194 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



In 1834, the best Spanish wool solJ in the English 

 markets at from 2s. 6d. (GOcts.) to 4*. (96cts.) ; the 

 Saxon at the same time commanded from 4s. 6rf. 

 ($1 08) to 55. 3d. (Si 26) per pound.* In the Uni- 

 ted States, where less difference, and very unjust- 

 ly, is usually made, the full-blooded Saxon sells for 

 about one third more per pound than the Merino. 

 The fleece in good flocks averages about two and a 

 half pounds, and often, if only grown sheep were in- 

 cluded, would rise as high as three. But this is far 

 from the standard of many flocks in the United 

 States, called, and doubtless believed by their own- 

 ers to be, genuine Saxons. This brings us to a most 

 painful part of our subject, and one which we would 

 willingly pass over in silence, were not our obliga- 

 tions to the public paramount to any considerations 

 for the feelings of individuals. In disclosing the 

 frauds practised on the American public, we are 

 compelled, for the purpose of doing justice to the in- 

 nocent and the guilty, and also for the information 

 of those who have been the purchasers of the im- 

 ported sheep, to go into a minuteness of detail which 

 would be otherwise uninteresting, and perhaps be 

 deemed censurable. 



THfe following statement was submitted to the 

 committee by Mr. Grove : 



" The first importation of Saxony sheep into the 

 United States was made by a merchant of Boston, 

 at the instance of Col. James Shepherd, of North- 

 ampton. They were but six or seven in number. 

 In 1824, Messrs. G. & T. Searle, of Boston, import- 

 ed 77 Saxon sheep. They were selected and pur- 

 chased by a Mr. Kretchman, a correspondent of the 

 above firm residing in Leipzig, and shipped at Bre- 

 men on board the American schooner Velocity. I 

 was engaged to take charge of the sheep on the pas- 

 sage, and I also shipped six on my own account. I 



* " Farmer's Series." 



