THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
123 
FINE WOOL SHEEP. 
Office of tJie ■‘•'American Agricuiturist,” i 
July 13, 1843. J 
To the Editors of the Spirit of the Times : 
Dear Sir: — As you have expressed an inten- 
tent ion of copying from our July No., in the 
“Spirit,” the articde on ,^Fine Wool Sheep,” I de- 
sire to add a paragraph to it, showing the addi- 
tional value it would be to tne country to adopt 
the superior breed in question, in the hurry of 
iwriting, was forgotten at the time ol publica- 
tion. It was this ; 
Out of the twenty millions of sheep which 
are kept in the United Slates, I suppo.sed eleven 
millions Aveie shorn, producing 2i lbs. per head, 
making 24,750,000 lbs. of wool per annum. 
Now, by breeding the finer kinds of sheep, not 
only would the naZiic of this large amount of 
wool be increased 9 cents per lb., making again 
to the country of $2,227,500, but the quaTitily 
also would be increased at least one pound per 
head, which rec.koning the price at 30 cents on- 
ly per pound (it is actually wmrth nearer 40 
£ents, low as woolnow is,) would make anoth- 
er item of gain to the farmers, annually, of 
:S3,3l)0,000! Thus, by improving the qvMily, 
and at the same time adding to the quantity, the 
value of the wool then produced in the United 
States, on the same food, would be $5,527,000, 
an increase of more than 100 per cent; and this 
is but one among the many benefits proposed to 
the countiy, by adopting an improved stock, and 
an improved system of husbandry. 
A. B. Allen. 
FINE WOOL SHEEP. 
Rambouillet Merinos. — Agricultural pro- 
ducts ol all kinds being so very low throughout 
fhe Union, it has become quite a desideratum 
on the part of the farmer, to know to what ob- 
jects he can turn his attention, vrith the best 
prospect of realizing the surest and greatest pro- 
■lit from his land. We have thought, notwith- 
standing its unprecedented low price, that the 
raising of a superior quality ol fine wool, espe- 
cially on the hilly lands of the south and west, 
was now, and would continue to be, one ol the 
salest and most lucrative branches of husbandry. 
We have accordingly so expressed ourselves 
from time to time in the pages ol our journal, 
and we hope that our readers will not be impa- 
•tient, if we continue to advert occasionally to 
this very important subject. 
By the census of 1840, we see that there w^ere, 
in round numbers, twenty millions of sheep in 
the United States. On account of the prevail- 
ing low price ol wool and mutton lor the past 
three years, it is generally supposed that there 
has been no increase among the flocks of the 
country, and that they are now about the same 
number as in 1840. As in this number, lambs 
as well as growm sheep are included, it will be 
lair to suppose that but little over one hall, or 
say eleven millions, are shorn. The average 
product ol fleece in these, we think w'e may be 
sale in estimating at 2i lbs., which would make 
24,750,000 pounds of wool per annum. The 
average value of this is probably 21 cents per 
pound, which would amount to $5,287,500. — 
Now by producing a superior quality ol wool. 
Its value may be enhanced full nine cents per 
pound, which would be adding to the income of 
our farmers, no less a sura annually than $2,- 
227,500, which in these times of pecuniary dis- 
tress, would be felt as a very desirable and con- 
venient increase to the earnings of agricultural 
labor. 
Where a mild climate prevails, there is no 
doubt but that the increase of a flock after all 
the fixtures are prepared for its accommoda- 
tions, will pay the expenses of keep and atten- 
tion, and that the wool shorn from it will be 
clear gain. Sheep also are the best renovators 
ol the soil; that is, by pasturing them upon 
poor or worn out lands, they will restore them to 
fertility sooner than any other kinds of stock: it 
therefore behooves the farmer and planter to 
consider, with these double objects before them, 
viz; the profits of agriculture and the improve- 
ment of the soil, whether they can do better as 
one branch of their business, than to keep lOO 
to lOiX) sheep, according to the situation and the 
extent of their landed property. 
Mutton being but a secondary, and wool the 
paramount object with the American farmer, 
the best animals to start with, or make improve- 
ments on those already on hand, are undoubted- 
ly the Spanish Merino. And here we have to 
lament the great deterioration in blood and 
breeding, of those hardy and inestimably valua- 
ble flocks which were imported direct from 
Spain by Col. Humphrey and others, trom the 
years 1808 and 1811. These had scarcely over- 
come prejudice, and got well planted among 
us, than our countrymen, true to their charac- 
ter, and despising pedigree and distinct breeds, 
and neither knowing nor caring for their value, 
and seized with the conceit that they couid im- 
prove them by crossing, not only foolishly com- 
menced mixing up these importations by coup- 
ling them together in all sorts of ways, thus 
making, to use a Spanish expression, a com- 
plete “olla podrida” (hodge podge mess) of the 
breeds, but in addition to this, as it it were not 
bad enough already, they must needs add by way 
of still further ai.d more “scientific improve- 
ment,” crosses of the miserable culls and off- 
scourings of the open-fleeced Saxon flocks, im- 
ported by a band of mere mercantile specula- 
tors, in such numbers from the years 18'24 and 
on.* But thanks to the good constitution, 
strength and fixed thorough breeding of the ori- 
ginal Spanish Merinos, let the improvers do 
their Avorst, they could not wholly destroy them; 
and there are still large and valuable flocks 
scattered over the eounlr}q from which good 
ewes may be selected at a small cost, with Avhich 
those disposed to go judiciously into the rearing 
of fine wool, may commence with the certainty 
of .starting as near right as circumstances and 
a prudent economical outlay of capital will 
permit, and when with the use of pure breed, 
unadulterated Merino bucks, they may go on in 
the broad road of improvement, and be annually 
increasing the value of their flocks, raising the 
standard of quantity as well as quality of the 
wool produced, and thus adding greatly to the 
incomes of the sheep husbandmen. 
Among those pure bred flocks from which 
bucks may be chosen, Avith a view of effecting 
this important purpose, that undoubtedly supe- 
rior to all others, within our knowledge, in the 
United States, is possessed by Mr. D. C. Collins 
of Hartford, Conn. Travelling in Europe in 
the year 1839, and having his eye occasionally 
upon its Agriculture and improved stocks, 
among other things, this gentleman was struck 
with the marked superiority of the Spanish Me- 
rino, composing the celebrated royal flocks kept 
at Rambouillet, in France, about 40 miles trom 
Paris. He accordingly determined to procure 
a small breeding flock, Avith a view of raising 
bucks to restore the fine woolled sheep of our 
country to their original character for strength 
of constitution, and weight of fleece, together 
with excellence of quality. The following year 
he obtained two bucks and twenty ewes fromjthe 
best of the Rambouillet flock, and brought them 
over to this country. These he has continued 
to breed here with great success, and has now a 
fine flock of their produce, fully equal to the ori- 
ginal importation. 
On p. 171, Vol. 1, of the Agriculturist, we 
gaim a short notice of these animals; but the 
subject of the production of fine wool in our 
country seems at present to be so important, 
that w^e have thought we could not do our read- 
ers a greater service than bringing the matter up 
again for their serious consideration. Under- 
standing, therefore, that Mr. Collins intended 
shearing his flock on the 15th of last month, Aim 
started for Hartford, and arrived there on the 
morning of the day previous for the purpose of 
inspecting them in full fleece, and then in their 
naked forms, as also some flocks alongside of 
them, of what may now be termed the native 
Merino. Altogether we spent three days in our 
examination, taking samples of the wool, 
Aveighing the animals and their fleeces, and 
studying their forms, from the lambs j ust drop- 
ped, up to the lull grown sheep of a mature age. 
The result of our observations, and the informa- 
tion Ave obtained, AA'ith respect to these Spanish 
Merinos from the royal flocks of Puambouillet, 
and the produce bred from them'in this country, 
is: — 
1. They possess as good constitutions, and 
are as thrifty and as hardy as any native or im- 
ported sheep whatever. 
2. They attain a great age, have been known 
to reach 20 years, and may be depended upon 
as good breeders and wool producers till 12 or 
14 years old. 
3. They hatm large, loose skins, full of folds, 
especially around the neck and beloAv it, on the 
shoulders, and not unfrequently over the whole 
body; the wool thickly covering its surface, the 
forehead, cheeks and the legs clear dOAvn to the 
hoofs, giving the fleece the appearance when 
shorn and spread out in its ample dimension.s, 
of haAing been taken from the carcass of a huge 
buffalo, rather than so small an animal as the 
domestic sheep. 
4. The fibre of the wmol is very fine, quite 
equal to the best Merino in Spain, and is the 
Amry antipodes of that of which so much com- 
plaint is made by the manufacturer, of being 
harsh, diy, crispy and Aviry. The fleece opens 
of a brilliant creamy color Avithin, on a skm of 
rich pink, and is soft, glossy, Avavy and A'ery 
e'^en over the whole body; isexceedinglyclo.se 
and compact, and has a yolk free from gum, and 
easily liberated when it comes to be washed, but 
which protects the wool from the weather, and 
keeps it free of the dead ends that are so objec- 
tionable, and that make so great a loss in the 
more open fleeces ol the Saxons and their cross- 
es. It becomes of the purest white Avhen scour- 
ed by the manufacturer, and still retains its mel- 
loAv, oily touch, so grateful to the handling of 
good judges. Its felting properties are beyond 
dispute, making it a choice material for the 
manufacture of fine broadcloths and cassimeres. 
We are tolerably familiar Avith the Merinos 
imported direct from Spain, and the subsequent 
breeding in the United States, and we find the 
distinguished superiority of the Rambou;’:lets 
OAmr them, is in the size of their skins, enabling 
them to cut a greater proportion of aa’ooI. In 
their form they resemble the Paular Merinos, 
more than any other tribe of Spanish sheep that 
have fallen under our observation. They are 
also from one tenth to one fifth larger in carcas.s; 
are equally thrifty, hardy and long-live 1; give 
more wool for their size, and of a better quality; 
and upon the whole, present a grander and more 
noble appearance. It is not contended that the 
Merinos of any tribe have the finished, full 
round forms of the English mutton sheep. — 
They have been bred for other purposes. Their 
flesh is reasonably good when made wethers, 
and killed at a suitable age, and their forms are 
susceptible of improvement, for in this particu- 
lar we occasionally see them nearly equal to a 
South DoAvn or Leicester. — Amr. AgricuUunst. 
The Sunny Side. — How much more plea- 
sant it is to the pure heart to be good — to kindle 
the more gentle and noble feelings of our nature 
— than by misrepresentations, hints or dark in- 
uendoes to break into long established friend- 
ship and disturb the good feelings of years of in- 
timacy. In all our associations, commend us 
to him Avho ever presents the sunny side of life’s 
picture to our gaze; he who has always a “plea- 
sant word to speak,” and is ever disposed to fling 
the mantle of oblivion OAmr the foibles of erring 
man. Such a man we could wear in our “heart’s 
core — ay, in our heart of hearts.” But from the 
mischief maker, whose bosom is filled with a 
canker who knows no pleasure except that 
which torments others, “good Lord deliver us.’' 
A Veteran. — The Journal of Commerce 
speaks of a horse driven into Wall street every 
day, which though forty-two years old, is a? 
surefooted, sprightly and playful as a colt. 
