Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-08-17 00:00:00, page 2

1
_ 1—1-i
tratisg, docking, marking and weaning
lambs ; all of which are highly impor
tant, and deserve the serious attention
of the farmers.
On the subject of the degeneracy of
the Merino breed of sheep in the Uni
ted States, Mr. Livingston speaks con
fidently. A ram ot last spring, out of
an imported ewe, is rot only of uncom
mon size and beauty, but his fleece fi
ner than any he has seen ; and is also
Jong and abundant, having weighed
nine pound six ounces.^ The common
opinion that fine wool is only to be met
with in Spain, io highly absurd. The
wool of Kambouillet (the national farm
of France) is finer than that imported
ft om Spain ; and 1):. Parry makes the
same remark of the Merino wool of
Kngland. After the fourth generation
no difference is to be discerned be
tween the fleeces of the descended and
the original stock.—41 it follows then,
that any fanner may* in the space of
six or seven years, convert his common
flock into Merinos, with this great ad
vantage ; that during the whole of his
progress he is annually adding to the
value of his fleecer, and selling off old
sheep instead of lambs, thus reimburs.
ing himself for the expence of his ram,
which is the only extra expence he has
sustained ; and he is also parting with
? number ot lambs, at a higher price
than he was accustomed to receive
irom those of his old stock. Suppos
ing the flock to consist of fifty ewes
pnd fifty weathers and rams, and thai
thirty-five ar» sold yearty» the cleai
profit will be seventy dollars upon ont
hundred afie?p. A half blood flock
... ...
and value of the fleece, one dollai
more upon each sheepj even counting
the sales of lambs at the rate of com
mon sheep*—The second year then
the purchaser of a ram will receive
one hundred and seventy dollars pro
fit, irstead of seventy. When th<
flocks are three fourths bred, his woo!
will rise to eighty one cents the pounti
— and this will give a profit of one
dollar and fifty cen»s per head, beyond
the value of hisoM fleece, or one hun
ted and filty dollars, added to tht
price sheep, sold at seventv, bring,
lr.g his profit to two hundred and twen
ty dollars, clear of all expence. Wher
his llock consists of seven-eighths bee
sheep, his wool will rive to one dollai
and twenty.five cents per pound. Sup
posing the fleeces of his ewes and wea
theis taken together, to weigh tliret
and a half pounds, his flock will brin^
him, after deducting all expences, whicl
I rate at one dollar and fifty cents pei
head, two dollars aud seventy-five centi
each inclusive of lambs, that is, twr
hundred & seventy-five dollars, whicl
added to the sheep sold, seventy dol
lars, makes a clear profit of three hun
A red and forty five dollars annually
When his floclc are full bred, he wil
receive two dollars per pound for hii
Wool, which at three and a half pound!
the fleece,$ will give hin seven dollar
per head, or deducting the keeping
live and a half dollars ; that is five hun
Area and fifty dollars, added to sheej
Sold, seventv, making an annual pro.
fit cl six hundred and twenty dollars
instead of seventy, which his commor
sheep would have brought him Thit
statement, which on tiie v ry face o
it carries conviction, would apprai
sufficiently encouraging to the farmer
to Ilsc no time in changing his stock,
But Mr. Livingston go«s further, ant
•ays, that in the above statement, no
thing is allowed lor the increased va
lue ut ihe him us sold,lest it should bt
Said, that no :-ale may oiler tor them,
This however, is an error. In a coun
tiy so rapidly increasing as ours, and
which does not grow one filth of the
wc ol necessary lor its own consumpti
on, there will be a demand for lainb;
lor at least twenty years, at an advanc
ed price, so that I have no hesitation
in say ing, that the profit upon the lambs
will he more than equal to that of the
w ool.-To state the account fairly
th«n, the annual profit should be dou
bled. Provided the farmer sets oul
with the best stock, and takes care tc
breed only from good ewes, he will
find demand for any number he may
wish to part with. Neither will tht
price of wool fall. Because, “ besidei
our own, there will be a foreign de
main!. This wool now sills in Kng
l«nd at seven shillings and three penci
sterlir g.”*
Mr. Livingston tl.en proceeds tc
show by a detail ol the numerous ex
t This wool could be sold in New
York 1 or two dollars per pound.
* 1 he difference oi profit bctweei
the half bred anil the common sheej
at Mr. Livingston's last shearing, wh
two dollars and six cents per head.”
$ Mr. Livingston's averaged op
- e’s of five pounds the ewts. ,
* fhr last price quoted from Lon
don, t« 26-*. Superfine cloths a.e niS
p r yard in Pnilsidcipu.a.—~Kcv.
pences attending tlie importation of j
British cloths, that they amount to hut,
little short of cent, per cent, and asks,
“what an immence saving to the U
nited States, to cultivate a breed of
sheep which will furnish materials for
an. article on which they now pay one
hundred per cent. But how much
greater will be the profit if the farmer
manufactures this wool into fine cloth
for the market ? I will venture to say,
that cloth of'ten dollars the yard may,
in this way, be made* superior in qua
lity to British cloth, for three dollars
per yard of seven quarters wide, and
give the farmer a profit of three dol
lars per pound for his irool, after allow
ing one dollar as a commission to the
j shop-keepers who sell the cloth.”
These facts are certainly very encour*
aging. ...
“ To those who are unnacquainted
with Spanish wool, it may be propel
to mention the manner in which it
should be treated, before they attempt
to convert it into yarn. First, it should
be carefully sorted ; that on the neck
shoulders, back and sides, is the finesi
—that on the rump is. almost equally
as fine in the full bred sheep, but not
in the mixed breeds ; the thighs and
bell)', the top of the head and forelock
furnish a third sort. When sorted ii
should be put into a vat, and pressec
down, so as rioV ‘td float when covered
with water* In thi* state the vat should
be filled with clean soft water, mixed
i with one third urine, and left to soal
for about twelve or fifteen hours, 01
longer if the weather is cold ; a caul
d v-n is then put cn the fire with a por
tirn of soft wate*", and to this is ad.
ucu two inirus oi me water tnat cover;
• the fleece; when it is so hot that tin
hand cannot bear it, the wool is to bt
taken in convenient parcels, and put ir
, an open basket, moving it about gent
1> , so as not to twist it, for the spac*
of 2 or 3 minutes; it is then sufl'erec
to drain into the cauldton, so as nottc
carry off the water; and when tin
whole is washed, it must be cl-ancc
in a running water. If the water ir
the cauldron gets too foul, it must b<
thrown -away, and replenished wit!
more liquor from the vat. This mod*
of washing preserves in the wool a cer
tain portion of its grease, which makes
it spin easier.—When washed, it maj
L be either dried in the shade (the sur
. rendering it harsh, if too hot) or wha
. is better it may be pressed in a cydei
, press, which dries it much quicker
i When quite dry, it should be laid up
r on cribbles and beaten with a brush o
i rods, which soft* ns it and takes out <
• great portion of the dust and hay seeds
i It is then picked carefully, not as com
► mon wool is, but by opening the flocks
i which are in some measure tied toge>
thcr at the ends, and taking care no
. to break the wool to pieces. To fi
. ^or spinning, ir should be greased
I with neat s foot oil and carded wit!
i cotton cards—.wool cards being to*
, coarse;—and except the carding mil
, is particularly fitted for it, and perfect
, ly cle m from common wool, it will rut
. into knots, and be spoiled if carded it
» n•—t or domestic manufactures, fron
, Spanish wool, I would therefore re
, commend the carding at home b\
i hand.”—From experiments, Mr. L’i
i vingston is inclined to believe, if it it
r carefully picked, so as to open it per
• fectlv before it is carded, that the fi
nest thread may be made of unwashed
wool. The yarn should not be was he*
before ir ia . .Uu __ _i .1 .
' I w vivj a iv
the strength, and renders it unneces
sary to size the warp, as is usually
'lone ; more allowance should, howe
ver, be made fur shrinking. IVIerinc
wool, he adds, must not be carded toe
much ; and ** the warp and the woo
must be spun in contrary directions
as both open a little—and the object ol
lulling is to unite the ends of the wool
so as to raise the knapp. If they un
twisted the same war, they would u
nite less than if they met each other.
This operation is effected by spinning
the one with an open band,——that
■ " a b and that turns »he spindle in
the same direction with the wheel, the
i other v ith a cross band, which turns
the spindle in a contrary direction.
The wool must be spun as loose as pos
sible, and a fourth of the w ight ol
i wool used in spinning it; for thfc ware
. one eighth will answer. Coarse woo]
. requires but little grease.
In a * miscellanous chapter,’ Mr,
L. givs the appellative of the sheep a
i kind of technical language, universally
. adopted in England, and certainly at
tended wi'h use. Some remarks fol
low on gestation, lambs at birth, choice
of rams, fold ng, - igns of health, sea
i son of lambs falling, food, use of sail
> , ~and closes w ith Cooly’a table of Bri
, j tish sheep, in an appendix, he give;
a shr rt description of the diseases ol
. sheep, whirh he has witnessed ir
I New-V ork, with their method of cure.
I he number is very small, but few a«
. they are, they deserve th«j serious at
I tention ot the sheep farmer. He also
gives the method of bleeding shce^,
with a scheme of Dr. De Witt, for
transmitting a flock of one hundred
common ewes, and their issues, into
Merino sheep. The work closes with
! a very interesting table of the last sheep
shearing of the author, and with the
profit and loss. This table has already
been very generally circulated by
means of the newspapers; having form
ed part of a public letter, from Air.
Livingston to Dr. Bard ; but was, un
fortunately very incorrectly printed.
By the table as now given, it appears
that the loss upon each head of the
common American sheen, per year, is
three cents, while the gain upon the
half bred ewes is two dollars—which
increases in proportion to the depth of
the blood, until it amounts to the large
suirts of Si7 25, 16 50, and 11 50, for
the full blood.
Upon the whole, the work has afford
ed us the highest satisfaction, and we
: hope it will be Universally read by all
farmers. The legislature of New
York has done itself great honor by
printing it at the expence of the state,
and we pray that so wise an example
will be followed by all those legisla
tures whichj although composed prin
cipally of farmers, have hitherto done
but little to promote the all importani
cause of agriculture;
MERINO SHEEP.
To enable bur farmers tfie better to dis.
criminate between the genuine anti spuri<
ous race, we insert the following descrip
tions of Merino sheep, published by the
’ direction of th* Triui... nf.k.
setts Society for promoting Agriculture,
> being considered as the most perfeCl that
i have been offered to »he public. It is bti
: lieved they will serve as a general guide
to the purchasers of that animalj either in
Spain or this country*
1 he first is by Lord Somerville, who
, observes 41 These sheep are diiferen* from
any other breed in ific colour of the fleece
—iheie is a daik brown tinge on the sur
face of the best fleeces^ which is formed
by dust adhering to the greasy any polkey
properties of its pile. The harder th*
fl ece, the finer the wool. It appears
kiiOi ted and curled close to the body. I'he
malts have horns, and the females hav.
noi e—but sometimes the males are pule
led, or have no horns—but it is a rare oc*
i currence. There is a loose pendulous skin
under the neck or throat, which is usually
, a'tended with a sinking or hollow in the
neck. These sheep have always a Is ge
. tuft of wool between the eyes, and it grows
on the legs almost to the hoofs.**
Col. Humphreys describes two distinct
■ species of sheep in SpaK 44 One is call.
‘ td Merinos,‘famous for their fine wcol—
i the other is ca.led Churros, distinguished
. for their coarse and bad wool. The head
• of the Merino appears more woolly than
, our common sheep—their ears larger—
. their eyes bright—the horns are curved
t a spiral turn—the neck short—the chest
broad—the body, face, and legs, are cov.
ered with a delicate fleece, without any
( mixture of coarse locks or hairs. The
fleece is remarkaed o be much more im
| pregna'ed than any other breed, with an
oily substance, apparently exuded in per.
spiration. This spec cs of sheep is per.
i tedlly gentle—but firm in all its move,
i meuii.”
The following article is copied from
1 he Cabinet, a valuable republi*
can print, published in Shenectadv
i by Mr. Isaac Riggs, and which de
serves the patronage of the Repub
lican interest in this and the neigh
uwriug coumies. 10. Keg.
A foreign government captures our
> vessels, impresses our seamen, taxes
our commerce, murders our citizens
and commits outrages on our national
ships—these are stubborn facts, not
attempted to be denied. Are there
1 not, however, men in this country who
justify that foreign government—and
who are they ? Ans. There are, un
der the falsely assumed name of fede
, ralists—they endeavor to cloak their
intentions, and are in reality “ the
friends ol England in America.’*
A foreign government sends an a
I gent into our country, with full power
to make a final settlement of differen
ces. The American government ac
cept the proffered terms. Were there
any who vilified and abnsed our go
vernment—asserting that those terms
had been repeatedly before offered
and refused ? Ans. There were*—they
were nominal federalists, the * friends
of England in America.*
A temporary change takes place on
the European continent—the British
statesmen are too sanguine in their an
ticipations of complete success, and
regret the conclusion of a constrained
adjustment with the American govern
ment. I he ccntest between their ho*
nor and apparent interest was not,
however, long or doubtful; the form
er was expelled, and, in obedience to
the dictates of the latter, the plighted
faith of the nation was broken and the
concluded arrangement ba-cly disavow
ed. Were there then any to be found
<n this country who yet justified them,
and declared the terms better than wc
had a right to expect or demand—and
who were they? Ans. There weie—
they Styled th-rn selves Patriots ; but,
like the Ass covered with a Lion’s
skin, their braying exposed them—
they were the Anglo-Federalists—the
members of the anti-constitutional Ja
cobin Clubs—the opposers and viola
tors of our sacred laws—the contem
I hers of the advice of the Father of his
country, the immortal WASHING
TON, in short 41 the friends of Eng
land in America.”
The anticipations of the British mi
nister, on the European continent,
soon passed 44 like the baseless fabric
of a vision, leaving not a wreck be
hind,” and they again regretted in some
measure a premature rupture with A
merica.—Anxious, however, to retain
all their usurped maratime power,
they selected an arch fiend on earth
to represent them in America—t man
without probity or honor-one well
versed in the work of contention and
division—the corrupt carrier and dis
tributor of the bribes of a more cor
rupt government. On his arrival here
he found himself most egregiously de
ceived.——Desirous to bring the go
vernment odious to the people he
sought an occasion to insult them —
was denied any further communicati
on—misrepresented facts, and indi
rectly appealed to the American peo
ple against the administration of their
choice. Were there any who justifi
ed this conduct, and again vilified our
own government? Ans. There were
—they styled themselves the admirers
of the character & principles of Wash
fnn • Anri trot o#l _* a •_ 1
-rV-t / ^ 11 >ouuauuna 4UU
CO against the constituted
authVities. A combination con
nected by an oath to destroy the de
mocratic government of our country,
they style a 44 benevolent society.”_
These are the nominal federalists.
44 the friends of England in Ameri
ca.”
This discarded Ambassador, now no
more than a LICENSED SPY", pub
licly travels through our country, the
inhabitants of which conceive them
selves injured by his conduct_II
takes unwearied pains to cauie his ap
proach to be generally known as he
moves through the different cities and
towns. To every reflecting mind the
object is evident—his progtess thro’
our country answers a triple purpose_
whereas one only of the three will ad
mit of an avowal. The fi> , and gre?t
est object is to discover who are Bri
tons at heart—on whom a reiiancc can
be placed, and what tiieir influence is
in society. Nfextly publishing his ap«
, prcmch to induce tne real b uoguard
j ed, inc mtious American to insult hi n
on his way, by that m.aos adording
S an opportunity to the British advocates
to appear in the falso but imposing
charac er of peace-makers, and quel
lers of disturbances and riots—giving
them a better opportunity to deceive
the honest part of the communii}'—
fXtend their influence and widen it
possible the political breach. Tne last
and ostensible object of nis travelling
is the gra ification of curiosity, whs;>
still in this country* but our people
may rest assured that this curiosity is
more political than topographical ;
thatuthc chancter of Ambassador is
gonqpand he is now a SPY". Are
there any in this country who can see
all this, and yet justify the foreign cm
issary 6c his government: Ans. There
are; they are the purchased “ friends
of England in America”—they are
not honest federalists.
Boston, Aug. 9.
IMPORTANT.
Cap*. Thorndikej of the ship Northern
Liberties, arrived here yesterday, from St.
Ube«, spoke July 28, the ship Pla*o, 32
days from Tonningen, the master of which
informed Capt, 1 • that the Danish Govern,
ment had issned a Decree, dated June 15,
ordering the ports of Tonningen and Has
i^n to he shut against the Americans—.
*» a reason, the .abuse of that
fbig from Heligoland ; that Vessels arriving
after the da»e of this deefree, had not been
allowed to break hulk f mid that a priva.
teer was stationed off the coast, to warn
the American shipping against entering
these ports. No seizures haH taken place.
Philadelphia, Aug. 10.
. FROM PORTUGAL.
Arrived at thin port yesterday, ship
New-Jersey, Hutchinson, in 40 days
from Lisbon. The Hadajoz Diary re
ceived by this arrival slates that On the.
7th June the garrison of Ciuda I Ro
drigtymade a sortie on their French
besiegers. A furious and sanguinary
conflict took place, and lasted from 6
in the morning till 6 in the evening,
with various success, when the French,
unable to withstand the ardour and
impetuosity of the brave Spaniards,
took shelter in some thickets Sc woods,
from which they were routed at the
point of the bayonet, leaving a thou
sand men on the field.
PniLADKL. r»«iA, Aug. 11.
Gxtraft t > the Editor—dated Pans, 10th
May.
“ I send you by———some papers,
and a few copies of memoirs,, presented by
the consul and agent for pt izo causes, of
the United States in defence of American
| ships and cargoes; I also send you a list
of all the American vessels seized, up to
the first of the preceding month, which
will give you son;e idea of our commercial
situation and the wisdom of taking off ihe
embargo and other things. (
Our vessels at present are almost every
where within the influence of France con
fiscated, and bo one here doubts bui it will
be the case every where else in Europe
before many months pass over, ft is said
here 'hat both general Turreau anj >Ir
Beaujour are recalled, and that no succes
sors will be sent. This course is invete.
rately hostile, and must excite no pleasant
feelings in those who have, either through
infirmity-of head or heart, produced such
an epoch. . The affairs of bpain do not now
excite much concern—that country is con
sidered as conquered, and the camps and
armies as camps ofexercise ; it is not sup.
posed the emperor will go to Spain, but
two large camps are spoken of, one be.
ween Morlaix and Ponirteuk, in the de.
par.mert of the North Coast, and the o.
i ther at the old sciie in the Pais de Calais!
contiguous to Boulogne.
“ The Emperor on his tour ha3 visited
all the principal places ol manufacture m
Braband and Flanders; and has been on
the cana! of St. Qmntjn ; he passed under
the lamous subterraneous excavations of
this canal by torch light, in a ua:ge w;;h
jthe empress* the qm.*en of Naples mod -be
grand doke of Wurtzbu g; the first adrni-:
raoie worn is completely arched, and 10
length 550 loiscs ; and the second of 3900
toises. 1 he objedl of all these movements
is popularity ; a canal which saves three
lojftths of the expence of transport, and
is a means of opening a complete
water carriage from the Narih Sea to the
middle of Fiance, on the south Irom kau*
m to Par s, on the north from Anvers to
Paris, and from Paris to Marseilles, is not
a very unpopular measure; (he saving on
the transport of pi oductions alone is-estu
mated at svven or eight millions of francs
per annum.’* Aurora.*
j Baltimore, August 10.
j The American gives a few article*
from Bordeaux papers received by too
George Dyer. l’he following is the
substance of them—
A vessel from Nantucket of 80 tons
I was entered at the Custom-House Bor
rj deaux, 22d of May last.
Many neutral vessels have arrived
j Odes a, a port in tile Black sea. The
first American vessel which appeared
j *n that sea was from Baltimore_she
| arrived there the 3d of March last.
' Discontents have appeared in the
! Turkish armies; and the troops are
comm tting every excess upon thi
Greek Christians, many of whom are
emigrating into Illyria,
j The crops in the South of Trance
have been very much injured by storms
tempest , hail and rain.
i he !_>« r.s oi Illyria are to be strong
ly fortifie l, to protect trading vesse s
from the British cruizers—many arm
ed vessels are fitting out at Trieste
and Fiume to cruize againt the En
glish, Sicilians, and Maltese,(and, pro
bably, the Americans] Capt. Collard,
of the George Dyer, informs, that A
meijca’is are very delicately situated
*n Vjfuce, and that Gen. Armstrong
adviffed all to leave the country as soon
asj>os*ible.
Baltimore, Aug. II.
FROM FRANCE.
The ship Georg- L)yer, Collard, from
Bordeaux arrived here last nmht. She
sailed from Bordeaux,Jure 8. Tb-re wa;
no change in the relations between Franc •
and the United Stales. Mr. Lee, the A.
merican consul at Bordeaux, had taken
the ship Ann of New York to convey him .
self and family to the Uoiied S>a:e*, i i
which ship most of the officers and crewi
of the American vessels detain-d at St.
Sebastians would take their passage. The
ship Sally, in which general Armstrong
was coming, was daily expected at Bor.
deaux; it Wi»s not known when he would
<eave !■ ranee. 1 he George Dyer was de„
tamed a few hours by the British squadron
ofT Rochelle, was examined and released.
She brings a great nu/hber of letters.
General Armstrong is said to have cor.'
fl his countrymen of the danger to
i theik ner^iSs and property might
poseJjj>njpe supposition by France
ps ot Jt^feaning toward? England.
»es fjAMnght out passengers, of
whom art It or 12 pries1*;
We understand the George Over
was “ politely” detained by the Eng
lish cruiz.er on the coast of France, un
til he searched every corner of the ves
sel and every thing on board, expecting
to find kegs of Antimony, belonging
to Messrs. Binneyand lionahUon, type
founders of Philadelphia, which RqI
j naldson, who was a passenger, had
j purchased in France. But Caotaia
Collard had prudently heaved the 4^
J out of the cabbin windows inthe night^®
Baltimore, Aiiz. 13.
FROM FK V SC E. — V ; have re
J ceivrd regular hies of Preach papers to
I the fifth of June, andjhave jicrsueJ let