REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 371 



variety, formerly somewhat numerous in New England, and 

 more especially in Massachusetts. They are a remarkably 

 quiet race; wool of medium fineness and length. Dr. DWIGHT, 

 in the third volume of his travels, gives a somewhat flattering 

 account of the breed. He says they originated in the town of 

 Mendon. A ewe, belonging to one of the farmers, had twins, 

 with a marked difference in their structure from other sheep; 

 the fore legs were short and inclined inward; barrel thick, 

 round, but apparently clumsy; remarkably gentle, and not dis- 

 posed to wander or stray away. Being of different sexes, the 

 proprietor was induced to attempt a breed of the same kind, in 

 which he was successful; the progeny having all the peculiar 

 points of the parents even when crossed; and at the time of 

 the Doctor's visit, they had multiplied to many thousands, and 

 have exhibited no material variation. For some reason or 

 other, never yet satisfactorily ascertained, the breed has be- 

 come almost entirely extinct. 



The origin of the Smith Island sheep is not accurately 

 known. Mr. CUSTIS, of Arlington, to whom the island be- 

 longed formerly, if it does not at present, says that they are 

 the descendants of some English sheep placed upon it many 

 years since, and improved by the hand of nature. Previous 

 to the late war with Great Britain, the stock on the island con- 

 sisted of six hundred sheep and two hundred cattle; but the 

 occupation of the island by the naval forces of the enemy, led 

 to the almost entire extinction of both sheep and cattle; since 

 which period they have recruited very slowly; and no special 

 pains has been taken for their improvement. They are per- 

 fectly wild. 



The Frederick breed is a valuable variety, whose good pro- 

 perties largely increased under the judicious management and 

 fostering care of the late R. K. MEAD, Esq., of Frederick 

 county, Virginia. They are said to be "a cross of the merino 

 upon the long-wooled Arlington breed, introduced and cul- 

 tivated at Mount Vernon by the venerated WASHINGTON. 

 In the year 1831, Mr. MEAD was drawn out in a communi- 

 cation to the public, in order to correct an error of the press, 

 it having been stated that his flock of the Frederick breed had 

 yielded an average of ten and a half pounds the fleece. He 

 informs the public that they were picked sheep, twenty-eight 

 in number, his whole flock amounting to one hundred and 

 thirty. Of the entire flock the average yield was eight pounds 

 and a half, the heaviest fleece weighing sixteen and a half the 

 weight of the lightest not given. At the last shearing his flock 

 had increased to over onehundred and sixty; but in consequence 

 of the severity of the winter, later lambs, and more of them 



