84 EUROPEAN SHEEP. 



over so large a portion of Europe, and remote parts of the 

 world. No other breeds are so highly prized on the Conti- 

 nent, and none which command such enormous prices. Mr. 

 Grove has stated, that, while grade Saxons sell for 3 to 15 

 dollars per head, individual rams of uncontaminated blood 

 often bring from 100 to 250 rix dollars; a flock was pur- 

 chased, destined for Russia, a few years since, for which 

 the average price paid exceeded 500 dollars ; and Mr. Spoon- 

 er states that, latterly, rams have been sold at the almost in- 

 credible prices of 100 to near 300 guineas per head. The 

 cause of these extravagant prices has been stated ; and so 

 long as there exist grades in society, and the highest of 

 these covet a wardrobe of the finest texture, the breed will 

 continue to be appreciated, and sedulously cultivated. 



The means adopted to improve the wool of the Saxon 

 breed so much beyond the Merinos of Spain consisted for 

 the most part, originally, in the system of breeding in-and-in, 

 and a great degree of care in management, which is briefly, 

 but imperfectly, detailed by several writers, as follows : — the 

 first remarks are by Mr. Grove : — " The Germans keep their 

 sheep under comfortable shelter during the winter. By this 

 means they do not require, in the first place, so much prov- 

 ender ; secondly, the tip ends of the wool do not get weath- 

 er-beaten, which is an injury ; thirdly, a great quantity of 

 manure is saved. They hurdle their sheep during sum- 

 mer for the purpose of manuring the land, which makes it 

 more productive. They raise large quantities of roots, such 

 as ruta baga, potatoes, mangel wurtzel, carrots, round turnips, 

 &c., to feed out during winter. Combined with straw, it is 

 considered an economical mode of wintering sheep. They 

 enrich their land, moreover, by this course of management, 

 which enables them to keep still more sheep and cattle, and 

 raise more grain. Many farmers in that country keep their 

 sheep from nine to ten months of the year in the yard ; some 

 only part of their flock, and others their whole flock. For 

 this purpose they sow red and white clover, lucerne, and es- 

 parrette, which is mowed and fed to them in racks, three 

 times a day, and in wet weather a foddering of straw. It 

 follows, as a matter of course, that the stables and yards are 

 well littered with straw every day. It is considered that an 

 acre, thus managed, will maintain double the number of 

 sheep, or cattle, than it would to turn them out to pick for 

 themselves. By this course of management they are ena- 



