if we were to 

 adopt the European plan, of making soup of 

 a large portion of the carcass, which, if pro- 

 perly cooked, with plenty of vegetables, 

 would form a most delicious meal at the 

 supper table, particularly in the season of 

 winter. 



To me, it appears very evident that the 

 time is approaching, when we shall all think 

 more of keeping sheep, and less of rearing 

 cattle for beef; the Western country people 

 having it in their power to deluge the East- 

 ern States and sea-board, with droves of the 

 finest animals; by far cheaper than they can 

 be reared and fed amongst us. Sheep work 

 well, too, with the dairy; and both together, 

 would form a far more profitable, as well as 

 more convenient stock for this part of the 

 country, than rearing calves and fatting 

 oxen. In conclusion it may be remarked, 

 the wool of the Southdown breed of sheep, 

 is too coarse for fine clothing, and net suffi- 

 ciently long in the staple for combing: the 

 wool of the Leicester sheep is too coarse for 

 good combing, while the carcass of the Me- 

 rino — bearing the kind of wool which is in 

 request — is too small and ill-formed, to sat- 

 isfy our present views and wants. The 

 union of the Merino with the Southdown, 

 would give wool of inferior value, ranking 

 under neither combing nor clothing; while a 

 cross witli the Leicester or Dishley, would 

 add exceedingly to the size and value of the 

 carcass; produce a wool decidedly long and 

 suitable for combing, greatly improved in 

 quality and increased in quantity, and fur- 

 nishing us with a supply at home, of that 

 kind of wool, which will now be so much in 

 request; our country affording the means of 

 increasing our flocks to any, even to a bound- 

 less extent. Z. 



Bucks County. s>pt. 24th. 1842. 



Mr. Hidlfy, of Greenbush, N. Y., has this 

 season had, from a single kerael or grain of 

 rye, 78 stalks, well filled ; and on counting 

 the grains in one of the heads, of a medium 

 size, or about a fair average, he computed the 

 whole number of kernels in the 76 heads to 

 be about 5000, or about 60 kernels to a head. 

 This is the most remarkable instance of in- 

 crease that we ever heard of — 5000 for one ! 



