Sheep Husbandry TSo. l—4Lucera« 
§73 
been named, and much discussed. While I 
do not doubt that it is destined to become, 
at no distant day, an important production 
of all parts of the United States, I leave it to 
De dealt w> -h by those who are better inform¬ 
ed and ire competent to the task of ex¬ 
plaining its cultivation than myself. But I 
have another article in view, not in any de¬ 
gree speculative nor of doubtful success, 
which rightly managed, is capable of becom¬ 
ing a mint of wealth to large portions of the 
south and west, and it is capable too, of im¬ 
mediate introduction ; indeed never before 
could it have been done so cheaply and ad¬ 
vantageously as now. I have reference to 
the extensive introduction of Siieep, the pro¬ 
duction of wool of the higher grades of qual¬ 
ity, an article which will never go out of 
fashion, which will better, beyond all com¬ 
parison better, than any other product except 
silk, bear the cost of transportation to mar¬ 
ket, and which will always, like cotton, com¬ 
mand a ready sale to any extent. It can be 
put in bags and transported to market by 
land and water, as easily and about as cheap¬ 
ly per pound as cotton, while its value in 
market will be at least dive or six times as 
great. 
One word as to the adaptation of the cli¬ 
mate and soil of the southern and western 
country for sheep. On this subject there 
formerly prevailed considerable misconcep¬ 
tion, and still does to some extent, in part 
the offspring of interest , but far more from 
real ignorance in regard to it. 
I was myself taught to believe that the 
home, the natural country for fine wooled 
sheep, was an extreme cold northern climate, 
where winter reigns half or three-quarters of 
the year, Vermont, for instance; and that 
they would not thrive, and that their fine 
wool would turn to hair , &c. &c., in our 
country south of a certain latitude; the 
southwardly part of Connecticut, I think, was 
where the imaginary south line was drawn ; 
and being in my childhood more fond of 
sheep than I was of cold weather, I used in 
my simplicity to be afraid that they might 
not do well so far south in our country, as 
where I might choose to pitch my tent for 
life. But I have lived to become satisfied 
that those fears were wholly groundless, and 
that so far from New England and the north 
being the only portion of our country adapt¬ 
ed to the growth of fine wool, that there are 
other portions of the United States, large and 
extensive tracts at the south and west, which 
are not only as well, but in truth, far better 
adapted in all important respects, to the suc¬ 
cessful and profitable production of fine wool. 
But enough, you will say, for this time. In 
my next, we will, if you please, consider and 
discuss the subject of what part of the United 
States is best adapted for profitable sheep¬ 
farming—also if we have then time and 
space for it, the question, what kind of sheep 
are best calculated for that object. 
In the mean time, 
Believe me very truly yours, 
February 3d, 1843. Americtjs. 
When we wrote the article on Crops for 
Soiling, in the February No. of the American 
Agriculturist, we were well aware of the 
merits of Lucern, as we had ourselves culti¬ 
vated it several years in succession, although 
under somewhat unfavorable circumstances; 
and aside from this, we had repeatedly seen 
it growing in different parts of our country, 
and in Europe. In taking up the pen we in¬ 
tended to be very brief, and point out such 
crops only as could be generally cultivated 
in the country. It will be seen that our cor¬ 
respondent himself acknowledges that lu¬ 
cern requires a peculiar soil in order to 
flourish well, and that much care and atten¬ 
tion must be devoted to it the first year of its 
growth; for these reasons we cannot agree 
with him when he says, that lucern is to be 
preferred to rye and corn, except, perhaps, 
(and even here we have our doubts,) in those 
localities which abound in the dryest, deep¬ 
est, richest, and most friable loams. And 
when we say friable loams, we mean those 
of which sand is the almost exclusive ingre¬ 
dient of the composition ; for what is called 
a friable loam at the west, where some clay 
is mingled with it, our friends there inform¬ 
ed us they found totally unfit for lucern ; 
but corn, rye, wheat, and the clovers flour¬ 
ished in it admirably. 
Although we are not precisely agreed as 
to the full merits of lucern, we are not the 
less obliged to our correspondent for his ex¬ 
cellent communication. We esteem lucern 
a valuable adjunct in soiling, and are glad 
that he has directed attention to it; and if he 
will add still further to our obligations by 
giving us his name, we shall do ourselves the 
pleasure of calling upon him when spring is 
further advanced, and have a discussion in 
the very fields themselves; and if they do 
not in their luxuriant growth of vegetation, 
make a pretty strong argument on their own 
account, all is we shall be greatly disappoint¬ 
ed. Will our correspondent try one acre of 
our recommendation of soiling, along-side 
of an acre of his own, and see which pays 
