THE CULTIVATOR 
129 
of the wool, and the number of the curves, or otherwise, 
in proportion to the number of curves in a given span, is the 
di eter of the fibre. It should be stated, however, that 
tl •> more generally true of pure Saxon and Merino. It 
cu> e easily demonstrated, if the experiment is fairly 
made with the micrometer, care being taken not to de¬ 
stroy the curves by extension, but the fibre placed in the 
instrument as it naturally grows upon the sheep. From 
M. Lafoun’s work on German management of sheep, the 
following is extracted, bearing on this point: 
«Those breeding pure Saxons, inspect their flocks 
three times in the year; before winter, when the selec¬ 
tion of lambs is made, in the spring, and at shearing 
time. Each sheep is placed in its turn on a kind of table, 
and examined carefully as to the growth, the elasticity, 
the pliability, the brilliancy, and the fineness of the wool. 
The latter is ascertained by means of a micrometer. It 
being found that there was an evident connection between the 
fineness of the fibre and the number of curves, this was 
more accurately noted, and the following table was con¬ 
structed. The fleece was sorted in the manner usual in 
France. The fineness of the Superelecta, or picklock, is 
represented by a span corresponding with the number 7 
on the instrument.” 
Sort. Name 
1. Superelecta, 
Curves in 
an inch. 
27 to 29 
7 
Diameter of fibre, 
or 1-840th of an 
2. 
Electa, 
24 to 28 
8 
or 1-735th 
(C 
3. 
Prima, 
20 to 23 
9 
or 1-660th 
Ci 
4. 
Secunda Prima, 
19 to 19 
10 
or 1-588th 
ft 
5. 
Secunda, 
16 to 17 
11 
or 1-534th 
ft 
6. 
Tertia, 
14 to 15 
114 
or 1-510th 
ft 
The above will show the necessity of more care with 
wool growers in breeding from such sheep only whose 
wool approximates nearest to the principle laid down, as 
it is to this curled form of wool its most valuable uses 
depend. It is one agent, though not the principal, in 
producing the phenomena of felting. “It materially 
contributes to that disposition of the fibres which enables 
them to attach and entwine themselves together; it mul¬ 
tiplies the opportunities for this interlacing, and it increa¬ 
ses the difficulty of unraveling the felt.” 
The numerous and minute curves being, as observed, 
eminently characteristic of the pure Saxon and Merino, 
will serve as a sure test, in all cases, of the purity of 
blood, and therefore affords a certain and unerring guide 
in the selection of breeding sheep. If it is rigidly adhe¬ 
red to, the every day attempts to dispose of grades for 
high bred sheep will be frustrated. 
SOFTNESS. 
It is not as generally known as it should be, that soft¬ 
ness is a quality of wool of much consequence. When 
the wool buyer and stapler proceed to an examination of 
a parcel, their judgment will be materially affected as to 
its value, whether “ soft in handle,” or otherwise. This, 
however, generally speaking, is the result of compara¬ 
tive fineness; but by no means always so, for wool of the 
same quality of fineness has not the same degree of soft¬ 
ness. There are several causes to account for it, and 
among them is soil; as for instance, the chalky districts 
of England, affect the wool to such an extent as to make 
it invariably brittle and harsh. This however, is only 
local. The general cause of a deficiency of softness in 
wools of the same breed, may be referred directly to the 
condition of the sheep. In a former number it was stated 
that when the animal was kept in uniform good condi¬ 
tion, the necessary quantity of yolk was supplied. Now 
if there is but little of this substance, which will follow 
an abuse in management, the wool will be less pliable 
and “ kind to feel.” Therefore it may be set down as a 
■universal rule, that wool owes much of its softness to the 
presence of a sufficiency of yolk. 
As a testimony how much this quality of wool is ap¬ 
preciated by the manufacturer, it is affirmed on the au¬ 
thority of an English author, “that two parcels of sorted 
wool being taken, possessing the same degree of fineness, 
but the one having the soft quality in an eminent degree, 
and the other being harsh, the cloth prepared from the 
first, at the same expense, will be worth more to the 
manufacturer than the other, by full 20 per cent.” The 
salving of sheep in Scotland and the northern extremity 
of England, alluded to in my last, is very much for the 
object to promote softness of the wool; and the result 
from the manufacture of such wool, as stated by Mr. 
Bakewell, will also be remembered. 
Trueness of the fibre, and the influence of temperature 
upon wool will be embraced in the following chapter. 
L. A. Mojrrell. 
Lake Ridge, Tompkins Co., N. Y. 
ROAD WORKING. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— Among the many use¬ 
ful subjects that have received attention in t\% volumes 
of the Cultivator, I see this has not been entirely lost 
sight of. That great errors exist in road working, is ob¬ 
vious to every reflecting mind. If the time spent to¬ 
wards making and repairing the roads in our county had 
been judiciously applied, it would have made every foot 
of them free and in better condition than they now are; 
but such is not the case; on all the great market roads, 
the farmer is mortified with the sight of a gate across it. 
I shall now undertake to give you a description of the 
way our roads are made and repaired in this township, 
with this remark, that I believe they are as well attended 
to as in any part of our wide country. Our population 
for industry and intelligence, need not fear to be compa¬ 
red with any other. At our annual town meetings, a 
certain amount is raised for the roads, and overseers ap¬ 
pointed for the several districts. Then by a master 
stroke of policy, before they leave the ground, they pay 
$500 of this tax by extra allowance on the price of their 
labor. Next when convenient, the overseer calls them 
out to work on the road, to meet at such a place, one 
with his team, and a dozen or twenty, or perhaps more, 
with each a shovel; this helps to support them when 
they get too lazy to stand alone; then commences the 
work; the team, with one to hold and one to drive, 
goes ahead and scratches up a little dirt, and the 
rest follow after and throw it in; and should it happen 
not to rain for some days to come, they will not do much 
hurt. If one of the number should chance to say where 
an improvement might be made, he is silenced by the 
majority telling him that it would be spending too much 
time in one place. If a small stone bridge is necessary, 
the overseer, who is generally very much interested in 
the welfare of the district, tells them it is wrong to take 
the district money for such a purpose; so a county free¬ 
holder is called, and as much paid in fees as would have 
done the work; thus taxing themselves two dollars to 
save one, and this is done by men who are shrewd cal¬ 
culators in their private affairs; they appear to feel and 
act as if this was a burthen imposed upon them in which 
they have no interest. 
Thus I have tried to give you a true picture of road 
working with some few exceptions so far as my obser¬ 
vations extend; I shall now try to point out some reme¬ 
dies as they occur to my mind. And first, let the people 
bring their minds to bear on the subject. Next, let the 
one who has the management of the work, call out no 
more help than can be profitably employed; six men 
will always do more work on the road than twelve; be 
sure to have all the necessary team help and tools of 
every sort that may be wanted. If there is a hill that 
requires all the exertion of a team to draw 10 cwt., let 
them be unceasing in their efforts to improve it, either 
by altering its course, or by pulling it down till they are 
able with the same exertion to draw 20 cwt. 
We live here in a hilly country, and I know many such 
that before this, might have been lessened one-half in the 
draft, with the tax that has been paid. There is a large 
proportion of our roads, from the nature of the ground, 
and the vast amount of work it would require to cover it 
with gravel “ 8 or 10 inches,” must remain pretty much 
as they are; they are mostly level, and when frozen or 
dry are good; but the hills are hills in all seasons and in 
all weather. And last of all, bring the subject to notice 
now and then in the useful columns of the Cultivator. 
Good roads and good husbandry are nearly allied. On 
the other hand, where no effort is made to improve the 
one, the other is in a corresponding condition. 
JYewtonj Sussex co., N. L Samuel Cassidy, 
