t853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



129 



SILBSIAN MEeiI«50 BWES. 



The above engraving represents a group of Silc- 

 sian jNIerino Ewes, owned by Jlr. George Campbell, 

 of Westminster, Vt. He purchased tliem in Prus 

 sian Silesia, in the spring of 1851. In a letter in 

 the October number of the Wool Groiver, Mr. C. 

 says, " tliese sheep are descendants from the far- 

 fimed Infantardo's flock, so much admired in 

 Spain, some fifty years ago, and as far as my 

 knowledge extends, they are now the only flock of 

 this variety that liave been preserved in their pure 

 state, to the present time. 



" The proprietor of this flock imported the origi- 

 nal stock from Spain, m 1811, and since that time, 

 has given his own personal attention to his sheep, 

 and by this means has been able to still further 

 improve them, especially as regards the quality of 

 wool, which has been increased in fineness, without 

 diminishing the weight of fleece. It is believed 

 that very fe*v, if any, sheep in the country at the 

 present day, will produce more pounds of wool, 

 according to cost of keeping, than the Silesian 

 Merino. For the shape of the sheep, I will refer] 

 you to the engraving, as it is a faithful copy of a 

 daguerreotype ; and to convince you of their har- 

 diness and strong constitution, I need only to refer 

 you to the circumstance, that one ewe of this flock 

 lived to be 21 years old. The skin of this sheep 

 was carefully stuffed and placed in the sheep-fold, 

 where it now stands with quite a life-like appear- 

 ance. I mention this fact merely to show that the 

 gentleman takes an interest in his flock. 



"My Silesian Ewes suckled lambs during the 

 winter, which every one knows will lessen the fleece 

 at least one pound per head. They were thor- 

 oughly washed and sheared as soon as properly 

 dry, shearing an average of 41bs. 5 1-2 oz. per head. 

 Bucks of this variety, when fully grown, will 

 shear from 6 to 10 lbs. of well washed wool." 



A GOOD EXAMPLE. 



It was recently stated that James M. Whiton, 

 Esq., had given S20 to the New Hampshire State 

 Agricultural Society, but the purposes for which 

 the donation was made were not stated. In the 

 report of the Committee of Needlework, at the late 

 fair at Meredith Bridge, the suggestion was made 

 that "large quantities of embroidery and expensive 

 work were ofiered for premiums, and but little 

 needlework which was of practical utility." Act- 

 ing upon this suggestion, Mr. Whiton sent the $20 

 to the officers of the society, with the request that 

 it might be offered in premiums for the best speci- 

 mens oi patching and darning. This is truly prac- 

 tical, and the New Hampshire girls will now have 

 an opportunity of showing their skill in a descrip- 

 tion of needlework of far more importance and in- 

 terest to the hard-fisted yeomanry of their native 

 State, than fancy quilts, embroidered ottomans, 

 tapestry, &c. We imagine that those excelling in 

 this new department will be in great demand to 

 grace the homes of the young farmers of New 

 Hampshire. We are glad to notice this provision 

 for the award of premiums for excellence in those 

 acquirements which will fit the daughters of our 

 farmers for the practical duties of life. Many who 

 can tastily embroider an ottoman, it is to be feared, 

 would be completely at a loss to know how to neat- 



