400 APPENDIX. 



LETTER FROM HENRY HARTZEL, OF DARLINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA. 



Dear Sir, — Yonr communication came dnly to hand, and with 

 the greatest pleasure I embrace the opportunity of communica- 

 ting to you, as far as conveniently may be, the inforaiation de- 

 sired. 



My flock at present numbers about 900 — of the Merino breed — 

 originally from the stock of Dickinson of Ohio, and Marvin of 

 this Stale. 



2d. The flock yields from 3i to 3^ lbs. per head. 



3d. The blood is considered valuable, and my sales annually 

 have been large. 



4th. I never allow my sheep to herd in greater numbers than 50 

 to 100, either summer or winter. 



5th. For the last two vears, I have folded from 100 to 150 at 

 the commencement of winter, within a small yard containing wa- 

 ter, without removing them until shearing. These were for 

 slaughtering, and fed accordingly. 



We generally feed clover and timothy hay three times per day 

 when the weather is severe, and when otherwise, twice a day. 

 AVe do not feed grain or roots till in January or February, except 

 to such portions of the flock as appear in a declining condition. 

 These are put by themselves, and fed on wheat bran, oats, pota- 

 toes, and such articles as the nature of the case requires. To our 

 breeding ewes we generally feed from a bushel and a half to two 

 bushels of potatoes, finely cut, with the addition of half a bushel 

 of bran mixed per day to the 100. The sheep for slaughtering 

 alluded to, receive the same treatment as the ewes, except, that in- 

 stead of the bran, 1 peck of oats or buckwheat was mixed with a 

 peck of bran, and the whole mixed with the potatoes, and fed in the 

 latter part of the season twice a day. We generally feed our 

 com fodder at noon. 



6th. We shelter our sheep during the whole winter season. 



7th. In our climate we are obliged to fodder five months of the 

 year. 



8th. Blue grass and white clover mixed, and timothy are, for 

 sheep pasture, the best we have here. 



9th. We salt our flock once a week, but think twice would be 

 better. 



10th. When we think our hay has not been sufficiently cured, 

 or has been damaged by bad weather, we add 1 quart of salt to 

 the ton ; but when well cured, we do not salt it at all. 



11th. We put our bucks during the two last weeks in Nov., 

 and wean our lambs in the latter part of August. It is destruc- 

 tive to put lambs upon luxuriant clover immediately after wean- 



12th. There is always a ready cash market for wool in this 

 quarter. 



