I 



372 REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 



with the improved fineness of the wool, the average was seven 

 and a half pounds, sold for forty-five cents per pound. We 

 are informed that several gentlemen are in possession of flocks 

 of this breed, among whom are P. MEAD, THOMAS NELSON, 

 and GEORGE BUNVILLE, of Clark county, Virginia. 



We presume that the Texel breed reared in Maine is from 

 a foreign variety. We learn that they were introduced into 

 Maine by a gentleman of the name of FILLEBROWN, who pro- 

 cured them of Col. JAQUES, of Charlestown, Mass. Here our 

 information respecting them terminates. They were probably 

 in the first instance brought over by some one of our naval 

 officers, many of whom have manifested the most laudable and 

 praiseworthy spirit in introducing into their native country 

 superior animals of pure blood, and of all kinds. The true 

 Texel is a descendant of a native sheep, 'found many years 

 since on the slave coast in Guinea. Early in the seventeenth 

 century a few of these sheep were introduced into the islands 

 near the Texel, and called the Mouton Flandrin or Texel 

 sheep. They are, at this day, justly celebrated for their size, 

 beauty of form, and abundant produce of long and fine wool, 

 milk and lambs.* 



The Tunis sheep were imported into Pennsylvania many 

 years since, from the mountains in the neighbourhood of Tunis, 

 by the late excellent Judge PETERS. They were hornless, 

 and their bones were small. A ewe that was killed fat, 

 weighed one hundred and eighty-two pounds. The fat was 

 laid on the profitable points, and mingled with the flesh, which 

 was marbled in a striking degree. The mutton was acknow- 

 ledged to be the finest and the best in the market at that time; 

 and the tail, which weighed from six to eight pounds, was, 

 when dressed, according to the opinion of the Judge, a feast 

 for an epicure.! These sheep were well set with wool, their 

 fleeces weighing from five to five and a half pounds, of fair 

 quality. But at that period sheep husbandry was not regard- 

 ed in a national light, except by a few sagacious and fore- 

 sighted individuals. A general apathy prevailed throughout 

 our country little attention was paid to the manufacturing 

 interest; but the war of 1812 opened the eyes of the nation, 

 and had that effect which the embargo should have produced. 

 They are extensively and profitably crossed with the native 

 breeds of Philadelphia, Delaware and Lancaster counties. 



A prejudice, as strong as it was unjust, was excited towards 

 the close of the last century against the use of mutton as meat. 

 For some reason, strange as it may appear, still unknown, this 



* Sheep Husbandry, p. 121. 



t Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Philadelphia. 



