34 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



or where it is simply heaped up without any cover- 

 ing of earth. 



It appears, then, that in things relating to the soil 

 alone, its preparation or amelioration, the application 

 of animal or mineral manures, and the artificial ar- 

 rangement of crops, American farmers may with 

 safety copy the example of the British farmers, and 

 derive important advantage from the perusal of Eng- 

 lish works on agriculture. So they in general may, 

 in all things relating to the preservation of crops 

 from insects or diseases, such as the grub, cutworm, 

 blight, mildew, wheatworm, &c., as these are com- 

 mon to both countries, and the balance of experience 

 is altogether in favour of Europe. In everything re- 

 lating to wheat, they are entitled to a hearing above 

 all otlier men, as in no country is the culture of 

 that valuable grain carried on so successfully ; and 

 this is owing, in a great measure, to the skill and 

 science that have been brought to bear on the pro- 

 duction of that crop. In raising cattle, and the com- 

 mon and improved breeds of middhng fine-wooled 

 sheep, English farmers are exceeded by none ; and 

 on all these topics they may be considered as quali- 

 fied to instruct us. Fine-wooled sheep, however, 

 notwithstanding the pains taken with them, have 

 never succeeded in England. The imported Meri- 

 nos from Spain and Saxony have deteriorated and 

 wasted away ; and their place with the English 

 farmer are supplied by the hardier and heavier Lei- 

 cester and South Down. The immense quantities 

 of fine wools used in the English factories are im- 

 ported from Germany, France, and Spain ; and 

 hence, in the management and growth of the fine- 

 wooled breeds of sheep, we have little to learn from 

 them. There is no doubt that the production of fine 

 wool is at the present moment far better understood 

 in the Northern states than in Great Britain ; and 

 there are more Saxon and Merino sheep in Vermont 

 and New-Hampshire than in the throe kingdoms. 



