, 1841-12-11
sense, of the farmers of Illinois, must give
the right reply.
A Comparison Of the different breeds of Sheep
to be found in the Western States.

A Comparison Of the different breeds of Sheep
to be found in the Western States.
eye Shepherds, if Your labors hope success.
he first your purpose to procure a breed
10 soil and climate adapted. r-DRYDEa.
The common sheep of the country are
found in f1ocks of tens and twenties, around
the fence of almost every settler. When
larger focks are found, they are, with few
exceptions onl:I, a collection of these smaller
ones, without any Improvement. As a breed
they have been utterly neglected Tor many
generations, anG have long since arrived.
both in carcase and fleece, to the lowest point
OF deterioration. Yet, in this degenerate
race. some marked characteristics in face,
form, or fleece. Betray their origin to
many Of the we'll known breeds of Eng
land, and some individuals may date their
origin 10 the flocks of Flanders and Africa.
and OF late Years, a poor mixture of the
Spanish blood has been also mingled. Most
OF them, however, resemble the u]nirnproved
WEIGH focks, but are more leggy and slab
sided. They are not generally Kept for sale.
but their moteiy tleeces shorn at random, are
consigned to the backwoodsman's wife, 10
clean. and spin, and weave into coarse cloth
hS WI lCi louoc!tbIu. 1bt eieCIS nI ne
glect and ignorance must be felt some where.
In this instance the labor Of the females is
doubled, to what it might be. The making
of a thread of worsted yarn is founded on
the same principle as the making of q rope.
The more fine yarns put into a rope the
stronger ii is. The more fhres Of fine wool
put into a worsted yarn the stronger it IS
In a commo fleece n wool stapler will find
eight sorts Of wool; a few ounces of fine To.
wards the ear and shoulder. the fleece d.
mlnlshIng in fineness until the hiplncks are
~coarser than horse hair. All this mixed up
together makes it bad TO card, makes a bad
warn. a bad cloth. not wearing half the time
that a cloth would do when made from a
fleece Of soft and uniform equality. These
wretched ANIMALS show us how rapidly de-
generacy will follow want Of care. Doubt
less this stock was originally from choice mn
ported breeds at the first settlement of the
country.
The Welch focks, driven into England.
sell Tor ten and SIX pence. two dollars earhl
at the same time the various imported breeds
that cover the whole country average. Tor all
common purposes, from eight to ten d"llars
each. The highest price of common sheep.
in this country, is two dollars. May We not
have our improved breeds! The warning
and example are TO lie found in focks Of En-.
glad. as well as in those of this country. In
that country. however. the great proportion
of sheep are of improved and valuable breeds.
In this, on the contrary, the generality Of
sheep are of the worthless class. and The i'm
proved flocks are few and small in number.
About twenty five years ago the herin"
sheep were imported. and spread over the
States OF OHIO, indiana and Kentucky, in
small numbers, and their propagation was
a,tenied TO Tor some time with much zeal.
But as soon as the ex,~ravagant prices. To
which this species of sheep and wool had at.
tanned, decreased, they were abandoned. and,
all tina! now remains of them is to keG~nd
IN 4 mixture of breed in aHSTIIon Of the
common locks Of kelkGcky. The Merino
Wedlation was then engendered as the
Morus Multicaulus has been since. and both
were abandoned Tor the same reason. On
enquiry for the Merinoes of Kentucky. Won
are told that the breed has run out: that the
soil and climate did not suit them. 1t is very
true that the breed has run out. but il is very
imp rtant to ascertain the cause Of their
failure. 1t is not that the soil and climate
of Kentucky are inimical to the growth Of
fine wool. Many of the little 1ocks fell into
the hands of spectators. who abanionrd
them as soon as the speculation ceased.-
Others were kept by amateur breeders. I'M
acquainted with the art of keeping up or i'm.
proving the breed of anv animals. They
bred from all they had, and. tempted bv a
little advance in price, sold of the males, all
they bred. the inferior as well rs the good
ones. and thus a constant and rapid de+erinra-
ton took place. A farmer would sometimes
purchase a buck, of moderate quality. to run
within common sheep: and. from his notions
of ECONOMY, often breed from his progeny.
The practice of purchasing sheep in paris,
with an expectation of attaining, thereby, a
progeny, excellent of their kind, is fallacious.
No choice or selection can be made. Ken
lucky had no wei! selected flock Of pure
blended animals, KEEP, in sufficient number to
afford an annual supply Of good rams, until
the breed was established in the country. 1t
must ever be borne in mind that, to sustain
and improve any breed, il is not enough to
acquire animals of the pure breed, but they
must be excellent of their kind. An ordi,
nary male, of an imported breed, may he
| q Iro n f,ronpclv ,Sa1 IN innpr,va tho cnp