25 



The raising of sheep, in England, is an immense 

 interest. England probably clips fifty millions of 

 fleeces this year, lambs under a year old not being 

 shorn. The average yield may be six or seven pounds 

 to a fleece.* There are two principal classes of sheep 

 in England, the long wooled, and the short wooled. 

 Among these are many varieties, but this is the gen- 

 eral division, or classification. The Leicester, and 

 the South Down, belong respectively, to these sever- 

 al families. The common clip of the former may be 

 estimated from seven to eight pounds ; and of the last 

 from three to three and a half or four. Mr. Webster 

 mentioned these particulars only as estimates ; and 

 much more accurate information might doubtless 

 be obtained from many writers. In New England, 

 we were just beginning to estimate rightly the im- 

 portance of raising sheep. England had seen it 

 much earlier, and was pursuing it with far more zeal 

 and perseverance. Our climate, as already observed, 

 differs from that of England ; but the great inquiry 

 applicable in equal force to both countries is, how 

 can we manage our land in order to produce the lar- 

 gest crops, while at the same time we keep up the 

 condition of the land and place it if possible in a 

 course of gradual improvement ? The success of 

 farming must depend in a considerable degree upon 

 the animals produced and supported on the farm. 

 The farmer may calculate in respect to animals upon 

 two grounds of profit ; the natural growth of the ani- 

 mal, and the weight obtained by fattening. The skil- 



* See Appendix,-^Nute H. 



