FINE WOOL SIIEEP IUSBANDRY. 83 
quite equal to the best of that of Spain. It opened 
with a brilliant creamy color on a rich, soft, pink 
skin, which was excessively loose and corrugated. 
The sheep were of fine form, he thought of excellent 
constitution, and from one-tenth to one-fifth larger in 
carcass than American Merinos. “Grandee,” the 
choicest imported ram,* had, at three years old in 
France, sheared 14 Ibs. unwashed wool. In 1842 his 
unwashed fleece weighed 122 pounds. He was 3 feet 
8$ inches long ‘from the setting on of the horns to 
the end of the rump,” and weighed, in fair condition, 
about 150 pounds. Mr. Allen found the average 
weight of the ewes’ unwashed fleeces in 1843 to be 
6 lbs. 9 oz. 
Mr. Taintor’s importations commenced in 1846. 
Mr. Allen has kindly furnished ine with a list of 
those also made by other persons, but, on second 
thought, I have concluded not to give it. To do so 
without discrimination would be placing honorable 
persons in an unpleasant association, and I do not 
feel called upon, without greater necessity, to specify 
individual frauds which have mostly worked their 
own cure. 
Mr. Taintor, on the point of leaving home, refer- 
red me for particulars concerning his imported sheep, 
to a large proprietor of them, Mr. John D. Patterson, 
of Westfield, N. Y. That gentleman has furnished 
me the following statements : 
“Your second inquiry calls for the characteris- 
tics of these imported sheep, weight of single year’s 
* He was used as a sire ram at Rambouillet, and Mr. Collins was 
obliged to wait until he was thus used the year that he brought him 
out. 
