204 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



rather outward, and the twist, or the meeting of the 

 thighs behind, being particularly full, the bones fine, 

 yet having no appearance of weakness, and of a 

 speckled or dark colour. 



" The belly well defended with wool, and the 

 wool coming down before and behind to the knee 

 and to the hock ; the wool short, close, curled, and 

 fine, and free from spiry projecting fibres." 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 



The committee on " the feeding and management 

 of sheep in winter," while they are fully aware of 

 the importance of the subject thus brought under 

 their notice, feel that they can-suggest but little that 

 is new and instructive to the intelligent farmer or 

 nock-master in the home management of sheep as 

 now practised ; yet they are inclined to believe that 

 there is much, both highly interesting and useful, to 

 be gathered from a knowledge of sheep husbandry 

 in other countries, where its vast importance (form- 

 ing, as it does in some cases, the chief wealth of the 

 nation) has called to its aid all that education, 

 science, and close observation could suggest for its 

 improvement : nor are instances wanting where this 

 valuable knowledge has been practically applied in 

 this state, with a success that warrants thecommittee 

 in offering some suggestions from the German prac- 

 tice that may materially improve the winter man- 

 agement of sheep with us. 



Most of the sheep in the Northern and Middle 

 States produce wool of an improved quality, being 

 more or less mixed with the Merino, or the impro- 

 ved Merino of the Saxony family, and are principally 

 kept for their fleece, the carcass being a secondary 

 consideration : within a few years, however, this 

 latter has become more valuable, from causes which 

 it is not necessary to examine, as they are evident 

 to every observing mind. The committee would 

 therefore have it understood, that their attention has 



