ON SHESP. 281 



esteemed excellent aiul delicate. This animal has a broad tail, and 

 the natmal color of the wool is dark brown or snull" color ; the 

 fleece, before shearing, dragged on the ground, (except under the 

 belly,) so as completely to hide the feet, and weighed 21 lbs. ; he 

 is in prime condition and sound health, the size greater than any of 

 the largest sheep of our country. The head is beautiful, the eye 

 piercing and quick in inoiion ; no fleece bcvond the ears : the head 

 appears to project out from ihe fleece, having the re!ieml)lance of 

 the dark brown short fur of the deer's head ; the horns are hand- 

 somely seated and of the middle size. 



John Bkentnal, Esq., an Eiighsh farmer of high standing, re- 

 siding in VVoodbridge, in a letter to ^Villiam Shotwfll, of New- 

 York, dated 10th June, 1 o25, says, he took 21 lbs. of wool from 

 him ; that he would have produced from 4 to 3 lbs. more had he 

 not have been robbed ; that there were several places of 5 or 6 

 inches square from which the wool had been taken ; further, he is 

 extremely gratified with the frame of the animal ; that he is large 

 and perfect, his limbs well proportioned, his skin extremely deli- 

 cate and white, his strength great ; and he has no hesitation in say- 

 ing, this very extraordinary animal will prove of much greater ad- 

 vantage to our breeds of sheep than the Merino or any other hith- 

 erto introduced ; as he is but three years old, he will undoubtedly 

 increase in size and produce a still more abundant quantity of 

 wool ; observing, that its superior size, the weight of the 9eece 

 the length of the wool, and the quality of the flesh, cannot but be 

 the best recommendation ; and says, to ascertain the quality of the 

 flesh of a sheep is by the smell. A person handling a buck of the 

 Merino, English or American breeds, will fiiid his hands extremely 

 offensive, which was not the case in shearing this ; on the contra- 

 ry, his fleece and flesh were perfectly sweet. He recommends 

 shearing twice a year. The breed of this sheep must be exceed- 

 ingly valuable in this country, and we should not be surprised if 

 Mr. Shotwell should receive orders for lambs for England. The 

 hair is not as tine as the Cashmere goats, but it is thicker and in 

 greater quantities." 



We are not so sanguine, respecting the value of this breed, as 

 the person quoted above ; but we verily believe it may be made 

 highly useful to us. Why not manufacture our own Camblets ? 

 and why not use this wool for all the purposes to which goats' hair 

 is put ? Large quantities of this article (goats' hair) are imported 

 36 Vol. 1. 



