11 



steadily persevered in it, even under all the fluctuations 

 through which the prices of wool have passed, have received a 

 full remuneration for their care and expenditure. The great 

 question of comparative advantage between the fine wooled, 

 the medium quality, the long wooled, or our common native 

 sheep, presents a subject involving such various considerations, 

 that the present time does not admit of its discussion. The 

 introduction of fine wooled sheep into the country has been of 

 very great advantage ; and though to the serious loss of those 

 persons, who as mere speculators, deluded by most extrava- 

 gant calculations of profit, paid enormous prices for their 

 flocks ; yet to the ultimate and great benefit of those more 

 prudent or more fortunate individuals, who came after them, 

 and reaped the advantage of a reaction in the public estimation 

 of the value of these races of fine wooled sheep, which the heavy 

 disappointments of the first purchasers occasioned. Extreme 

 fineness of fleece is obtained only at the expense of a small and 

 tender carcase. It is confidently hoped that by a judicious 

 combination of the merino with sheep of a larger size a race 

 may be gradually formed yielding wool of a sufficient degree of 

 fineness for the common demand combined with a carcase 

 large enough for the market. Such attempts have already 

 been made with every prospect of success. 



III. I pass hastily along to the subject of arable farms. In- 

 deed I can do no more than suggest a few imperfect hints for your 

 consideration, as I fear I may trespass upon the kindness of a 

 portion of my audience, who feel little interest in the humble de- 

 tails of agriculture. Few will deny that the details are proper 

 to this occasion. I need not bespeak the candor of far- 

 mers' wives and farmers' daughters, if indeed the old race of 

 milk maids and working girls be not wholly extinct ; and I 

 may whisper even to the gentlest, the sweetest humming birds 

 and the most gorgeous butterflies of the fair sex, that they 

 may gather honey from the wildest flowers of the most neg- 



