340 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



day as perfect as he left them, showing conclusively, that he 

 not only formed, but stamped the peculiarities of the breed, 

 with a permanence which yet bears witness to his genius. 

 One of these attained the enormous live weight of 368 Ibs., 

 and dressed, 248 Ibs. 



The Cotswold and Lincolnshire. Other breeders were not 

 slow in following in Bakewell's footsteps with different breeds, 

 and the Cotswold and Lincolnshire especially, have become 

 the subjects of an equally decided improvement, while the 

 errors of Bakewell were entirely avoided. They possess a 

 rather more desirable robustness, approaching in some few 

 specimens, almost to coarseness, as compared with the finest 

 Leicesters ; but they are more hardy and less liable to dis- 

 ease. They attain as large a size and yield as great an 

 amount of wool, of about the same value. These breeds 

 scarcely differ more from each other, than do flocks of a simi- 

 lar variety, which have been seprately bred for several 

 generations. They are prolific, and when well fed, the 

 ewes will frequently produce two lambs at a birth, for which 

 they provide liberally from their udder till the time for wean- 

 ing. The weight of the fleece varies from 4 to 8 Ibs. per head. 



PECULIARITY OF LONG WOOL AND ITS USES. The striking 

 peculiarity of the long wools, is in the production of a fleece, 

 which is perfectly adapted, by its length and the absence of 

 the felting property, to the manufacture of worsted stuffs, bom- 

 bazines, mousseline de laines, &c. This is a branch of our 

 manufactures for which we had little material that was suita- 

 ble, till the introduction of the long wools ; and its rapid ex- 

 tension within the past few years, clearly shows, that a large 

 and increasing demand for this kind of wool will continue at 

 remunerating prices. Besides its uses for combing, it is ex- 

 tensively manufactured into blankets, carpeting, and many 

 other fabrics. 



IMPORTATION or LONG Wor LS. Several of the Bakewells 

 were imported during the last century; and many flocks 

 containing some of the best sp cimens, have been introduced 

 and scattered over every section of the country. The lar- 

 gest of any single importation of the long wools, was made 

 by Messrs. Corning & Sothain, in 1842, and immediately 

 preceding, and consisted of 70 or 80 choice Cotswolds. 



BREEDING THE LONG WOOLS. Some information on this 

 ^ubj^ct will be found under the head of breeding Merinos, and 

 improvement of the Long Wools. The ram and ewe should be 

 selected from the best specimens of the breed which is to be 



