424 ilFFENCIX, 



bucks, keeping a distdnction afterwards in all ianibs from that 

 class. For those ewes that are defective in any trait, we use 

 bucks that excel as much as possible in those traits ; but avoid 

 breeding in-and-in. We doubt not that Americans are capable 

 of as nice breeding as any other men on the globe, if they will but 

 apply in earnest to the matter, and not be governed by foolish prej- 

 udice and short-sighted selfishness. [The sentence would have 

 been complete, if the gentlemen had added criminal laziness.'] 

 One great hindrance to_ improvement is the strong relish many 

 have for the extravagant accounts that some give of -the pro- 

 ceeds of their business, and the marvellous fine puflfing they 

 give when they want others to buy of them. Sober realities will, 

 we believe, wear the best. 



LETTER FROM E. KIRBY, OF BHOWNVILLE, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y. 



Dear Sir, — I am pleased to leam from your favor that you are 

 progressing with your treatise on sheep. I am necessarily so 

 much absent from home, that I have not been able to bestow such 

 careful attention upon all the details of sheep husbandry, as to 

 authorize me to set up for a teacher. I will confine myself; there- 

 fore, to a few general remarks, bearing on such points of the in- 

 quiries contained in your letter as I can speak to with some con- 

 fidence. 



I have about 1500 sheep. I formed my flock nineteen years 

 ago, by the purchase of 500 high-grade Merinos, and by subse- 

 quent additions, which I endeavored to improve, after the fashion 

 of the time, by an infusion of Saxon blood, for which purpose I, 

 from time to time, purchased imported Saxon bucks. Having be- 

 come satisfied that the wool-buyers do not make a just discrimina- 

 tion in price between fine wool and that of inferior grade, and 

 that the Spanish Merino, by reason of its heavier fleece, is a more 

 profitable sheep for the farmer, in this climate, than the Saxon, I 

 am endeavoring to get back to the Merino platform, or rather to 

 medium ground between it and the Saxon, which shall combine 

 the advantages of the fine staple of the Saxon wool with the 

 heavier fleeces, and more rugged constitution, of the Merino. 

 This'may unquestionably be attained by proper care in breeding 

 these rival branches of the family together. 



To this end, in 1842, I purchased a Rambouillet buck of D. C. 

 Collins, of Hartford, Conn. His stock promises to realize my 

 wishes. My yearlings of his getting are greatly admired ; one 

 buck, in especial, is a noble fellow. I lost my Rambouillet buck 

 in the spring of 1843 ; Mr. Collins kindly sent me another, which 

 I value highly. At the cattle show at Poughkeepsie, in Septem- 

 ber last, I purchased one of the Merino bucks exhibited by J. N. 

 Blakeslee, of Litchfield County, Conn., said to be of uncontamina- 



