NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



83 



A Group in the Flock of S. W. Jewett, Esq., M'ri/briit'.jc, It. 



MERINO SHEEP. 



At an early period, several races of sheep received 

 particular attention in Spain, and the Merinos held a 

 conspicuous rank, and were brought to a high state 

 of improvement, and were the most distinguished 

 race in that country. But the laws were strict 

 against their exportation until the invasion of Spain 

 by the French, when the confiscation of some ilocks, 

 and some owners being under the necessity of sell- 

 ing, rendered their acquisition more convenient, and 

 large numbers were sent to this country about forty 

 yeai-3 ago. Hon. William Jarvis, Chancellor Living- 

 6ton, and Gen. David Humphreys are distinguished 

 for their enterpiise in introducing this valuable race 

 of animals into our country. 



The Merinos are the principal sheep in the United 

 States for fine wool, and this is the leading object 

 with those who keep them. They are hardy and 

 adapted to different climates and locations. Their 

 fleece is of a moderate size, but short and very com- 

 pact, and well filled with yolk, which protects the 

 animal against inclement weather. For the sham- 

 bles they are inferior to our common native breed, or 

 the South Down, Leicester, and other foreign breeds 

 celebrated for excellent mutton. 



In various sections of our country, large flocks of 

 Merinos have been kept with profit; and although 

 they have been long in the country, and extensively 

 propagated and disseminated, yet first-rate animals 

 of this breed still sell at high prices. 



BLACK PRINCE STRAWBERRY. 



This strawberry is a foreign variety, of recent 

 introduction, and it has not yet been tried extensively 

 in this country, but it is very promising. As Mi-. 

 Eaton had made experiments on this strawberry, we 

 wrote to him for his opinion concerning it ; and 

 though his answer was in a private correspondence, 



we take the liberty to oflcr to the public his valuable 

 remarks on this strawberry. 



Thompson, in the Catalogue of the Horticultural 

 Society of London, has placed against the Black 

 Prince Strawberry the character or mark signifying 

 " that it has been ascertained to be of inferior qual- 

 ity," and remarks of it, that it is a " shy bearer." 

 Kenrick, in his Orchardist, following this high au- 

 thority, places it among the " outcasts." 



It is a pistillate variety, and highly productive. 

 Its sterility in the Society's gardens was probably 

 owing to its being grown without a staminate in its 

 vicinity. The high character given to it by Mr. 

 Downing induced me to make a trial of it, and I 

 procured my vines from him. It is much superior to 

 most of the varieties which of late years have been 

 introduced into notice, and I believe it will become 

 a favorite with amateur cultivators. Tlie vines are 

 hardy, standing the winter without protection, and 

 very vigorous in their growth. The fruit is of an 

 ovate form, of a dark color, nearly black, with a fine 

 glossy surface, rendering it very beautiful; flesh is 

 juicy, rich, and delicious, but not of very high flavor ; 

 ripens from fifteenth of June to first of July. It 

 is not so well adapted to culture for the market as 

 some other varieties, the flesh not being sufliciently 

 firm to bear carriage so well, and its period of ripen- 

 ing not being of long duration. 



Yours, &c. L. C. EATON. 



Providence, R. I. Jan. 1849. 



For the New Enffland Fanner. 

 COAL ASHES FOR MANURE. -GRAPES. 



Friexd Cole : In looking over the debates in the 

 last two numbers of thy valuable paper, on the sub- 

 ject of manures, I do not find any notice taken of 

 anthracite coal ashes. It occurred to me that it 

 might be profitably used as an absorbent, or medium 

 to take up the urine, &c., in our vaults, for the recep- 

 tion of chamber water from the house. Why would it 

 not take the place of charcoal or plaster ? Perhaps 

 the thing has been fully tested, but as I had not 

 seen an article on the subject, I thought it well 



