BARNSTABLE SOCIETY. 553 



ing that cultivation has produced the heavy coverings not 

 found in the wild state of these animals. In the barbarous 

 period following the decline of Rome, a cessation of manu- 

 factures led to the depreciation of the fleeces of that day, and 

 instead of those coats, famous in history, the sheep wore 

 wretched coverings, unfit to clothe a beggar." 



From facts such as these, we educe the position, that by 

 culture the fleece can be improved not only in quality qut in 

 quantity. It has been satisfactorily demonstrated that there is 

 no difficulty in producing five, six or seven pounds of wool to 

 the fleece. There can be no doubt that one pound of wool 

 may be raised for every ten or twelve pounds of carcass ; and 

 one farmer in Vermont, we are told, has succeeded in shearing 

 one pound of wool to every seven or eight pounds of carcass. 

 The average clip of the Leicesters of England is set down at 

 seven or eight pounds to the fleece, and that of the South 

 Downs at three and a half or four pounds. These great ad- 

 vances upon the ordinary yields have all been attained by 

 judicious husbandry, the details of which would lead us into 

 too wide a range for this occasion. 



Having said thus much in reference to one branch of our 

 duty, we turn to bestow a few words on the long neglected 

 race of swine. So much has heretofore been said, and well 

 said, on this fruitful topic, that it has been well nigh exhausted. 

 The whole vocabulary of our language has been ransacked to 

 find terms in which to exhibit this humble beast ; and every 

 possible witticism has been made at his expense. To attempt 

 anything in that line would be " wasteful, ridiculous excess." 

 We should have another chapter of " twice told tales." We 

 prefer to offer a few brief words, of a more serious character. 



We can but repeat here our regret that so few specimens of 

 the swinish races should have been exhibited. Considering 

 that this animal is one of such general utility, whose rearino- 

 is thought indispensable by nearly every family in the county, 

 it is certainly surprising that no greater competition has been 

 manifested for the prizes offered by our society. It is evident 

 that there is very little of interest felt in the improvement of 

 the various species of swine. Our people trust to the chances 

 offered by drovers to obtain some sort of a pig, caring very 

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