REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 373 



outrageous prejudice, so inimical to the interests of the nation 

 and the health of individuals, was carefully cherished by many 

 of the intelligent men of the times, and the result was, that it 

 was almost wholly rejected as an article of food. The farmer, 

 therefore, could derive little or nothing from the carcass of the 

 animal; the natural consequence was that sheep husbandry fell 

 into almost total neglect. The illustrious WASHINGTON, having 

 received from various parts of the world, various specimens of 

 farm stock, of pure blood and superior excellence, set himself 

 about correcting this great national evil, as he justly regarded 

 it. He therefore paid especial attention to the culture of sheep, 

 the improvement of the breed, &c., and in a short period the 

 hospitable board of Mount Vernon was renowned for the 

 peculiar excellence of its mutton, rivalling in richness, sweet- 

 ness and delicacy of flavour the best and most extolled of 

 foreign lands. But, in the midst of his career of usefulness, 

 when his powerful example as an enlightened and successful 

 cultivator of the soil, and an ardent advocate for the improve- 

 ment of live-stock of all descriptions, was beginning to diffuse 

 itself among the people, who regarded him as the "father of his 

 country," he was removed by the hand of death, and a whole 

 nation left to mourn. 



The Arlington long-wooled sheep, a favourite breed in 

 Virginia, originally bred by WASHINGTON, and afterwards very 

 essentially improved, in some important and essential points, 

 by Mr. CUSTIS, was descended from a noble full-blooded 

 Persian ram and some ewes of the improved Bakewell flock. 

 They bear a strong resemblance to the improved Leicesters. 

 The staple of their wool is occasionally fourteen inches long, 

 soft, silky, white, well calculated for fine woollen fabrics. 



The Camlet-wooled or Caramanian sheep, a singular va- 

 riety, and which at the time excited no little curiosity, was in- 

 troduced into this country in 1835, by Capt. GERRY, of 

 New York. This animal was taken from on board a Turkish 

 ship, captured by the Greek Admiral TOMBAZO, who very 

 politely presented it together with a female to Capt. GERRY; 

 the female unfortunately died on the passage. From all the 

 information the Captain could obtain, they were from Cara- 

 mania, a province in Asia Minor. The buck was sent on the 

 arrival of the vessel at New York to the farm of WILLIAM 

 SHOTWELL, Esq., of Woodbridge, New Jersey, "where, we 

 are informed, they have been extensively propagated. They 

 are large, long-legged sheep necks long heads horned 

 backs straight chest moderately wide wool very long, coarse, 

 dry, wiry, and very strong; somewhat similar to goat's hair. 

 The wool is said to be particularly adapted to the manufacture 

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