252 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
SAXONY SHEEP or the LATE HENRY D. GROVE. 
Messrs. Editors —During an excursion to the east, 
in the month of May last, for the purposes of business 
and pleasure, I visited the residence of the late Mr. 
Grove of Hoosic, Rensselaer co. Although several eulo¬ 
gies have appeared on his character, all fall short of those 
which the stranger will hear pronounced from those who 
knew him well and intimately—his immediate neigh¬ 
bors. The saying (e that the prophet is more honored 
abroad,” was in his case reversed ; it is in the vicinity 
where he lived, that his excellence as a father and hus¬ 
band—his kind and humane qualities as a neighbor—his 
benevolence, his rigid probity in all his business transac¬ 
tions, are best known and appreciated. His enduring 
monument is in the hearts of those who knew him per¬ 
sonally and intimately; and those who knew him thus, 
were his attached and ardent friends. 
My object was to inspect the justly celebrated flock of 
sheep which had been the object of so much of his care, 
and which so widely extended his fame as a wool grower. 
The farming public, through the medium of agricultural 
papers, has been informed of its origin—that it was made 
up of selections from the most distinguished flocks in 
Germany by Mr. Grove himself, and at a cost, too, which 
would seem almost incredible to many, but not to those 
who are acquainted with the fact that very many sheep 
of similar excellence are every day selling in Saxony at 
prices varying from one hundred to 500 dollars per head. 
This will be found corroborated in the recent communi¬ 
cation of Samuel Lawrence, Esq. of Lowell, in the Cul¬ 
tivator, where he alludes to a flock purchased and taken 
to Russia, a short time since. I refer to this more par¬ 
ticularly to show that the wool growers in Germany 
know how to appreciate purity of blood; and the Ameri¬ 
can sheep breeder will fail to attain perfection in his 
fleeces unless this point is more rigidly attended to than 
it has been. It is unnecessary to mention more than a 
single fact to impress the importance of this. It is stated 
by Lasteyrie, and confirmed by Chancellor Livingston 
and others, that the pure Spanish Merino fleece will not 
divide into more than four sorts—the fourth consisting 
entirely of leg wool; whereas, the grade Saxon and Me¬ 
rino divides into not less than from seven to nine quali¬ 
ties. Thus the remarkable uniformity of unalloyed sheep 
constitutes their chief value; and hence the reason why 
the manufacturer so highly prizes “ good blood”—and 
explains the fact of the Messrs. Lawrence paying for 
such wool more than some others, as is very well known. 
This important point of evenness is characteristic of eve¬ 
ry individual I examined, to a degree truly surprising. 
In many instances it would require a critical eye to per¬ 
ceive any difference between samples taken from the 
shoulders and flanks. In addition to this, Mr. Grove in¬ 
creased the weight of his fleeces, by judicious selections 
from male and female for breeding, within a few years, 
very much; his clips averaging nearly 3 lbs. I am not 
aware precisely of the average of his buck fleeces, but a 
buck lamb I engaged of him shortly previous to his de¬ 
cease, sheared the present season 5 lb. 10 oz. 
Another very important recommendation is the re¬ 
markable compactness of the fleeces, as well as length of 
staple; the latter quality, through the improvement in 
machinery, now being highly esteemed by manufacturers, 
inasmuch as they obtain more sound wool, and less 
4< dead end” than from short staple. 
This flock has always been free from foot-rot and 
other epidemics, and at the time of my visit was in capi¬ 
tal condition. 
To me it is melancholy to know that this magnificent 
flock of Saxons is to be sold. Stern necessity demands 
it or it would not be done. Its original heavy cost to 
Mr. Grove kept him somewhat embarrassed, and unfor¬ 
tunately thus he died, leaving a wife and four young chil¬ 
dren, whose fate, whether of competence or a plain sup¬ 
port, or in circumstances much below it, will tlepend on 
the prices obtained on the day of sale. Let the friends of 
the lamented Grove look to it; let not the invaluable stock 
of one of our most enlightened and enterprizing agricul¬ 
turists, be sacrificed. Yours, &c., L. A. Morrell. 
Lake Ridge , July 17, 1844. 
HAYMAKING. 
Messrs. Editors —The article of hay alone may be 
set down as one of great consequence to the farmer, be¬ 
ing one of his principal products, and the most essential 
fodder for most kinds of live stock. My mode of mana¬ 
ging the hay crop, with some other suggestions, I cheer¬ 
fully present for your consideration. 
Many different notions prevail among us respecting 
the time and manner of cutting and securing the hay 
crop. It would appear that some true system should be 
established with this as well as with the grain crop, 
which has been reduced to one regular system. 
That mode which will preserve as much of the natural 
juices of the grass as possible, and in the cheapest prac¬ 
tical manner, is the one I have endeavored to attain. 
Counting nothing for board and team, we do not pay out 
one dollar per acre for cutting and securing our hay, at 
an average of one and a half tons per acre. In this sec¬ 
tion of country, a majority of our mowing lands, are 
composed of clay, and quite free from stones. We lose 
ten times more of our hay by cutting too late, than by 
cutting too early. Many let their clover and herds-grass 
stand till the seeds are ripe, and of consequence the stems 
become hard and wiry; a good share of the leaves have 
changed to a brownish state, and the natural sap has left 
the plant. 
To get at the most proper time for cutting, let us in¬ 
quire what rule the gatherer of herbs adopts in filling his 
medicine chest, or the distiller his plants. In collecting 
herbs and plants, they cut them as soon as they come 
into flower. At this period they contain all their useful 
qualities, and by cutting at this period, they secure the 
greatest quantity of oil; but herbs that are cut at this pe¬ 
riod and dried in the sun, lose much more of their invigo¬ 
rating and essential qualities than they do if dried in the 
shade. Plants of all sorts, if they are cut in full vigor, 
and afterwards carefully dried, without any waste of their 
natural juices, either by bleaching with rain or evapora¬ 
ting in the sun, contain a quantity of nourishing matter 
nearly double what they do when allowed to attain their 
full growth and make some progress towards decay. 
When mowing is delayed, as it very frequently is, till an 
advanced period of the season, when plants have not only 
reached their ultimate growth, but begin to decay, this 
description of herbage must become tasteless, dry, tough 
and less nourishing. Also over care in drying in the 
hot sun, by bleaching the juices of the early grasses, must 
produce a similar kind of fodder. 
To commence with the cutting and manner of curing, 
we will suppose the grass to be a good burden, and in full 
prime for the scythe, but notripe. The workmen should 
be made to cut as low as possible, especially if there 
abounds a fine bottom, thereby increasing the crop, and 
all the grass mown in the forenoon should be spread be¬ 
fore dinner. As soon as the external wet is off, and it 
becomes partially wilted, we put it into winrows with a 
revolving horse rake, and before the sun goes down, into 
cocksof from 60 to 90 pounds; what grass is cut in the lat¬ 
er part of the day, remains in the swarth till next day. 
Grass should be made into cocks of about four feet 
high, not by rolling, but by laying one fork full upon 
another, and of as small diameter at the base as possible and 
stand firm; draw the loose hay out from the bottom all 
round and lay it upon the top with the. ends hanging 
downwards. When grass is put together in this manner, 
it is in a great measure out of danger. 
It will be proper to give them an airing before they 
are removed to the barn, and more especially that portion 
which comes in contact with the ground. When neces¬ 
sary, the first drying wind and fair day, lay them over by 
putting the top of the cock on the ground, and so manage 
after by putting as dry a bundle with the green, till you 
have one cock made up again, out of two being put to¬ 
gether. By this treatment there is a more speedy exha¬ 
lation of moisture by the action of the air, while an in¬ 
cipient fermentation will evolve or discharge a portion 
of heat, and thus promote the drying of the hay by in¬ 
creasing the evaporation of the humid particles. By 
this treatment the hay is secured until the maker wishes 
to remove it to the barn. 
