22 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



the most northern lies between the 31st and 32d deg^rees of latitudp, and 

 all of the other three south of latitude 31"^. St. Tammany, which exhilntf 

 the second best product, borders on Lake Pontchartrain. The State ex- 

 tends north to latitude 33°. 



In Florida, all the counties given lie in the same latiludes. 



Mississippi extends north to latitude 35"^. All the counties given a»e 

 Bouth of 32° 30', and one in latitude 310. 



In Alabama, extending north to the same latitude with the above, two 

 of the counties given are in the northern or mountain region, and two ol 

 them south of 33°. 



hi Georgia, (same :H>rlhem line,) one of the couivdes given is in the ex 

 trenie north, two e-oum oi oc^ and one in latitude 31°, being the county 

 in whicn lies the maioi ptntioii oi the Great Okefin .kce Swamp ! 



In South Oarohna. two of the couniios (both bordering on thks ocean) 

 are in the low, maisny. tide-watei region . aiid the other two Lie in tho 

 central region. 



In North Carolina,two of the Cf»unries given. J0211 the >. vean ; one i 4 on Albe- 

 marle Sound, while one lies in the Cv^ntral ana norineittpunu«n 0/ the State. 



In comparing the product of wool ii: ^►^e Southern States wiih that of 

 the Northern — and more particularly with cbac ot" New-YoiK— ve must 

 not l<jse sight of the fact that in the latter wool g»-owing has oe>.,ome an 

 important business, and is reduced to a system. Thr, ^heep a- d kept in 

 pastures, and are sheared at regular intei-vals. In the Caro.:ia-, Georgia, 

 and the Gulf States, precisely the reverse of all this was generally ti'ue 

 at lersiup to the year 1839. The sheep were little cared for; weie suf- 

 fered to breed promiscuously ; and they roamed at larjje through forests, 

 where, as the warm season advanced in the spring, the.r wool, beginning 

 to detach itself, was left on shrubs and brambles, and in not rare inslancea 

 considerable portions of it were thus lost prior to shearing.* 



Giving their due weight to the preceding facts, the deft cts in the censuS; 

 etc., it is, I think, undeniable that they account for all the deficiency in 

 the average product of wool per sheep in our most southern States, com- 

 pared with that of New-York, as set forth in Table No. 2. Indeed, sir, 

 my own convictions are decided, and the facts reported appear to fully 

 sustain them, that warmth of temperature, at least to a point equaling th* 

 highest mean temperature in the United States, is not injurious, but abso 

 lutely conducive to the production of wool. The causes of this are in- 

 volved in no mystery. Warm climates afford green and succulent herb- 

 age during a greater portion of the year than cold ones. Sheep plentifully 

 supplied with green herbage keep in higher condition than when confined 

 to that which is dry. High condition promotes those secretions which fonn 

 wool. Every one at all conversant with sheep well kno a's that if kept 

 fleshy the year round, they produce far more wool than if kept poor. A 

 half a pound's difference per head is readily made in this way. Within 

 the maximum and minimum of the prodiict of a sheep or a flock, the ra- 

 tio of production always coincides with that of condition. 



I have dwelt on this point at great anc perhaps tedious length, sir, as 

 the results set forth in the United States Census, unexplained, wotild 

 Clearly point to a different conclusion from that to which I have annved. 

 To invalidate testimony, ostensibly so certain and reliable, as well as to 

 combat deep-rooted prejudices, I have deemed it necessary to scan thor- 

 oughly the accessible facts in the case. 



• I make no nccount of difference in breeds, as affectins the product of wool between the South aa^ 

 Berth. The crude Merinns, not uncommon in New-York, would produce far more wool than the '■ !»•■ 

 dvee," the principal sheep in the South in 1839. But the latter would equal or exceid the product of UM 

 •umerous Saxon flocks of New-York. 



