322 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
expectation of high pay in the market for a worthless article; Saxony 
Wool yet maintains the highest quotations. 
The first Saxony sheep imported into the United States were sold at 
auction three miles from my former residence, at which I wasa purchaser 
The novelty of the consideration that a new kind of sheep far surpassing 
the Merino, which in preceding estimation had been considered the ulti¬ 
matum of excellence ; and so recently sold in this country of such extra- 
gant prices, in one instance of a buck sold in Philadelphia for $1400 and 
an ewe for $1000, at once excited the highest sheep frenzy, and assem¬ 
bled at the 3ale all those who had imbibed a particle of taste and interest 
in sheep culture. The recollection of the characteristic distinctions which 
others and myself at that time made between Saxony and Merino is now 
truly ludicrous. For we were entirely in the dark as to the facts 
above narrated, and we were proceeding on the information that Saxony 
washed wool sold for $2 per lb. And yet strange as it may appear to 
some, I have seen one sample of Saxony staple and washed wool sent to this 
country, which, to a scientific manufacturer, furnished with the requisite 
machinery, would, at the price cloth at this day brings in oar market, be 
worth $2 per lb. 
From the preceding narrative it is plain, that the Saxony sheep import¬ 
ed into this country were from a variety of flocks of which the electoral 
was the parent. 
Of the sheep introduced into this country from Saxony, four flocks 
might be admitted to be called Saxony sheep; of these one half might be 
denominated prime, —these sheep were generally labelled, but the best 
were branded either with a cross or a crown. I saw two entire flocks 
sold, which were brought as a return cargo, the captain being master and 
factor, which would disgrace any country whose name should be associated 
with pure blood and fine wool. These sheep were purchased by specu¬ 
lator and sold through the country at high prices as Saxony sheep, from 
which as one source has originated the misapprehensions and discordant 
opinions of our best wool growers. 
It was not until the distracted and disorganized state of the Spanish go¬ 
vernment, arising out of faction and French invasion, that some American 
gentlemen were able to transport some Merino sheep to this country. 
The first importation of Spanish sheep came distempered with foot rot, itch, 
and a long train of ails, whether owing to transportation and confinement 
or derived from their home flocks, I am unable to say. But such was their 
crippled and forlorn condition as to excite a long enduring prejudice against 
their introduction and cultivation, far exceeding any thing pertaining to 
Saxony sheep. 
This indiscriminate application of the term Merino, and some recent 
recommendations of old fashioned Merino sheep and crossing with Bake- 
well, impose the necessity of going into the history of the Spanish flocks, 
which will be reserved for a future paper. F. 
SAXONY SHEEP. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Sir—In your last number, by my own, or a typogra¬ 
phical error, I am made to say that Mr. Hamilton Rogers’ flock of full 
blooded Saxon ewes sheared 3 lb. 9 oz. a head, making at 80 cents per 
pound, $2.85 to the fleece. It should have read 2 lb. 9 oz., making at 80 
cents, $2.05 to the fleece. The account then stands thus:— 
Mr. Grove’s Saxon fleeces,...$2 40 
Mr. Rogers’ do (young sheep). 2 05 
My own,. 2 56 
Average of Southdown fleeces,. $2 12 
Average of Bakewell do . 1 98 
Difference between two highest,. $0 44 
Cortland Village, Oct. 20, 1835. H. S. R. 
Maple Grove, Oct. 4, 1835. 
Mr. Buel —Sir—The weakness of my eyes has of late made it diffi¬ 
cult for me to give even the necessary attention to my private correspond¬ 
ence, orl should have earlier noticed your extracts from Mr. Grove’s reply 
to R.; so far at least as to have corrected its errors and supplied its omissions; 
for it will certainly puzzle any of your readers to make 2j lb. of Saxon 
wool at 80 cents, amount to $2.40, and I think they will be at a loss to ac¬ 
count for the exclusion of our old friends the Merinos from this compara¬ 
tive estimate of the value of wools predicated, he says, on the price cur¬ 
rent for New-York, as published in the Cultivator for May. 
However, leaving all this for Mr. Grove’s explanation, let us take his 
own data, and from it, make a corrected calculation, and we shall arrive 
at results that will place the Saxon pretensions to superior value in fleece 
where they belong. 
Merinos averaging 4 lb. of wool, at 60 cents, would yield. $2 40 
Bakewell averaging 7 lb. of wool, at 33 cents, W'ould yield. 2 31 
Saxons averaging lb. of wool, at 80 cents, would yield. 2 20 
South Downs, averaging 4 lbs. of wool, at 53 cents, would yield.. 2 12 
Thus we find by Mr. Grove’s own scale of valuation, that the Saxons, 
with the exception of the South Downs, yields the least valuable fleece of 
the whole!! As to their relative grade of merits in constitution, early 
maturity, and size, nothing need be said. 
But the fact is, that my merino flocks, of which, five-sixths are ewes? 
yielded this year an average of 4£ lbs. of well washed wool—still in my 
possession, for the inspection of those who may wish to examine it. Now 
let us compare them with Mr. Grove’s selected flock of Saxons—not a 
“ speculative breed of Saxon sheep,” but a flock selected by one, than 
whom, it has been said, there is not in America “ a more exact, skilful, 
and, for his age, experienced shepherd”—a flock chosen on the spot by 
one “ brought up from childhood in the care of the best flocks of Germany.’ 7 
The advocates for Saxon wool could not desire a more advantageous se¬ 
lection for their cause. Now let us see the result. 
R.’s merino flock averaged 4£ lb. at 60 cents.. $2 70 
Mr. Grove’s Saxons, estimated at 2f lb. at 80 cents. 2 20 
Leaving a balance in favor of the merinos, of. $0 50 
If any question should arise in Mr. Grove’s mind, as to the average 
stated—the wool is still in my possession—if any doubt as to its estimated 
value, I can only say, that a friend of his, a near neighbor and a breeder 
of Saxon sheep, and who was also a large purchaser of wools, did me the 
favor of a visit; and on examinging the fleeces informed me that he con¬ 
sidered the wool worth 69 cents. 
If I am not mistaken, the Cultivator has repeatedly called the attention of 
its readers to the important subject of sheep-husbandry; I therefore pre¬ 
sumed its columns were open to a free discussion of the subject, provided 
all personality was avoided; if so, may I ask of you to give place to an article 
that appeared sometime since on Merino and Saxon sheep, in the August 
number of the New'-England Farmer, signed T, published in our last num¬ 
ber—as it appears to be written by a practical man, well acquainted with 
both varieties of sheep. R. 
SKINLESS OATS--increase 28 fold. 
J. Buel Esq.—Sir—In communicating the produce and cultivation of 
skinless oats raised by E. Holbrook, Esq. I beg you will not think me 
arrogant, or having any pretensions to great agricultural skill—our motive 
simply is, that we hope some experienced agriculturist will (through that 
truly valuable agricultural publication, the Cultivator,') communicate the 
result of their experience in the cultivation of the skinless oat. Mr. Hol¬ 
brook procured four quarts of skinless oats, which I sowed broad-cast. 
The crop gathered and taken to the barn, was threshed, cleaned and 
measured : the product is three bushels and a half—the bushels weighing 
forty-four pounds. In consequence of a miscarriage when the oats were 
forwarded, they were not received until the 19th of May, when they 
were immediately sowed. The land appointed and prepared to receive 
them, was joining a timothy-field; the consequence was, when the timo¬ 
thy was mown down, an innumerable host of grasshoppers took posses¬ 
sion of the oats, and commenced their usual destructive havoc, which 
prevented a much greater yield. 
Preparation of the soil. —Apiece of land from which a large crop of 
ruta baga was taken last November. As soon as the turnips were taken 
from the field, we run the plough up and down the furrows, (the turnips 
being cultivated upon the four furrow system.) The land remained in 
this state during winter, receiving all the benefits of the frost without ex¬ 
posing the soil to heavy rains &c. In March, the ridges with a plough, 
were struck down and harrowed; when ready for sowing, they were form¬ 
ed into eight step lands, ploughed deep, and sowed. I must remark, in 
consequence of the protracted sowing, I formed a composition of sheep 
manure, ashes, plaster, &c. &c. with which we gave atop dressing to ex¬ 
pedite their growth, selecting a proper period according to our judgment, 
for the application: although we received scarcely any rain from the time 
of sowing, to the time of harvesting, they continued to grow luxuriantly. 
It may be well to remark, this mode of cultivation is not applicable to all 
soils, particularly sandy land. Yours with great respect, 
THOS. MIDFORD. 
Hyde-Park, Oct. 15, 1835. 
EXPERIMENT ON FEEDING CALVES. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Sir—If nothing of more importance is on hand to fill a 
column in your useful Cultivator, the following is at your service, to dis¬ 
pose of as you see fit. 
As it is difficult to speak of one’s own concerns without egotism, I hope 
that fault will be pardoned. 
Long and careful observation has convinced me, that cows give more 
milk through the season, to take their calves from them the first or se¬ 
cond week. Calves with kind treatment, will usually in two or three 
days, learn so as readily to drink the milk when presented to them, but 
they require about one-fifth more milk when ted to them; probably the 
saliva (hey swallow in sponging the milk from the teat may account for 
the difference, but they learn to feed on grass or fodder younger, and 
their food may more gradually be changed from milk to other feed, than 
can conveniently be done with a suckling. 
Calves suddenly taken from a liberal supply of milk, to grass, are fre¬ 
quently affected with a diarrhoea that sometimes proves fatal. 
I must acknowledge that I have been prejudiced against making any 
substitute for milk for the first ten or twelve weeks, with any expectation 
