1850. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
103 
produced fleeces, of one year’s growth, weighing, 
in the dirt, from twelve to fourteen pounds. An 
English writer, describing the Rambouillet sheep, 
observes: “The Spaniards entertained an opinion 
that a looseness of skin under the throat and other 
parts, contributed to the increase of fleece. This 
system the French have so much enlarged on, that 
they have produced in this flock individuals with 
dewlaps almost down to the knees, and folds of skin 
on the neck, like frills, nearly covering the head.” 
It has been mentioned above that the French Me¬ 
rinos were originally selected from many flocks in 
different parts of Spain; and hence, according to 
Gilbert, “ they were distinguished by very striking 
local differences, which formed a medley disagreea¬ 
ble to the eye, but immaterial as it affected their 
quality.” It is probable that the differences which 
at first existed in the flock, have operated to prevent 
an assimilation to a uniform standard in shape and 
size of carcass and quality of wool. 
Relative Profits of different Varieties of 
Sheep. —It is to be regretted that with all the con¬ 
troversy and strife between the advocates of differ¬ 
ent varieties, little or no light is brought out in re¬ 
ference to the main points which affect their relative 
profits. It is true that different varieties are adapt¬ 
ed to different circumstances; and between two lo¬ 
calities, for instance, differing widely in soil, herb¬ 
age and climate, it may not be difficult to say which 
of two breeds is best adapted to each. Neverthe¬ 
less, there are situations in which the varieties kept 
in this country chiefly for the production of wool—■ 
Spanish, Saxon, French Merino, See.—may be deem¬ 
ed to meet on an equality. Such situations are 
farms which are well provided with shelter, and 
where summer and winter feed is abundant and 
wholesome. 
Now as regards the production of wool , what va¬ 
riety would yield the greatest profit under these cir¬ 
cumstances? In answering this questiou, it is not 
sufficient to refer to the weight of the fleece, to the 
price it would bring in market, or to the aggregate 
amount in money which each sheep annually affords. 
Neither of these can settle the point. Nor can it 
be fully determined by a comparison of the net pro¬ 
ceeds afforded by the wool of different kinds, in pro¬ 
portion to the weight of carcass—though it is ad¬ 
mitted that this would be an approximation towards 
the desired result. But who has even made a fair 
and reliable trial of this kind? The true test, how¬ 
ever, is comprehended in the question—What varie¬ 
ty will yield the greatest income in proportion to the 
land occupied, and the labor expended in manage¬ 
ment? It is in reference to the point here involved, 
that we want light. Who has ever taken two dif¬ 
ferent parcels of land, of equal quantity and quali¬ 
ty, appropriated one part to one variety of sheep, 
and the other part to another—carefully charging 
each with their respective expenses, and crediting 
the income? 
It seems to us important that measures should be 
taken to bring out information on this subject which 
can be depended on; and we would suggest that it 
is a proper question to be decided by agricultural so¬ 
cieties. In their hands, the experiments might be 
carried on free from the bias which belongs more or 
loss to individual rivalry. Let a committee of ju¬ 
dicious and disinterested men be appointed, under 
whose superintendance and direction the trials shall 
be conducted; and, that the point aimed at may be 
fully ascertained, let the trials be continued through 
a series of five years—the results from year to year 
being made public under the sanction of the com¬ 
mittee. 
The Question Settled. 
Eds. Cultivator— I am rejoiced to see in the 
October number of The Cultivator , that the long 
contested question in relation to the transmutation 
of wheat into chess, in the discussion of which so 
much feeling has been displayed, and such vast 
quantities of ink shed, has been finally settled, at 
least to the entire satisfaction of “ A Gleaner of 
Agricultural Knowledge.” , 
He says the question is settled, and most conclu¬ 
sively so in his mind, by evidence which cannot be 
contested, set aside, or explained away. Surely, 
the nineteenth century is destined to bear the palm 
from all the centuries that have preceded it, in 
grand and useful discoveries. The application of 
steam to navigation, the magnetic telegraph, and 
the transmutation of wheat into chess !—all disco¬ 
veries of the nineteenth century, which is not half, 
gone yet ! a 
“ A Gleaner of Agricultural Knowledge,” should 
get the better of his modesty so far as to permit the 
world to know to whom they are indebted for such 
a valuable discovery, and for the settlement of so 
vexed a question ;—one upon which the brains of so 
many have been suffered to go wool-gathering in 
days gone by. 
The remarks of “A Gleaner” were of such a 
positive, sledge-hammer-like character, and came 
down so like “ a thousand of brick,” that I was 
forced to give in my adhesion to them; and so, be¬ 
fore I had got through with his communication, I 
had come to the conclusion that the question was 
certainly settled, firm as the rock of Gibraltar; and 
had made up my mind henceforth to be a transmuta- 
tionist—one of the straightest of the sect. But, lo! 
no sooner was the question settled, than it was imme¬ 
diately again unsettled by your criticism, appended 
to the communication of “A Gleaner.” It was only 
for a moment, however, that I felt any misgivings in 
the new faith which I had so recently adopted, as the 
conclusion of your remarks again re-assured me of 
its truth. 
Now in introducing the supposed case of the con¬ 
version of men into monkeys, I suppose you thought 
you was giving transmutation a tremendous thrust, 
whereas it has had the effect of more thoroughly 
confirming me in the faith, from the fact of its 
bringing to my mind an analogus (?) process, now 
going on in our midst, the degeneracy of our Afri¬ 
can population, and the process of transmutation of 
which they are the subjects, and through the effects 
of which they are rapidly being converted into 
whites ! 
Now if negroes can degenerate, as it is proved 
by ocular demonstration they do, and turn to white 
folks, why may not men be as easily 1 converted’ 
into monkeys, or wheat into chess? 
Our lots have truly fallen upon evil times. Not 
only do our blacks turn white, and oust wheat to 
chess, but even our timothy turns to chess, and our 
red clover to white. A few weeks since, I heard a 
farmer in this county assert, most positively, that 
timothy would turn to chess; and as evidence of the 
fact, cited a case within his own knowledge, by 
which he proved his position as conclusively as “ A 
Gleaner ” in The Cultivator , does his. 
I have frequently heard the idea advanced that 
red clover, after a few years, would degenerate and 
turn to white clover. As to the way in which 
white clover was introduced in this country, there 
are a variety of opinions. Some contending that it 
is red clover degenerated, others that it is a sponta- 
