8 PREFACE. 



prevented their arrival; but I still have the hope of 

 seeing them here, with their increase since I pur- 

 chased. 



I was astonished when I found upon my return, in 

 1805, that the introduction of Merino sheep had ex- 

 cited little attention ; and that although the Legislature 

 of Connecticut had very properly noticed the patriotic 

 exertions of Col. Humphreys, none of his sheep had 

 been sold in this State. I had also the mortifi (nation to 

 find, that notwithstanding my injunctions, mine had 

 been much less extended than I expected. Nay, I 

 learned with surprise, that a flock which consisted of 

 near one hundred of one-half and three-fourths breed 

 Merinoes, from a ram sent over by M. Delessert to 

 his farm at Rosendale, near Kingston, had been sold 

 at vendue at a price inferior to that of common sheep, 

 and that above one half of them had perished from 

 neglect the following winter. Such is commonly the 

 case when novelties are introduced in agriculture, till 

 the mind of the husbandman is prepared for their re- 

 ception. I knew the importance of the object, and I 

 resolved to leave no means unessayed to convince my 

 fellow citizens of it. I began by purchasing all I 

 could find of the scattered remnant of M. Delessert's 

 flock. I picked up twenty-four ewes, and the price 

 I paid for them attracted the notice of those who had 

 seen and neglected them. 



In 1806 I submitted to the Society of Useful Arts 

 two essays on the subject of Merino sheep. They 

 were received with a degree of attention Avhich ex- 

 ceeded my hopes. The enlightened fuimers were 

 awakened to the su]:>ject, and the Legislature stepped 



