No. 244.] 133 



They were of two kinds; I bred them together until 1823. I then 

 •obtained a buck sired by an Escurial buck, out of a ewe imported by 

 Col. Humphies from Estremadura, near the borders of Portugal, and 

 known as Estramadura sheep. I improved that buck for three sea- 

 sons. In 1828 I obtained another of the same blood, which I im- 

 proved for two seasons. From that time to the present, I have bred 

 from ray own flock, for the reason that I can find nothing that is pure 

 Spanish that I can improve upon. I do not say there are no sheep as 

 fine as mine. I believe that those of France and Germany were all 

 derived from Spain, but it may be questioned whether they have been 

 kept in a pure state. I refer to the letter of Mr. Groves to Mr. Col- 

 man, giving a history of the importations of sheep from Saxony into 

 the United States. He says the first was in 1824; he brought with 

 him about 225 of both kinds. In 1825 about as many more wer€ 

 imported; some of them, he says, sold very high, viz: $400 to $450. 

 This created speculation! In 1826 twenty-jive Ivundred were im- 

 ported into Boston and New-York, many of them pure Electoral 

 sheep; but some whole cargoes of them were sold as pure Electoral 

 that were cross bloods, down to three-fourth bloods. 



If this be true, how can any one tell who has the pure bloods ; 

 whether a cross with the native sheep of Saxony, or injured by breed- 

 ing, is more than I can learn. It is evident that there is a serious 

 defect, because wherever there has been a cross of the pure Spanish 

 merino with the Saxon, they have been improved both in quantity and 

 quality. This is proof that the Spanish sheep is more pure than the 

 Saxon; and if we are to improve in this country, it must be by purity 

 <m impurity, for it never can be by the reverse! This I will attempt 

 to prove as the result of actual experiment. You speak in your cir- 

 cular of wool best fitted for clothing! that is a very important ques- 

 tion to be considered! whether a little one pound Jleece, taken from a 

 sickly, puny sheep of the finest fibre that can be produced, is prefer- 

 able to the next quality in its pure and healthy state, in full possession 

 of its felting properties. I have ahvays understood from manufactu- 

 rers, that they never get much profit from the finest quality, but from 

 the next they make their profit; and it is very certain that the wool 

 grower gets more profit from a three pound fleece than one. The next 

 question is, which makes the most desirable goods for the consumer? 

 I think that wool from the healthy, pure blood sheep, with its native 

 oil at the out end, sufficient to preserve the life of the wool, entirely 



