SHEEP AND THEIR MANAGEiMENT. 185 



bility of carding by the " Tory bur," so common on 

 new lands. 



The old common stock of sheep, as a distinct 

 family, have nearly disappeared, having been univer- 

 sally crossed, to a greater or less extent, with the 

 foreign breeds of later introduction. The first and 

 second cross with the Merino resulted in a decided 

 improvement, and produced a variety exceedingly 

 valuable for the farmer, who rears wool only for do- 

 mestic purposes. The fleeces are of uneven fine- 

 ness, being hairy on the thighs, dewlap, &c. ; but 

 the general quality is much improved ; the quantity 

 is considerably augmented ; the body is more com- 

 pact and nearer the ground ; and they have lost their 

 unquiet and roving propensities. The cross with 

 the Saxon, for reasons wb'ch we shall hereafter al- 

 lude to, has not been generally so successful. With 

 the Leicester and Downs, the improvement, so far 

 as form, size, and a propensity to take on fat are 

 concerned, is manifest. 



SPANISH MERINO. 



The history of this celebrated race of sheep, so far 

 as it is known, has so often been brought before the 

 public, that it is deemed unnecessary here to re- 

 capitulate it. The first importation of them into the 

 United States took place in 1801. Four rams were 

 shipped by Mr. Delessert, a banker of Paris, three 

 of which perished on the passage.* The fourth ar- 

 rived in safety at Rosendale, a farm owned by that 

 gentleman near Kingston, in this state. In 1802, 

 two pairs were sent from France by Mr. Livingston, 

 the American minister, to his estate on the Hudson ; 

 and later the same year, Mr. Humphreys, our minis- 

 ter to Spain, on his departure from that country, 

 shipped one hundred for the United States. But 

 they attracted little notice until our difficulties with 



* " Archives of Useful Knowledge." Cultivator, vol. i., p. 183. 

 I P 



