MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
iiairi)  Musliauh-u. 
N.  Y.  EXPERIMENTAL  DAIRY  STATION. 
The  project  of  ostablishiug  an  Experimental 
Dairy  Station  in  the  State  has  been  agitated  at 
the  various  Dairy  Conventions  for  two  or  three 
years  past.  That  such  a  Station,  properly  con¬ 
ducted.  would  do  much  good  and  advance  the 
Dairy  industry  of  the  country,  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  We  need  many  exact  experiments  to  aet- 
De  important  questions  that  arc  now  agitating 
the  Dairy  iJublic  in  regard  to  the  management  of 
stock  and  the  mannfacture  of  nulk  into  salable 
products.  The  Dairy  Convenlious  have  been  of 
important  aid  in  educating  Dairymen  in  many  of 
the  practical  operations  of  the  Dauy :  but  there 
aj  o  many  questions  which  need  the  trained  skdl 
of  the  scientist  to  properly  settle,  and  the  Dairy 
Intereet  of  the  country,  now  representing  a  va.st 
capital  and  an  annual  protluct  of  *(100,000,000. 
would  be  {p-eatly  promoted  by  a  well-conducted 
Daily  Station,  whei’e  all  needful  expcihnents  can 
be  made  under  the  supervision  of  sciontiflo  men. 
HOW  TO  SUPPORT  A  DAIRY  STATION. 
Mr.  E.  W.  Stewaht  makes  the  following  sug¬ 
gestions  in  regard  to  the  8upix>rt  of  such  a  Sta¬ 
tion.  He  says : — “  An  assessment  of  one  mill  on 
a  dollar  of  produet  would  yield  a  aurn  sntlieiout 
to  establi.^ih  a  Station  in  every  Dauy  State.  But 
supjiose  wo  examine  the  Daily  product  of  New 
York.  Tills  State  is  supposed  to  pus.aess  1,500,- 
000  cows,  and  the  product  cannot  bo  less  tlmii 
?00.0O0,000 ;  one  mill  per  dollar  upon  this  suni 
would  keep  nji  the  working  expenses  of  such  a 
Station  for  ten  years.  Suppose  tho  1.500,000 
cows  of  New  Y'ork  was  assessed  each  only  one 
cent,  it  would  fnrui.sh  *15.000,  or  a  Uhoral  work¬ 
ing  fund.  How  utterly  iusignilicaiit  the  equal¬ 
ized  expenses  would  be  upon  this  great  iudu.stry. 
THE  NEEDS  OF  SUCH  A  STATION. 
Now  let  us  look  for  a  moment  at  the  neoil  of 
such  an  Experimental  Station.  The  New  York 
State  Ceu.su.s  of  ISfiS  gives  returns  from  i:j!t 
cheese  faetorie.s  for  IKfil,  eniployitig  the  milk  of 
67,084  cows  through  the  sea.aon.  and  the  average 
product  of  cheese  l.s  only  283  jKmnds  per  cow. 
Prof.  WiCKSi^s  compiles  the  returns  from  127 
cheese  factm-iea  for  1874  and  published  in  llic 
last  report  of  the  .\ssodation.  by  w  hich  it  appears 
that  the  avfiage  product  of  all  the  cows  of  theso 
127  factoiies  was  843  iKmiids,  shoiving  an  advance 
of  sixty  pounds  pm-  cow  m  ten  years— owing 
mostly,  no  doubt,  to  the  c-lTortH  of  tJie  memboi-B 
of  the  Dairy  Associations.  But  this  table  also 
shows  that  the  average  of  the  best  dairies  of 
thesi-  127  factories  was  433  pounds  per  cow,  and 
tlie  average  of  the  pcsirest  dairie.s  of  the  same 
fact4iries  was  only  250  pounds  per  cow.  showing 
an  average  dilTeretice  of  183  pounds  per  eow  be¬ 
tween  the  bc.st  and  poorest  dairies  In  all  theso 
factories.  What  a  wide  lioldis  here  for  improve¬ 
ment  !  YVliat  interest  needs  au  experunental 
Bcliool  if  this  does  not?  Wliat  otlicr  interest 
could  stand  such  a  wide  discrepancy  of  results  ? 
Is  it  possible  to  suppose  cotton  maunfacturo  to 
exist  with  a  difference  of  60  per  cent,  between 
the  higliost  and  lowest  cost  of  productiveness 
and  ail  going  on,  indifferent  to  tho  facts  in  the 
ease.  These  facts  indicate,  not  that  good  farm¬ 
ing  don't  pay,  but  that  it  is  possible  to  get  a  liv¬ 
ing  witli  any  kind  of  farming, 
Look  at  a  great  cotton  fjictoiy  witli  its  tliou- 
saud  spiudles  running  like  clock  work,  each  i>cr- 
foi-miug  its  part  and  every  operator  undorstaud- 
ing  tlie  part  assigiicd  to  liim.  Hero  we  see  iii- 
telligont  order  and  thoughtful  care  eveiywhere ; 
the  cost  of  a  yard  of  clotli  can  be  calculated  to 
the  smallest  fraction.  YVliat,  let  us  ask,  is  the 
iuliereut  difficulty  in  placing  the  great  Dairy  in¬ 
dustry  under  tho  same  intelligent  order  and  dis¬ 
cipline  ?  What  a  transformation  !  and  what  a 
paltry  pittance  it  would  be  for  each  dairyman  to 
furnish  the  means  of  rnnning  a  model  Experi¬ 
mental  Station,  wliere  all  the  propositions  looking 
to  tlie  advancement  of  tlie  Daily  interest  may  bo 
thoroughly  examiued  and,  if  thought  worthy, 
tested. 
We  need  not  siieak  of  Uie  Exjienmental  Sta¬ 
tions  of  Oenuauy— they  are  doing  a  great  work 
fur  the  advancemeut  of  agriculluic.  These  are 
orgauLzed  and  supported  by  the  Govei-ument. 
lu  Sweden  special  schools  for  instrnctioiiLu  Dairy 
matters  are  under  Goyermuent  patronage,  and 
the  Swedes  have  advanced  rapidly  in  their  knowl¬ 
edge  and  practice  of  Dairy  Husbandry ;  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  a  Dairy  Experimental  Sta¬ 
tion  established  in  this  .State  would  have  a  most 
heneffeeut  influence  iu  promoting  and  perfecting 
the  Dairy  industry  of  the  country,  and  thus  in¬ 
creasing  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  our  farm¬ 
ers  and  tlie  nation. 
- »♦» 
SMALL  CHEESES-  RESULTS  OBTAINED  BY 
MR.  H0LDRID6E. 
A  FEW  years  ago,  it  will  bo  remembered,  an 
effort  was  made  to  introduce  the  mauufactm-e  of 
square  cheeses.  There  has  always  been  a  de¬ 
mand  for  small  cheeses  weighing  from  10  to  15 
pounds,  and  could  such  be  more  generally  intro¬ 
duced  the  consumption  of  cheese  would  be  very 
largely  increased.  In  England  an  immense  trade 
is  dime  in  small  cheeses.  They  arc  of  various 
'  shapes  and  are  sold  under  dilTcrent  names — as 
the  Edams,  the  Cheddar  loaf,  the  Stilton,  the 
Goudas,  besides  the  small  flat  cheeses  of  YVilt- 
shire  and  Gloiicesterahire. 
In  America  but  very  little  attention  is  given  to 
the  wTiiits  v>r  consumers  in  tliis  regaid,  and  many 
would  purchase  a  small  cheese  that  would  not 
buy  In  small  pieces,  becau.se  unattractive  in 
sliape,  to  say  nothing  of  tho  wa.ste  from  drying 
and  bnuiking  into  crumbs  which  a  wedge  *of 
clicese  always  entails.  A  small  cheese  may  be 
placed  upon  the  table  and  it  forms  an  attractive 
object.  This  is  the  English  way  of  using  cheese : 
It  is  placed  upon  the  table  and  slices  cut  from  it 
as  wanted.  The  only  table  cheese  that  has  come 
much  into  fasluou  among  Americans  is  tho  Pine¬ 
apple;  but  wo  are  persuaded  that  ifourmaiui- 
factiirer.s  would  make  more  small  cheeses  of 
fancy  shapes  so  as  to  bo  attractive  for  the  table, 
tho  consumption  of  this  article  of  food  would  be 
very  largely  increased. 
Mr.  IIoLORmoE  in  a  recent  letter  referring  to 
his  .square  cheose.s,  says  “  I  sold  my  square 
cheese,  tlie  make  of  the  whole  season,  to  Messrs. 
Saoe  Buos.  &  Co.  for  1.5c.  per  pound  last  week. 
If  [  had  waited  perhaps  I  could  have  got  more. 
This  looks  as  if  •  square  cheese’  was  not  altogether 
a  failure.  My  factory  makes  up  tlie  milk  of 
about  100  cows.  I  have  not  had  a  ‘  aki))per’  in 
my  cheese  this  summer.  I  have  some  of  my 
square  checso  three  years  old,  some  ten  years  old 
and  some  made  last  year.  All  seems  as  sound 
and  nice  as  cau  be,  and  have  lost  little  or  nothing 
hi  wi-ight,  I  arn  saving  them  for  the  Centemiial 
exhibition  as  requested.  My  patrons  feel  pretty 
well,  as  we  have  realized  two  or  three  cents  above 
our  nciglibors.” 
As  small  square  cheeses  on  Mi-.  Hot.diudoe'.s 
plau  are  more  easily  lU'essod  than  in  otlier  forms, 
we  liacl  lioped  tlieir  manufacture  would  bo  intro¬ 
duced  at  least  in  Huftioieut  (piantity  to  supply  the 
demand  for  small  cheeses.  This  it  seems  ha.s  not 
been  effected ;  but  we  suppose  almost  any  form 
of  choeso.  if  the  weight  ranged  from  10  to  20 
pounds,  would  command  on  an  average,  two 
cents  per  pound  more  t  han  the  lusual  00-poimd 
make.  It  becomes  a  question  tlierefoi  e,  in  these 
times  of  low  prices,  whetlier  some  of  our  factor¬ 
ies  could  not  Had  it  prolUable  to  enter  upon 
“  small  cheese”  miiunfuctun!. 
- 
THE  DAIRY  AT  THE  CENTENNIAL. 
EFFOK-rs  are  being  made  to  have  a  grand  ex¬ 
hibition  of  dairy  products  at  tho  Centounial,  and 
tlie  comiiiittoc  in  charge  (appointed  by  the  Dairy¬ 
men's  Associations;  lias  seat  out  cii-culars  asking 
contributions  Ironi  factories  and  dairymen  for 
carrying  uqt  this  project. 
I'be  following  resolution,  adopted  at  tlie  late 
meeting  of  the  American  Dah  ymon's  Ashociation, 
will  explain  the  work  proposed  : — ••  Resolvnl, 
Tliat  this  Committee  recommend  as  the  best  plan 
practicable  for  the  exhibition  of  Dairy  products 
at  tho  Ccutcnnial  that  a  Cheese  and  Butter  Fac¬ 
tory.  combined  in  one  building,  be  erected  on 
the  grounds  for  the  display  of  those  products, 
and  that  the  Convention  authorize  tliis  Commit¬ 
tee  to  proceed  at  once  to  the  colleetlon  of  *10,000 
to  defray  the  e.xpense  uecessai-y  to  a  complete 
display.” 
The  (Committee  was  also  empowered  to  appoint 
persons  in  the  several  States  to  collect  money 
for  furthering  tins  interest,  and  Hon.  ilonATio 
Seymoou  of  Ctica.  N.  Y,,  was  appointed  Treas¬ 
urer,  thus  guaranteeing  that  tho  fund  will  be 
properly  apphed.  About  -si, 000  was  pledged  at 
tho  late  Convention  at  Rome,  one  factoryman 
liaY-ing  several  faetorios,  representing  2,500  cows,' 
agreeing  to  give  five  cents  for  each  cow. 
It  is  to  he  hoped  that  all  factorymeu  aud  dairy¬ 
men  may  respond  liberally  to  the  fund  and  thus 
enable  the  display  of  Dairy  products  to  be  canned 
out  as  proiKised.  Provision  mil  be  made  for 
every  factoi^  iu  the  United  States  to  be  repre¬ 
sented  at  the  Centennial,  as  well  also  as  farm 
dairymen.  Tho  cheese  and  butter  will  he  cared 
for  in  the  best  manner  *and  at  such  times  as  most 
suitable  the  products  ou  exhibition  will  be  sold 
and  the  proceeds  of  such  sale  returned  to  the 
exhibitors.  The  sales  will  probably  take  place 
monthly  and  the  places  of  the  cheese  sold  refilled 
again  from  other  factories,  thus  giving  each  fac- 
Uuy  a  place  in  the  Exhibition  to  show  its  goods, 
which  are  to  he  properly  branded  with  the  name 
of  factory,  its  location  and  home  of  manufac¬ 
turer. 
^  » - 
CHEESE  PRODUCT  WEST  OF  THE  OHIO. 
Mil.  Morkow'  of  the  Western  Rural  makes  a 
statement  in  that  paper,  correcting  Mr.  Ij.  B. 
Arxoeo  in  liis  estimate  of  tho  cheese  product  of 
the  West  for  1875.  Jlr.  Arnold,  he  says,  put 
the  cheese  product  west  of  Ohio  at  ahoui  live 
millions  of  pounds,  little  ot  wlilch  has  reached 
the  Atlantic  coast.”  To  this  Mr.  Morrow  repUes 
as  follows; — Our  estimate  of  the  choose  prod¬ 
uct  of  Illinois,  Wiscousin.  Minnesota,  aud  Iowa 
in  1874  was  twenti/-tive  7nUlimi»  of  pounds.  This 
also  was  President  Favtij,’8  figures,  while  others 
thought  it  low.  For  1875  President  Smitu  of 
the  Wisconsin  Association  makes  the  product  of 
the  State  15,0(X),000  pounds — Sheboygan  County 
alone  at  2,000,000  pounds.  The  sales  at  Elgin. 
Ill.,  during  1875,  wore  nearly  4,000,000  pounds 
(3,970,000;.  We  liave  no  approach  to  statistics 
for  1875 ;  but  certainly  no  one  could  put  the 
cheese  product  w’esl  of  Ohio,  thus  including 
Micliigan  at  less  than  25,000,000  pouad.s,  wdiUo 
many  would  tliink  .80,000,000  a  low  estimate,” 
To  that  part  of  Arnold’s  Htotciiicnt  that  “  little 
of  tin)  {.u-oduct  has  rnatffied  the  Atlantic  coast.” 
Mr,  Morrow  says A  large  part  of  the  total 
pi-oduet  w-as  sent  East,  oonsLderable  quantities 
being  sliipipcd  dkect  to  Eurofie.”  Of  course, 
every  oiio  who  knows  auytliing  about  tlie  cheese 
product  of  tho  West,  is  well  aware  lliat  it  was 
greatly  alxivc  5,0uu,000  pounds  for  the  jiast  year, 
and  it  is  unfortuuato  for  Arnold,  who  claims  to 
be  au  authority  on  dairy  matters,  to  make  such 
wild  statements,  as  they  mislead  iiiHuy  as  to  tlie 
actual  production  and  tlie  disposition  of  our 
cheese  product. 
EXPERIMENTS  IN  FEEDING. 
From  an  es.say  read  before  the  Central  New 
York  Farmers’  Club  wo  quote  some  suggestive 
comments  on  a  most  import-ant  subject ; 
Starch  iu  vogetablos  contributes  largely  to 
thrift  ill  animals.  If  staruli  ii:  the  growuig 
plant  (carbon,  oxygen  and  hydrogen;  is  allowed 
to  form  into  woody  liber,  it  is  lost  for  nutritive 
pm-poses;  hence,  the  unperior  value  of  early-cut 
hay.  GoikI  oat  and  barley  straw  may  l-e  a  partial 
substitute  for  hay  by  fcodiiig  roots  and  othrv 
siicculont  food  with  it.  It  does  not  contain  tho 
reqiusites  for  providing  for  tho  wastc-.s  of  the 
sy.stem  in  cold  weatlier;  lionet-  the  importance 
of  comfortable  quarters  for  auiniaLs  thus  fed. 
I  have  found  by  experiment  that  twenty  pouud.s 
of  early-cut  hay,  by  actual  weight,  daily  foil  to 
oaeli  dairy  cow  will  keoji  lu-i-  m  licaltliy,  Uu-iving 
condition,  when  not  iu  milk,  and  wliou  kept 
quiet  in  comfortable  stables,  while  the  same 
grade  of  cows  requu-o  during  tlie  same  time 
thii  ty  pounds  t<i  keep  them  iu  equal  condition, 
fed  out  of  doors,  witli  no  other  protection  than 
a  shed  to  screen  tln-m  from  the  cold  blasts  of 
winter,  lu  housing  forage  ci-ops,  they  should  bo 
sir  packed  tlmt  either  kind  or  quality  may  be 
reached  at  will  to  give  the  stock  a  cliauge  of 
food.  A  mixetl  diet  is  manifestly  better  for  all 
kinds  of  stock.  Cuttiug  feed  for  stuck  is  recom¬ 
mended  by  many,  aud  has  some  advantages. 
When  mixed  witli  meal  it  retains  the  meal  iu  the 
first  stomach  of  nuiunatiug  auimuls  longer  than 
when  fed  separately  ui  bulk.  Nature  iias  pro¬ 
vided  iu  the  digestive  functions  of  the  ruminat¬ 
ing  animal,  that  tho  Ih-st  stomacli,  mingles  sali- 
vial  properties  with  tho  food,  to  faeilitato  cUges- 
tiou,  without  which  digestion  woukl  bcrimperfect 
and  a  portion  of  tlie  food  passing  dh-eelly  to  the 
other-  stoiuatfiis  would  go  to  waste.  Forage  cut 
and  steamed  and  fed  warm  is  better  in  cold 
weatlier,  because  steaming  lielps  digestion  and 
preservos  animal  heat. 
^ut  the  economy  in  hiring  labor  to  cut  liay 
and  straw  to  feed  alone  is  (luestionable.  To  as¬ 
certain  the  comparative  value  of  early  cut  hay 
aud  soihng  corn  fetl  dry  for  milk  and  butter  iu 
January,  I  took  two  cows  out  of  the  dairy  aud 
fed  tliein  aitoruatoly  on  hay  aud  dried  coru. 
Tlie  hay  was  of  tine  quaUty,  cut  tlie  first  of  July. 
The  coru  was  cut  and  diiod  (not  cured;  when 
the  tassel  was  well  out  of  blossom.  The  two  j 
cows  were  fed  sixty  pounds  of  hay  per  day  aud 
tho  same  weight  of  corn  fodder,  alternately. 
They  gave  iu  four  successive  days  ou  dried  grass 
158^  pounds  of  milk,  wlucli  made  6  pounds  and 
one  ounce  of  butter,  or  one  pound  of  hotter 
from  263-^  pounds  of  milk ;  aud  167  pounds  aud 
6  ounces  of  milk  in  four  successive  days  from 
the  same  weight  of  com,  and  63i'  pounds  of  but¬ 
ter,  or  one  poimd  of  butter  fx-om  273^  pounds  of 
milk,  showing  8  pounds  aud  ID  ounces  more  milk 
from  the  com  and  only  3  ounces  more  butter, 
the  quality  of  milk  being  in  favor  of  diic-d  grass. 
The  object  to  be  attained  in  gvowtii  of  young 
animals,  in  milk  for  butter,  or  cheese,  for  muscle 
in  working  animals,  or  fattening  requires  varied 
constituencies  in  the  food  they  eat.  The  young 
animal  requires  food  easy  of  digestion  and  ready 
assimilation,  rich  in  nitrogeiiouH  properties  and 
phosphates  for  the  rapid  growth  of  all  parts  of 
its  body.  With  the  milk-giving  races  tlie 
mothei's’  milk  is  adapted  to  building  up  all  parts 
of  the  body  of  the  offspring.  Although  skimmeu 
milk  will  make  good  calves,  less  of  uew  milk  wUl 
grow  them  finer  iu  sjnmnetry  aud  handling 
qualities.  Oat,  beau,  pea  aud  fiaxseod  meal, 
mixed  aud  well  boiled,  fed  iu  small  quantities 
with  milk  as  the  stomach  will  bear  it,  is  a  cheap 
substitute  for  milk,  aud  may  take  its  place  en¬ 
tirely  with  good  results,  when  the  second  and 
third  stomachs  are  developed  to  remunsrate  its 
plant  food.  Daily  access  to  due  itried  grass  or 
dried  com  leaves  will  hasten  development  of  the 
ruminating  organs  and  fit  tliem  to  do  with  loss 
milk.  In  changing  from  milk  no  one  kind  of 
grain  will  do  as  well  as  a  mixturo  well  prepared 
for  easy  digestion.  All  changes  in  diet  should 
bogrodusl,  and  the  full  capionty  of  the  stomach 
to  digest  should  not  be  taxed.  Y’ouug  auiumls 
to  pay  for  their  keeping,  should  be  well  supplied 
wiMi  nutritious  fooil  iliiriiig  winter ;  and  have 
comfortable  quarters  to  serceu  them  from  as¬ 
perities  of  weather.  Oats,  wheat,  hrau  and  oil 
meal  mixed  ai-o  good  winter  food  for  calves. 
Apples  aud  roots  iu  proper  tpiautities  are  also 
good.  Oats  need  no  griudiog  for  calves  or 
alieep,  as  they  grind  them  closely  by  niminating. 
It  is  a  fact  well  established  tliat  habits  acquired 
in  the  early  growth  of  animals  are  subsequently 
manifest  in  their  iibysical  (-oustitutiou.  Hence 
Uie  economy  of  feediug  lieifors  designed  for 
niilkiiig,  with  fond  similar  In  that  i-equirc-d'for 
greatest  How  of  milk,  which  consists  in  succulent 
food  uearest  allied  to  milk  in  constituency.  The 
lacteal  glands  are  dovelo])cd  with  other  growtli 
of  tho  bmly,  aud  are  large  or  small  iu  proportion 
to  physical  liahits  acquired  fi-om  feed.  Roots, 
pumpkhis,  apples  aud  plant  food  are  most  con¬ 
genial  for  lieifors  and  cows  in  milk.  Beans,  peas 
and  oats  have  tho  best  analytical  record  for 
growtli  in  bone  uiid  muscle ;  rye,  w'beat,  buck¬ 
wheat  aud  oiUs,  for  milk  and  ftir  cheese :  aud 
corn  for  butter  and  fat.  Bai  ley  aud  buckwheat 
will  fatten  swine  and  horses  rapidly,  hut  are  poor 
fc>ed  to  fatten  the  bullock,  or  for  butter. 
ANTIQUITY  OF  THE  SPANISH  MERINO. 
The  Romans  wore  nothing  but  woolen  goods. 
I’liey  liiul  no  cotton ;  tliey  had  a  little  liiioit, 
which  was  worn  us  a  material  of  lii.xiiry;  tliey 
had  no  silk,  They  cultivateil  the  sheep  with 
groat  caro,  and  Homo  of  tlieir  rlclicst  posessions 
were  in  sheep,  But  tlieio  was  one  breed  of 
sheep  which  tliey  cuUivatcd  with  groat  care,  and 
by  tliat  systeui  of  st-loctioii  which  Danviu  speaks 
of  as  tlie  Hoiiroo  of  the  pi-rfei-ted  forms  of  our 
doiiiostic  animals.  It  was  called  Tarcnlitio  sheep, 
from  Tarentum,  a  city  of  Gn-ek  origin,  situated 
at  tho  head  of  tho  Tarentiiio  gulf.  Tlio  fleece  of 
this  sheep  was  of  exceeding  fiuenoBS ;  it  was  of  a 
great  delicacy,  and  tlio  iH-ices  paid  for  it  were 
enormous.  Tlu*  sheep  were  dollied  iu  cold 
weather  to  keep  them  warm  ;  and  the  result  was 
tliat  they  were  very  tender,  and  tlieir  wool  was 
very  fine.  They  were  a  product  of  Greek  civiliza¬ 
tion  transmitted  down  to  the  Romans.  Columella, 
tho  great  Roman  agriculturist,  says  that  liis 
uncle,  residing  in  Hpaiii,  crossed  some  of  the  flue 
Tarc.ntine  slicop  with  some  rams  that  had  been 
imported  from  Africa ;  aud  tlie  cousequonco  was 
that  these  auimala  had  tho  w-hiteuess  of  fleece  of 
the  father  with  tlie  fineness  of  fleece  of  the 
mother,  aud  tliat  race  was  pm-petuated.  Here  we 
SCO  an  iinproveiuont  of  the  stock,  an  increase  of 
strength  and  produetiveness  given  to  the  line- 
wool  sheep  of  Hpaiii.  At  Unit  time  the  sheep  of 
Spain  were  of  imuiOiiHe  value ;  for  Strabo  says 
that  sheep  from  Spain,  iu  the  time  of  Tiberius, 
were  can-ied  to  Rome,  aud  sold  for  the  price  of  a 
talent  (one  thousand  dollars;  a  head.  In  tlie 
time  of  our  Saviour,  a  tliousand  dollars  was 
given  in  Rome  for  a  Spanisli  slieep.  When  the 
barbarians  inundated  Italy,  these  flue-wool  sheep 
were  all  swept  away ;  but  they  remained  in 
Spam.  They  were  cultivated  by  the  Moor.s  iu 
tlie  mouutiiiiis  of  Spam,  which  were  almost  in¬ 
accessible,  and  were  not  reached  by  tho  hordes  of 
Huns,  and  other  Northern  barbarians,  which  had 
laid  waste  the  gi'oaler  portion  of  tlie  Roman  pos¬ 
sessions.  They  continued  to  bo  nourished  there 
by  the  floors,  who  w-ero  very  much  advanced  in 
arts,  and  further  ou  were  found  there  as  tho 
Spanish  Merino.  So  that  tlie  Spanish  Merino 
wlrich  we  now  liavo,  if  not  the  only,  is  at  all 
events  by  far  the  most  important  relic  that  we 
have  to-da>  which  ha.s  eouio  down  to  us  from 
Greek  aud  Roman  material  civilization.  We 
have  here  a  direct  inheritance  from  the  material 
woalUi  of  the  Old  World  civilization.— L. 
Uayes,  in  Live  Stock  Journal. 
- - - 
SHEPHERD  NOTES, 
The  Big  Fleece. — A  gr-oat  splutter  wa.s  made  a 
year  ago  about  a  largo  Ueece  that  hailed  from 
CaUforuia,  and  weighed  fifty  pounds.  It  was 
handed  over  to  a  committee  who  were  to  wash  it 
and  report.  They  have  done  both.  It  does  not 
pan  out  very  good.  With  the  gr-ease  aud  dirt 
out  there  remains  about  twelve  pounds  of 
wool  and  burrs,  the  latter  iu  the  opinion  of  tho 
committee  weighing  two  pounda,  so  that  of  wool 
there  remained  but  ten  pound-s, 
Bviee  wilh  Lambs  should  have  some  succulent 
food  during  the  lat&r  part  of  winter.  Potatoes 
or  other  roots  are  excellent.  If  thin  in  flesh  give 
a  very  few  oats  each  day.  Corn  is  too  rich. 
