THE CULTIVATOR. 
31 
introduction of the Saxon merino as a valuable acquisition to our bus* 
bandry, but by no means to the exclusion of the Spanish rnerinos. And 
we are also persuaded, that by adopting the Saxon mode of improve¬ 
ment, the Spanish merinos may be made to yield as fine a fleece here as 
they have in Saxony. The Spanish merino has not degenerated in any 
country, that we have heard of, where he has received proper attention. 
It is not climate so much as care, that causes the shades of difference. 
There are good and bad Spanish, and good and bad Saxon merinos ; 
and the bad opinion of the latter, we mistrust, has arisen from the fact, 
that in the fever_of speculation, many inferior Saxons were imported, 
and bought up by men who were not competent judges, and that these 
inferior animals have tended to bring into disrepute the whole family. 
The following extract gives the history of their introduction from Spain, 
their treatment, and improvement, which cannot fail to interest obr Wool 
growers, and to eradicate unreasonable prejudices which in some cases 
certainly exist. 
“The Elector of Saxony ranks among the first who patriotically and 
wisely devoted himself to the improvement of the inferior breed of sheep 
which pastured on ihe neglected plains of Germany. The indigenous 
Saxon breed resembled that of the neighboring states : it consisted of 
two distinct varieties, one bearing a wool of some value, and the other 
yielding a fleece applicable only to the coarsest manufactures. 
“ In 1765, at the close of the seven years’ war, the Elector ‘imported 
one hundred rams and two hundred ewes from the most improved 
Spanish flocks, and placed a part of them on one of Ris farms, in the 
neighborhood of Dresden; this portion he kept unmixed. He endea¬ 
vored to ascertain how far the pure Spanish breed could be naturalized 
in Saxony. The other part of the flock were distributed on other farms, 
and devoted to the improvement of the Saxon sheep. 
“ It was soon sufficiently evident to the erilightened agriculturist, that 
the merinos did not degenerate in Saxony; many parcels of their wool 
were not inferior to the choicest fleeces of Leon. The best breed of 
the native Saxons was also materially improved. The prejudice against 
every innovation, on the practice of their ancestors, was, however, as 
strong in Saxony as elsewhere, and the majority of the sheep-masters 
were still averse to the improvement, but the Elector was determined 
to accomplish his object; he imported an additional number of the 
Spanish sheep, and then, adopting a measure unworthy of such a cause, 
he compelled those who occupied land under him, to buy a certain num¬ 
ber of the merino sheep. 
“It was not necessary long to pursue this compulsory system; the 
most prejudiced were soon brought to perceive their true interest.— 
The pure merino breed rapidly increased in Saxony: it became perfect¬ 
ly naturalized, nay, after a considerable lapse of years, the fleece of 
the Saxon sheep began not only to equal the Spanish, but to exceed it 
in fineness and manufacturing value. 
“ By referring to page 155, it will be perceived that a sample of pick- 
lock merino wool was l-750ths of an inch in diameter, and exhibited 
2,560 serrations in the space of an inch; while the Saxon wool (see 
page 89) was only l-840tlis of an inch in diameter, and presented 2,720 
serrations of an inch. Corresponding with this, and most satisfactorily 
illustrative of the account which has been given of the structure of the 
fibre of wool and its felting property, and manufacturing value as de¬ 
pendent on that structure, the price—the true test of value—of the 
best Leonese Spanish wool in 1834, varied from 2s. 6d. to 4s. while that 
of the Saxon wool was from 4s. 9d. to 5s. 3d. per pound. 
“ The government of Saxony very materially contributed to this re¬ 
sult by the establishment of an agricultural school, and other minor 
schools for shepherds, and by distributing certain publications which 
plainly and intelligibly explained the value and proper management 
of the merino sheep. The government may fail to accomplish many 
capricious or tyranical objects, but it will receive its best reward in the 
full accomplishment of its purpose, when it thus indentifies itself with 
the best interests of its subjects. 
“In Saxony, as in Silesia, although the sheep are housed at the be¬ 
ginning of winter, yet they are turned out and compelled to seek, per¬ 
haps under the snow, a portion of their food whenever the weather 
will permit; and the seasonmust be unusually inclement in which they 
are not driven into the courts at least for two or three hours during 
the middle of the day. The doors and windows are also frequently 
opened, that the sheep houses may be sufficiently ventilated. Some 
sheep-masters, whose convenience is promoted by such a system, keep 
their flock in a house or yard during the whole of the year, and it is 
not believed that the sheep suffer from this, either in their health, or 
in the fineness of their fleece. A great quantity of salt is usually 
given to the Saxon sheep, and principally during the summer, either 
in their drink or sprinkled, among the fodder. 
“Very great care is taken by the Saxon sheep-master in the selection 
of the lambs which are destined to be saved in order to keep up the 
flock: there is no part of the globe in which such unremitting atten¬ 
tion is paid to the flock. Mr. Charles Howard, in a letter with which 
he favored the author, says, that “when the lambs are weaned, each 
in his turn is placed upon a table that his wool and form may be mi¬ 
nutely observed. The finest are selected for breeding and receive a 
first mark. When they are one year old, and prior to shearing them, 
another close examination of those previously marked, takes place; 
those in which no defect can be found, receive a second mark, and the 
rest are condemned. A £ew months afterwards, a third and last scru¬ 
tiny is made, the prime rams and ewes receive a third and final mark, 
but the slightest blemish is sufficient to cause the rejection of the ani¬ 
mal. Each breeder of note has a seal or mark secured to the neck of 
his sheep, to detach or forge which is considered a high crime, and 
punished severely.” 
MANGEL WURTZEL. 
The culture of this root is extending among us; and although differ¬ 
ent opinions are given of its value, when compared with the Swedish 
turnip, the preference for one does not necessarily preclude the other. 
They thrive best on different soils—the mangel wurtzel doing best in 
a deep, moist, clayey loam, and the Swede on a dry soil, inclining to 
sand. 
The mangel wurtzel is a species of heet, of which there are varie¬ 
ties, differing principally in colour. The flesh coloured is preferred, 
as affording the largest produce; though the whiter species, when of 
moderate size, has been found to contain the most saccharine matter. 
The soil for this crop should be rich and deep, and if trench ploughed 
the better, as roots cannot be expected to grow to a fair size below the 
stirred earth. Trench ploughing is merely ploughing two furrows 
deep, by following, with a second plough, in the track of the first. 
The surface should be perfectly pulverized with the harrow. The 
-seeds should be sown in drills, at 18 to 24 inches apart, the latter being 
preferred, as it will permit the crop to be dressed with the cultivator. 
They may be sown with Robbins’, or the common drill barrow, or 
dropped by the hand, in shallow furrows previously drawn, and then 
covered an inch, or an inch and a half deep. A seed will often pro¬ 
duce two or more plants, all but one of which should be drawn out, 
ahd the plants thinned to 8 or 12 inches whenever they are so far ad¬ 
vanced as to warrant it. Some persons strip the side leaves to feed to 
cows, when these have become large, but it is believed that this is 
done at the expense of the future growth of the rOot. But the crop 
should be harvested when the plants have matured, which is indicat¬ 
ed by the lower leaves changing their colour, as after this period, as 
was ascertained by Chaptal, a portion of their saccharine matter is 
transformed into potash, and the roots become less nutritious and pa¬ 
latable. If sown the 20th to 25th May, the crop will have time to ma¬ 
ture early in Oct. The product is generally equal, and sometimes larger 
than that of ruta baga—often amounting to fifty tons the acre, but 
twenty tons, dr 600 bushels, is a fair crop. This root may be profita¬ 
bly grown in the middle and northern states, though the extreme north 
Is not so well adapted to it as it is to the Swedish turnip. The whole 
process of culture consists in thinning the plants, keeping down the 
weeds, and tfie surface of the soil mellow. They do not require to be 
earthed or hilled. The seed may also be sown with a dibble, thus: 
take a strip of plank, two or three feet long, and three inches wide • 
bore a hole in the centre, and fix in it an upright handle, three feet 
long, with a cross'piece at the top to hold by: then bore holes at 1J 
inches distance, and fit in pins, to project inches from the bottom 
sharpened at the lower points. With this the planter makes holes upon 
the line of the row with great expedition; a boy follows, drops a seed 
in each hole, and covers it with his toes. If two feet long upon the 
base, every impression of the dibble will make a dozen holes. Seeds 
planted with the dibble are most apt to grow, as they can readily be 
planted at a required depth, and be covered with fine mould. 
The roots may be preserved in the winter in cellars or pits, like ruta 
baga, though they are less hardy. They are readily eaten by all farm 
stock, and are found highly nutritious; though all seem to agree in 
this, that they should not be fed without other food, as hay, straw, or 
other roots, and should at no time constitute more than two-thirds of 
the food of a beast. As we have remarked, different opinions prevail 
as to the comparative merits of this root, with Swedes and potatoes, as 
food for farm stock. Experiments made under the authority of the 
Highland Society, in feeding with potatoes, mangel wurtzel, and ruta 
baga, for three months, produced a like result as to increase in flesh, 
but the dealers thought the beef of the cattle fed upon ruta baga, some’ 
three or four dollars a beast better than the other. The Doncaster 
agricultural committee, thus sum up the advantages of cultivating this 
crop: 
“ It is more sure to plant; being very little liable to the fly or grub. 
It will produce more crop. It is off the land earlier. It is better 
spring food. It is useful as a change of fallow crop, when the land is 
tired of turnips; and can be grown on soils on which they cannot be 
raised.” 
On the other hand, in favor of Swedish turnips, it may be said: 
“ That the weeding and thinning are far less expensive. That there 
is rather more time allowed for fallowing in the spring. That the 
