No. 216.] 733 



lapse of two or three thousand years. The recison of this is so ap- 

 parent, that it seems wonderful that we should not before this time 

 have applied the principle. No alteration can take place in grain, 

 meal, or flour, that is perfectly dr}-. 



Edward Williams, of Mount Pleasant, c-f Missouri County, Ten- 

 nessee, states in a communication to the Club, that he has planted 

 potatoes cut into small parts, with cotton seed for manure, and. had 

 a good crop. He thinks that the oily nature of the cotton seed pro- 

 duces a healthy and most active growth of the potato. 



John J. Pettibone, of Manchester, Vermont, Sept. 20, 1847. The 

 following letter from him to Mr. Wakeman, on the subject of wool 

 was read. 



Manchester, Vt. Sept. 20, 1347. 



Sir: Your letter of the 9th inst., was duly received. My sheep 

 at that time were not where I could comply with your request. H. 

 Walker, Esq., has been well acquainted with my sheep for the last 

 thirty years. And few men are better judges of sheep and wool than 

 he. I believe he procured the most of Gov. Skinner's flock from 

 Connecticut. In 1827 I purchased the whole of his flock of ewes. 

 Yet I must say Mr. W. has too high opinion of my sheep. It is 

 too much to claim one of the finest flocks in the United States of 

 fme wooled sheep. My flock are pure Merino, no mixture of Sax- 

 ony. A particular description of my flocks and mode of manage- 

 ment, was published in the Dec. No. of the Albany Cultivator, in 

 1845. That article was extensively copied into the newspapers of 

 all the wool growing States. I am more and more convinced that 

 the course I have pursued, is the only method that can be pursued 

 successfully to improve a flock. 



It is not the finest nor the heaviest fleece sheep that is the most 

 profitable; such a combination of weight, fineness, length, and thick- 

 ness of staple, symmetry and size of body, (the expense of keeping 

 always to be kept in view) as will annually produce the most profit, 

 is the best sheep. The rapid increase of sheep, and the short time 

 required fir them to arrive at maturity, will enable a judicious wool 

 grower to produce in ten years almost any kind of sheep he may de- 

 sire. To do this, however, requires much in breeding. I have no 

 doubt that the finest Saxony sheep may, by judicious crossing, be 

 made heavy shearers of superb wool. The wool grower must not 

 look for so desirable an object to be brought about by proxy; hired 

 servants alone will never accomplish it. It is difficult at this season 



