IG 



FRENCH MERINO SHEEP. 



istic of the Germans of Pennsylvania. They are 

 slow and steady, honest conservators; and here let 

 me say, that in this age of haste, bustle and excite- 

 ment of fast men, fast traveling and bitter radicalism, 

 they form a valuable component part of the body 

 politic. Preferring to hold fast to the time-honored 

 jjriaciples and examples of their ancestors, they plow, 

 plant and reap as did their fathers before them. 

 Year after year they follow the same unbroken round 

 of duties, only striving that each year may leave 

 them richer than it found them; and generally, by 

 fi'ugality, industry and close application to their af- 

 fairs, they secure a competence, which in due time is 

 left for their children, who will follow in the same 

 path. 



Improvements in agricultural tools are not known 

 or regarded as much as they should be. However, 

 tliere is certaiuly a vast improvement in this respect 

 (luring the last ten years. The German population 

 are slowly but surely advancing in the right di- 

 rection. 



The English language is slowly gaining, and must 

 eventually be the medium through which all business 

 will be done. Railroads now in process of construc- 

 tion to and through the mineral deposits, must quick- 

 en exchanges, give saore energy and life to trade, 

 raise the standard of education by calling out more 

 mental labor in the transaction of increased business. 



Till within the past four years, the middle and 

 northern sections of Eastern Pennsylvania have been 

 mainly dependent upon the canals and rivers for ex- 

 changes; in that time Ihey have been connected with 

 New York and Philadelphia by the New York Cen- 

 tral and the Belvidere, Delawai'o, Railroad. Three 

 othera are now in process of construction, among 

 which is the one which will be of the most permanent 

 benefit to North-Eastern Pennsylvania, i. e., the 

 Northern Pennsylvania Railroad. It commences at 

 Philadelphia, passes through the coal mines, and ex- 

 tends to Waverley, on the N. Y. and Erie Railroad; 

 and not only to this section of Pennsylvania, but to 

 all that part of New York lying west of the longi- 

 tude of' Waverley; for it opens to them a new mar- 

 ket, which is at least 30 miles nearer than New York 

 city. An immense market ^•ill therefore be thrown 

 open to Central New York; while if the reciprocity 

 measures, now almost entered into between New- 

 York and Canada, produce half the benefits which 

 their advocates claim, the benefit to accrue both to 

 New York and Eastern Pennsylvania must be great_ 



B. A. 



Easton, Pa. 1854. 



[For the Ocnesoe Farmer.] 

 FRENCH MERINO SHEEP. 



Mr. Editok: — In connection with the plate of 

 French Merino Sheep, accompanying this, I will (as 

 you requested,) offer a few remarks. With regard to 

 the fitness of this variety of Merino sheep for the 

 general wants of the country at large, I think the 

 great demand for them fully proves it. They have 

 bean tried by some of our most experienced breeders, 

 and many prefer them to the Spanish Merino, and 

 many again prefer the latter. Indeed, it seems now 

 to be generally conceded that for the double purpose 

 of raising wool and mutton, the French and Spanish 

 Merino sheep are unequaled. The two families have 

 tlieir peculiar merits, and each their advocates. The 

 Spanish Merino sheep are justly celebrated for their 

 heavy fleeces, and their good constitution. In these 

 respects I think they are equaled, if not surpassed, 

 by the French. To me, one recommendation which 

 the French sheep carry with them, is their size; and 

 this seems to be a point which many sheep breeders 

 greatly desire. I think the French sheep will supply 

 this desideratum. I am well aware that many urge 

 the greater amount of food required by the larger 

 vaiiety of sheep, as an objection to them. This is a 

 point on which I can speak from my own experience 

 alone, and that leads me to the conclusion that I reap 

 greater profits from the greater amonnt of food fed 

 to a large sheep, than from the lesser amount fed to 

 a smaller sheep. Another peculiarity of this variety 

 is their prolificness. I have had five lambs in seven 

 months from one ewe; and it is no uncommon cir- 

 cumstance for my ewes to drop twins. As nurses, 

 they are equal to any breed of sheep with which I 

 am acquainted. I have now two ewes, imported by 

 Mr. I). C. CoLLixs, in 1840, and selected from the 

 flock of Rambouillet, which this year dropped four 

 lambs. The lambs were strong and thrifty. This, I 

 think, denotes a long-lived and prohfic race of sheep. 

 They possess as good constitutions and were as huruy 

 and thrifty as any breed of sheep I ever owned; I 

 have not lost one per cent, by disease since I have 

 been keeping them, which has been for some six 

 years p ist. I raise about one hundred and fifty pe: 

 cent, of lambs, and find the lambs when dropped 

 much hardier and stronger than any other breed 1 

 have ever owned. They are easily raised, requiring 

 but little attention. The habits of French sheep, too, 

 are such as must tend to fatten easily. They are 

 quiet and docile, rarely moving rapidly, or traveling 

 far, but seem rather to prefer remaining pretty much 

 in one place. Indeed, after an experience of some 



