1S46. THE CULTIVATOR. 147 
serves the purposes of vegetation, and at the same time, 
opportunity is given for the free expansion of the roots 
of the plant.” Another advantage still, is the oppor¬ 
tunity afforded on some lands for the rain-water to pass 
off freely. 
Several cuts of plows of various kinds, as well as 
other implements used for working the soil, such as 
grubbers, scarifiers of different kinds, harrows, &c., are 
given, followed by a chapter of “general remarks 
ON THE USE OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY;” in 
which is some excellent observations, showing that 
machinery not only lightens labor and increases pro¬ 
duction, but has also a favorable and happy effect on the 
morals and health of society. But having already ex¬ 
tended our review to a great length, we are compelled 
to pass over the remainder of the number without fur¬ 
ther comment. The perusal of it has increased our 
confidence in the ability of Mr. Colman to execute the 
task he has undertaken, not only according to the origi¬ 
nal plan devised by himself, but at the same time in a 
manner which will, in the end, leave no ground for 
complaint. He will form a work, which in point of 
interest to the general reader, will be unequalled in its 
kind, and yet one which will lack nothing of the essen¬ 
tials to value as a compendium of practical facts. 
We are informed that Part VI is now in press. Pub¬ 
lished by A. D. Phelps, Boston. 
SHEEP AND WOOL. 
We have lately received so many communications on 
this subject, that we are under the necessity of condens¬ 
ing several of them into one chapter. 
From Mr. John Brown, of Akron, Ohio, we have a 
letter from which we give the following extracts: 
“ I think that really good, fine sheep may be found 
in flocks called Merino, and those called Saxon, (and I 
have experience of both,) and I ask, if either of these 
breeds possess any valuable trait, if that particular trait 
may not be preserved in their posterity, while the bad 
traits may be in a great measure bred out? I absolutely 
know, from my own experience, that this may be done; 
and for this very reason, I consider the few good Saxon 
sheep in the country as invaluable, on account of the 
quality of their wool. I have no desire to get up a new 
excitement about the Saxon name, but I should be glad 
to see the wool-growing community give so much at¬ 
tention to the subject, as to be able to discern a good 
animal from a very mean one. I know of thousands of 
wool-growers all over the country, who are keeping 
flocks whose wool will not average yearly thirty-live 
cents per pound, while at the same time they might 
easily get as much and more wool than they now do, 
that would be worth yearly in ready cash, seventy cents 
per pound. [Is not this rather a “large ” calculation?— 
Ed.] This is abundantly capable of proof from actual 
sales made for the last ten years; but it can only be 
done by candid and careful comparison, sufficient to 
make persons tolerable judges of sheep and wool. 
“ I will mention some Saxon and some Merino flocks, 
as they are called, in which may be found a goodly 
number of animals such as no sensible and honest man 
can object to. I mention only a few from which might 
be selected good animals to breed from- 
“The flock of Mr. Samuel Whitman, of West Hart¬ 
ford, Ct., are of good constitution, good form, very 
fine, and have thick heavy fleeces. The choicest ani¬ 
mals I have ever seen, were either bred by Mr. Whit¬ 
man, or are the descendants of sheep bred bj^ him. The 
flock of Mr. John Marvin, of Woodbury, Litchfield 
county, Ct., cannot be exceeded for constitution, and 
they have very heavy fleeces, though the fleeces are 
not quite so uniform, nor quite so fine, as those of Mr. 
Whitman's flock. The flock of Mr. Charles B. Smith, 
of Wolcottville, Ct., strongly resembles that of Whit¬ 
man, in all points, and were, to some extent, derived 
from ir. Mr. Smith is a judicious breeder, and his 
sheep are excellent. The flock of Mr. Thomas. Swift, 
of South Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., combine to 
a great extent, all that can be desirable in fine sheep; 
viz: fair size, good constitution, good weight of fleece, 
and an excellent quality of wool. I have seen some 
choice animals from Yernon, Oneida county, N. Y., 
but have not been able to examine whole flocks, which 
is the true way of judging for breeders. So much for 
Saxon flocks. 
“ I will now mention some that are called Merino, 
(no matter what they are,) which have a good number 
of animals in each of the kinds I have described—that 
is, heavy, fine fleeces of real wool - The flocks of 
Messrs. Samuel Patterson, Samuel Cole, Wm. Brownlee, 
Matthew McKeever,-McDowall, Wm. More, John 
Rankin, and others, in Washington county, Pa. Messrs. 
John Smart, John Hall, and others, in Beaver county, 
Pa., Messrs. Jesse Edgington, Talbot Hammond, of 
Brook county, Va., Messrs. George Purcell, Joseph 
Morgan, Richard Ridgley,-Gilmer, and others, in 
Ohio county, Va., Adam Hildebrand, and Thomas No¬ 
ble, of Stark county, Ohio. 
“ The noise about a great deal of animal oil to pre¬ 
serve the health of sheep and the wool from dead ends , 
is a superfine humbug. Every healthy animal, in good 
condition, has enough of it to meet all the wants of the 
manufacturer and the consumer. For a sheep to be very 
black or yolky, does not prove it to be a good animal, 
hardy, heavily wooled, fine, or fit to breed from. Some 
very choice animals are heavily coated with yolk, while 
others of equal worth are not so; as many often are 
seen in the same flock, and all of one blood.” 
From Mr. J. S. Pettibone, of Manchester, Vt., we 
have a letter, accompanying some samples of wool. 
Several of the samples are from very old ewes, which, 
on account of their blood and qualities, are kept to rear 
lambs. He states that he has a “hospital flock” of a 
dozen, all of which are over ten years old—one is fif* 
teen this spring, and another will he nineteen in July 
next. The latter he says was from an ewe purchased in 
1822, of the Humphrey importation. All of them, he 
says, are in good order, and bid fair to rear lambs this 
season. The two oldest reared lambs last season, sam¬ 
ples of the wool of which are sent. The wool is good, 
The last year’s lamb, (a buck,) from the fifteen year 
old ewe, weighed 158 lbs. on the 3d of March last. 
The three oldest ewes, he states, “ when in their prime, 
averaged over five lbs. of wool each, and reared a 
lamb.” He thinks they will this season average over 
three pounds each, of clean wool. Mr. P. thinks these 
ewes by no means “ too old to be profitable. It is,” 
he says, “much less expensive to rear a buck from a 
good blooded old ewe, than to send 300 miles and pay 
from $25 to $200 for a buck that may prove to be of 
little value.” The ages of Mr. P.’s ewes are certainly 
remarkable, and show, not only the tendency of the 
Spanish sheep to longevity, but the good care that has 
attended them. Mr. S. makes some good remarks in 
regard to selecting sheep for breeders. He thinks par¬ 
ticular attention should be given to the evenness of the 
fleece as to quality. He says the shoulder is not unfre- 
quently fine, when other parts of the fleece are coarse— 
that the coarse flank, with an occasional coarse hair, 
shows impurity of blood.” He says “ it is the long 
staple, thickly set, that makes a great fleece,” and that 
this kind of fleece may be produced “fine, soft, silky, 
and free from gum.” 
To destroy ticks, while the fleece is on, Mr. P. di¬ 
rects to scatter Scotch snuff among the wool, and after 
they are sheared, to dip them in a decoction of tobacco, 
which, he says, will kill the ticks and prevent the scab. 
The “ grub in the head,” he thinks does but little injury 
to sheep that are well fed. He says he has tried vari • 
ous prescriptions to prevent the egg being deposited. 
He has tarred the noses of the sheep, and blown snuff 
up the nostrils, but all failed. But at last, he has found 
a “ sure remedy.” “It is the same the Dutchman used 
to make his horse slick. He rubbed the horse’s back 
with the oats he had breathed on over night.” The 
secret, of course, lies in giving plenty of food. [For 
our own ideas on the sheep-bot, or “ grub in the head,” 
see last vol., page 285.] 
