quality. Mr. G. is trying a hedge of native thorn; and will give the result when ascertained. Like all well educated gentlemen of his profession, he takes an active interest in agricultural improvement, and uses his influence to extend the circulation of agricultural papers. By his advice, I called upon one of his neighbors, upon a farm upon which he keeps 100 head of cattle, and a right smart chance" of hogs, but they are dying with the kidney worm, and he made a" bad crap; it was so powerful wet in the spring that the crap got right smartly in the grass! and then again it got dreadful dry," and so with all these misfortunes, he felt too poor to subscribe for a paper. I hinted that if he had taken one, he would have found a receipt to cure the kidney worm, and thus have saved fifty dollars worth of hogs. But "he reckoned these ere papers told a heap of lies;" and so to save the poor man's conscience as well as hogs, I told him to give the latter sulphur, which if I had given him the medicine as well as advice, perhaps he would have done.

After leaving this fair specimen of a large majority of the settlers of this country, I entered just at sundown, upon a 20 mile prairie, intending to drive five miles to the first and only house, and spend the night; but as I approached, one unacquainted with such scenes, might have fancied that instead of a country tavern, he was nearing an army encampment; as it required no great stretch of fancy to convert a score of white wagon covers into tents, and the noise of a dozen families of emigrants, into that of a small detachment of "la grand armie." Indeed, such scenes in the west are by no means uncommon. There is one of the roads that enter Chicago, upon which I have seen 300 wagons pass in a day, and that not a rare sight, but one often seen.

tance and friend. He is a physician, whose practice required him to keep two horses, and where do you think he kept them during the inclemency of a wintry storm? In the stable, do you say. Well, it was in a large one, then, which nature alone had any hand in building. For no other had he, and therefore in the morning, I had no scruples of conscience against bringing my horses out of the corner of the fence where they had spent the night, and hitching on to the carriage for a 14 mile drive over a bleak prairie, facing a south-east snow storm, to a liule town in the same county called Woodburn, where I spent the balance of the Sabbath in very comfortable quar. ters for both man and beast. Now, I shall not mention the name of this really good man, though to us he has an odd way of showing his goodness to the good creatures created for his use, but that is all owing to his "brought'n up" in a section of the United States that "I reckon" you will not wish me to tell you lies south of that celebrated line of Mason and Dixon.

I found my host, (Dr. Grimsted,) a very intelligent Englishman, who, together with many of his countrymen of the same stamp, have settled in and about this place, which is located upon good prairie, scarce of timber, inconvenient to mills, and possesses rather too great a share of that kind of "go-day, come-day" population, which fill the southern part of Illinois with a class of men that are content to live not only without stables, but without many of the other comforts that constantly surround the cabin of the eastern emigrant; the contrast between which and their own, will do more to urge them forward to do likewise, than all the agricultural papers in the world; for them they never read.

Three miles from Woodburn, is the village or rather settlement

Finding in the present case, that if I remained I must content my-of " Bunker hill ;" where I found a monument as noble and enduself with a very small portion of a bed, and my horses with a birth ring as that which overlooks the city of Boston. It is a monument by the side of a rail fence, I soon concluded to put out" and brave of industry, enterprise and yankee perseverence that has within a the terrors of a threatening snow storm upon a prairie 15 miles few short years converted a wide tract of rich rolling prairie, alacross, as upon the other side lay the town of Carlinsville, the seat though not very convenient to timber or mills, into one of the most of justice in Macoupin county. I am of opinion that if that fellow flourishing communities and highly improved farms that I have seen who is astonishing the "down easters," fiddling the "solitude of the in the State. The location is undoubtedly a healthy one, well water prairie," had been with me this evening, that he would have been convenient and good, but stock water upon the surface, I judge not able to play the tune in much greater perfection. Perhaps he might so. There is more grass, more fruit trees, more barns, more good add, houses, more scholars at school, and more readers of agricultural papers in this eight year old settlement, than there is in some of the oldest settlements in the State, where the population is double.

"Oh solitude, where are the charms

That emigrants see in this place;
Better stay on their own little farms,
Than own all this horrible waste."

And he might add another stanza to a lone tree standing solitary
and alone in the midst of this ocean of land, like a sentinel watching
alone over the solitude of the prairie, which is more profound than
the solitude of the darkest forest.

I took dinner with Moses True, who is a worthy follower of his great namesake, in regard to perseverance, and whom I wish I could induce some thousands of his fellow-citizens to take as a pattern of the TRUE way to acquire a comfortable independence in the cultivation of the soil. He showed me a flock of 200 wedder sheep fattening for the St. Louis market, 40 miles distant. He intends fatNo doubt many of my eastern readers would have hesitated long, tening about this number every year, as he finds it one of the most and rather put up with lodging "three in a bed," sooner than under-profitable of his farming operations. His flock consists of about 800 take the passage of such a prairie in the night. But we soon get at this time. I have also noticed several other flocks to-day, and alused to it, and as in the present instance, get through it in good or-so a disease called the sore mouth, which is affecting several flocks. der, and by contrast are able to reap double enjoyment by the side If you will publish a cure if known, it will oblige many in this part of a good fire in a good inn. The town of Carlinsville, like many of the country. In the course of a two hours drive after leaving this others in the west that grew up like Jonah's gourd, when men for- place, where every thing looked as though created but yesterday, Book the cultivation of the soil to grow suddenly rich in town lot one might suppose that he had indulged in an unconscious nap, and speculation, now shows in the dilapidated appearance of tenantless awaked in "the old settlemeets," so great is the change. For here houses, that it would have been better for many if they had been we are amid old buildings, old farms and orchards of old trees, one content to pursue a steady, though slow, yet certain road to com- of which, containing 1200 bearing trees, (owned by Gershom Flagg, fortable independence which surely attends the careful cultivation of Esq., brother of your Comptroller of State,) upon a large and exa good soil. cellent farm in Madison county, 30 miles from St. Louis, where he has resided 27 years, 25 of which in the same log cabins, which are his castles still, and in which I met a kind of welcome not to be measured by outside appearances. He has about 500 acres in cultivation, and is still adding more; and keeps about 100 head of cattle, with horses and hogs to match. His orchard of excellent grafted fruit brings him in some $2,000 a year, most of the fruit of which he sends to New-Orleans. He keeps 10 or 15 yokes of steers at work, which, as soon as he gets well broke, are offered for sale, and bring remunerating prices. He is reputed so, and is undoubtedly rich, and I will also add, proud. But it is proud of living so long in a house that has been of so little expense to him. All of his out-buildings, and they are very extensive and convenient, are of the same primitive description. Indeed, he says that he has never used a brick or shingle upon the place, but if I may judge from appearances, he is now preparing to do so shortly. He is not waiting for sledding. Every thing around him is on the go-ahead principle, except the house, and that is going to decay. And when we look abroad over the towns, cities and farms extending hundreds of miles away to the north, and think that this very house when built, was the "frontier settlement," the very outpost of civilization, it is easy to imagine that it is time for it to pass away. At the time Mr. Flagg settled here, he was looked upon by his neighbors in the cultivate the prairie, when it was evident it would not produce crops, otherwise it would have produced timber.

During this day's drive, after leaving Carlinsville, I witnessed the rapid increase of timber that is every where taking place in the prairie country, where protected from fire. Though during the past fall, in consequence of the great drouth that followed the great flood, immense damage, not only to the young timber, but in the destruction of fences, has been done throughout the whole of my journey. And this drouth still continues, so much so that the few mills that are to be found in this part of the State, are almost useless, and setulers complain of "long trips to mill." The roads, even iu the beds of streams that are sometimes impassible, (where bridges are not, and that is every where when it is possible to "get along" without them,) are dusty, and the land in fine order for plowing, though I perceive but little of it doing. And would you know why? Why, is it not winter? And who ever heard of plowing in the winter, in a country where we are above such vulgar business as working when we are not obliged to. And another reason is that most of the cultivated land is every year in corn, and much of that is not yet gathered, and besides the stalk fields are the main dependance of half the farmers in the country for wintering the stock. And under such circumstances, notwithstanding the favorable nature of the weather for plowing, if they even had a disposition to do it, they cannot avail themselves of the opportunity. But you will say they might be otherwise employed; getting up wood for instance. Beg" thick woods," as little better than a crazy man to undertake to pardon, but you don't know our folks,"-they are waiting for wedding.

But there are many exceptions to this waiting kind of population, one of which I witnessed at Chesterfield in this county of Macoupin. There were not only orchards and barns, but beautiful groves of locust around the comfortable houses, at one of which I found a dairy of 70 cows; and at almost every house a file of the Cultivator or Prairie Farmer, a paper in high credit in this State. And reader, where do you think this intelligent and enterprising population were rom: I shall not tell, but if you are a yankee, you can easily 'guess." I found one of them busily engaged building a new barn, which he assured me he was incited to by reading my remarks up-in high cultivation, a plain indication of the owner's mind, who I' on the subject of the want of this indispensible farm building in the west. I hope my remarks, and the contrast that I shall exhibit to them between good and bad farmers, that I meet with upon my present tour, will also excite many others to make improvements.

And here is one example by way of contrast-I spent the night in the cabin of one who had become familiar with my name in the Cultivator, and felt great pleasure in extending a warm welcome to the best he had, to one he had long looked upon as an old acquain

Over a rough uncultivated tract, mostly timbered, I went to the somewhat famous town of Alton, or rather towns, for there are three of them, Upper, Middle and Lower; and all covering as rough and uneven a surface, extending up mountain sides, and back a mile or more over other mountain sides, from the river, that part being Upper Alton. Here is the college several good churches and fine dwellings, but no mercantile business. Middle town is a collection of good dwellings, mostly occupied by men doing business in the lower town. Here I noticed a dwelling surrounded with a garden found on acquaintance, though engaged in other pursuits, highly interested in agricultural improvement, and whose name. Moses G. Atwood, will call to the mind of Mr. Tucker, reminiscences of the days when they were both sticking type away down in New-Hamp shire.

At the lower town is the Illinois penitentiary, several fine churches, one busy business street-there is no room for a second oneand a tavern, the Franklin House, that is worthy of patronage From

Alton to St. Louis is 25 miles, down the far famed American bot- eultivating it It is a business that may be increased to an indefinite tom-an immense tract of land that was covered, and in some pla-extent, and give employment to many an industrious person. When ces greatly injured, by the great flood. But it never was under that kind of a state of cultivation which would satisfy any man who had an aspiration above a hog and hominy" kind of existence, and was willing to have the "shakes" half the year, for permission even to enjoy that much. I believe I met with a fair sample of half of the inhabitants, in an individual who had lived upon the same farm 40 years, and has not an acre of grass or fruit tree in the world, but can brag of raising more and bigger corn than all the rest of creation, "Old Kaintuck" included.

the art of making baskets from willow, is once acquired, it requires but a small capital to commence the trade. With a few tools, a few bundles of willow, and a small space to work in, an individual may easily undertake to work on his own account. The most expensive apparatus would probably be a tight box to soak the willow in, that it may be easily bent and twisted in the manipulation of the art, and another box with a tight lid or cover to bleach the manufactured articles. The bleaching is effected by subjecting them to the fumes of burning sulphur, a small portion of which is put in an earthen pot and placed in the bottom of the box, and the lid closed to prevent the escape of the sulphurous acid which is formed by the slow combustion of the sulphur, and which whitens the willow.

In the conversion of willow into articles of utility, we have an art, a trade, or domestic manufacture, which deserves encouragement, because it may be carried on in the small way, and bee use we have abundance of the raw material growing wild, which may be collected at little expense, or may be propagated by cuttings, in waste swampy lands, without interfering with any other trade or employment. That the art of basket-making is not difficult to acquire, we have the evidence presented at the late Fair of the State Agricultural Society at Poughkeepsie, (Sept. 1844.) where a number of articles of basket-work, made of American willow by the pupils of the New-York Institution for the Blind, were exhibited. Had there been any other articles of the kind offered for a premium, those made by the Blind would have advantageously compared with them in beauty of finish and workmanship.

I asked him why he did not raise grass? "Well, he did sometimes think on't-and he tried it about 30 years ago, but it did'nt do well." And why don't you set an orchard? "Well, I reckon may be I will some day-did set out a few trees once, and they grew powerfully, but the cattle soon destroyed 'em." And no wonder, for they were set in "the big field," the eternal corn field. Fences are much swept away, and probably the barns with them, for they are not to be seen now, although the little old miserable dwellings, like the owners, hang on. The land in many places is much grown over with bushes, mostly crab-apple, which abound by the million. The bottom is nine miles wide, and is bounded on the east by a very high clay bluff, that bears evident marks high up its face, that here once run a mighty current. There are also many mounds upon the bottom that show the same appearance, and that the stream gradually wore down this immense mass of clay to the present level. During the flood, the ferry was nine miles wide; now less than a ninth of that, which I crossed upon the 22d of January, 1845, on a steam ferry boat, and upon a beautiful sunny day as we need wish for in May. The two boats at this ferry are almost constantly crowded with produce and market wagons from 60 or 70 miles back in Illinois, coming to St. Louis. The old part of this city was built upon an abrupt rocky bank, and in addition to its outward wall, many of the old Spanish houses were separately walled in like a strong fortification. Some vestiges of these, and the old Spanish houses, still remain, but are fast giving way to the spirit of improvement, every where visible. But the town suffers one monstrous inconvenience in the narrowness of the streets. Some of the main business streets being barely wide enough to allow two wagons to pass. It is a place of immense businesss, constantly on the increase. These were all declared by Mr. Horn, to have been made entire The lead and fur traders alone employing great capital, and the vastly by blind boys, and of American Willow. We are informed by agricultural country above, that draws its supplies through this place, create a vast trade.

They were entered in the name of the "New-York Institution for the Blind," by Mr. George Horn, teacher of basket-making, as the work of the following boys, pupils of the Institution: 1 Fishing basket,... made by J. Collins.

I Chair,.

1 Nest of knife baskets,..

1 Nest of market baskets,..

3 Clothes baskets,.

2 Toy wagons,

1 Foul clothes basket,..

1 Bandbox basket,...

66

Chas. O'Connor.

James Dowd.

"

Alfred Holmes.

Wm. Dunlap.

Thomas Murphy.

one of the Committee on Discretionary premiums, that the articles arrived towards the last of the Fair, and when the Committee were about closing their report, and that as there was no competition, one dollar was awarded to each of the above named pupils as an encour agement to them, to persevere in an employment which promises to be so useful to them, and is so creditable to the Institution where they are taught.

The land around the city is not under good improvement; which is probably owing to the want of good title: much of it being an old Spanish grant for a public common. All the land between the city and Jefferson Barracks, and even below, is in the same condition, being claimed as a common of the town of Carondalet, a little miserable collection of old Spanish or older French houses, a few miles below St. Louis, and is one of the oldest French towns in the west. This common land remains unsettled, and the timber having been cut off, is now grown up to bushes; and in the vicinity of such a city has a very unsightly appearance. Jefferson Barracks, by the expenditure of a few wagon loads of Uncle Sam's money, has been made a beautiful spot amid this wilderness of Spanish spoliation and French frivolity, both of which classes had rather live on frogs and tobacco, and spend their time in drinking and dancing, than in grow-quantity of the native willow growing wild in a piece of wet ground ing rich by the cultivation of the earth.

The old Spanish and French citizens in St. Louis, for a long time successfully resisted the spirit of improvement that pulls down to build up; and the old grants of land to this class of citizens, some of which are still unsettled, have been a great detriment to the improvement of this part of the State of Missouri.

From St. Louis to the Merrimac river, 18 miles, the road lies over a succession of clayey hills, and for 14 miles after leaving the city, scarcely any improvements, and them but poor. Soon after crossing this stream, we begin to enter the great mining district of Missouri, and find ourselves climbing rocky mountain sides, picking our way along some mountain stream that winds between high precipices of perpendicular rocks. Oh what a change. What a contrast from the boundless and comparatively level prairie, where the eye found no limit but the horizon, to this pent up prison of rocky grandeur. The prairie land behind me lies,

That boundless realm of grass and hay.
The mountain rocks before me rise,

With nought to cheer my toilsome way.
Yes, I have something to cheer me on my way; and that is, that
what I see and take note of, may give pleasure to those, who in im-
agination, accompany on his tour, their old friend,

SOLON ROBINSON.

SWAMP WILLOW-BASKET WILLOW.
Salix discolor-Salix viminalis.)

"Some trees their birth to bounteous nature owe;
For some without the pains of planting grow.
With osiers thus the banks of brooks abound,
Sprung from the wat'ry genius of the ground;
From the same principles, gray willows come,
Herculean poplars and the tender broom."

[Dryden's Virgil, Georgic 2d.] Permit me, Mr. Editor, to resume the subject of the Willow, commenced in the April number of the Cultivator (for 1844, page 125.) My attention was called to it by the suggestion of Mr. William Partridge of New-York, one of your correspondents.

Seeing these articles at the Fair, led us to make some further inquiries about willow and the willow-basket business as carried on at the Institution for the Blind in the city of New-York. We were informed that one of the trustees or managers of that charity, was many years since impressed with the conviction that American wil low might be advantageously employed in making baskets and other willow-ware. In August, 1834, he was on a visit to Mr. John R. Stuyvesant of Hyde Park in Dutchess county, and he observed a on the farm of that gentleman. He amused himself by cutting and peeling the bark of the long and slim sprouts, until he had collected two bundles, and sent them as a present to the Blind Institution for trial, through Mr. Stuveysant, who was at that time one of the Board of Managers. Two large baskets were made of the said willow and sent to Poughkeepsie to show that we had the raw material for a new and useful employment. But the teacher of basket-work at that time in the Institution, (Wm. Murray, hirnself blind,) stated that the willow was good, as to length, smoothness, and uniformity in its taper, but brittle, on account of being cut in the wrong time of the year. It should be cut, he said, in March or April. This agrees with the fact as stated in our former communication, and as practiced on Staten Island by Mr. Reed, Mr. Leveridge and others who cultivate the native and imported varieties.

When one undertakes to investigate a subject, one fact leads to another. So when we were made acquainted with the above, we were presented with a series of the annual reports of the New-York Institution for the Blind, from which, and one of the managers, we have drawn the following information in relation to the manufacture of willow.

In the early stage of the Institution, under the superintendence of Dr. John D. Russ, the first attempt in working with willow, was in covering bottles and demijohns without assistance or previous instruction. The ingenuity and contrivance of the superintendent was partially successful, but slow in its operation A basket maker in the suburbs of the city was then consulted, and he agreed to give the blind inmates of the Institution, instruction in the art, a portion of a day three times a week. He came at the appointed time, but declined the undertaking, alledging that he would be mobbed by the trade if he should comply with the proposition.

Mr. Windle of Maiden-Lane in New-York, who deals largely in wooden-ware, willow-baskets and house furnishing articles, inform ed Dr. Russ, that his only chance to obtain the requisite knowledge, was by engaging some foreign artist soon after his arrival, and before he had become connected with others of the trade.

Such a person was subsequently engaged, together with his wife They were adepts in making fine work of split willow, which would come in competition with the fine baskets imported from France. Although they were engaged at high wages, they remained but a short In my former communication, it was shown that the native and time. being induced to quit their employment and instruction of the foreign willows were cultivated and manufactured in this country to blind, for a promise of still higher wages in another part of the a considerable extent and that the wild and uncultivated article was country. They afterwards returned to New-York, and expressed also collected and applied to useful purposes. regret at having relinquished their first engagement, as they were Many persons are employed in the domestic fabrication of willow-not fairly dealt with by those who enticed them away; but the Inbaskets and other willow-ware, while a few only are engaged institution was otherwise supplied in the art of basket-making, and they

could not be re-engaged. This information is not in any of the pub- of the Quarantine establishment, can furnish cuttings of the best for lished reports, and is preliminary to understanding some of the fol-eign varieties, or those of indigenous growth improved by cultivalowing extracts, from which we shall see the progress of the willow|tion. basket manufactory, at the New-York Blind Institution.

eal employments, in the early part of the year wrote to Edinburgh. And for seed and lint-its effect on the soil as preparatory

IN MAINE.-No. I.

MR. EDITOR-Little was done in regard to the rearing of sheep in Maine, except a few of the common breeds, kept by some farmers for mutton, and to supply what wool was needed for household manufacture, until the war between England and the United States, which took place in 1812.

After a careful deliberation, they concluded to try the experiment, and accordingly made, what at that day was considered a large purchase from the flock of Consul Jarvis, who had then recently settled in Weathersfield, Vt. The first purchase was made in 1813, and consisted of forty lambs, for which they paid twelve dollars and a half per head. The next purchase was made in 1814, and consisted of forty lambs, for which they paid twenty-five dollars per head, and the next purchase was made in 1815, and consisted likewise of forty lamb, for which they paid fifty dollars per head, showing a pretty steady increase of prices. Wool at this time, of the quality which these sheep afforded, brought two dollars per lb. The increase of the flocks, and the peace of 1815, put an end to the high prices; and many, who, as I before said, had entered into the business merely for the purposes of speculation, gave up the pursuit, and after cursing the harmless Merino as the cause of their misfortunes, turned their attention to other business.

The enterprise and example of Mr. Jarvis, was not lost upon those whom we have mentioned. His and their experiments, demonstrated the fact, that the climate of north New-England was suitable for the cultivation of fine wooled sheep.

It was, however, early discovered that the climate, though rigorous in the winter, was nevertheless favorable to the breeding and multiplying this useful animal. The war of 1812 brought about a radical change in this branch of farm industry among us; and I have sometimes thought that setting aside the misery and aggravated wretchedness which war always produces, if no other benefit was derived from the struggle, the impulse given to wool-growing, and the more general introduction of Merino sheep throughout the country, together with the improvement of manufactures, was an ample equivalent for all the treasures expended. The total prohibition of the importation of English manufactures which it effected, brought about in the short space of three years, more changes in favor of our then infant manufactures, and discovered to ourselves more resources, both natural and mental, than could have been accomplished by any other The cold, but dry and bracing air of our winters, is means. It is true that a speculating mania in Merino found much more congenial to the Merino, than the more sheep, which sprung up about that time proved some-open and changeable winters further south; and it is prowhat disastrous to many who were lured into it more by the hope of realising a fortune by the rise of prices than from any desire of the multiplying of flocks. But this was only one of the evils which often attends the introduction of valuable improvements, when the true objects are perverted. Those who purchased at high prices, with a view of going into the business as a permanent pursuit, ultimately realized a profit from the investment, and many are still reaping the benefit of their purchases. A friend of ours gave forty dollars for a buck lamb that had just been dropped, brought it home and reared it as a cosset. It made a noble sire of a noble flock. A farmer, who now has an excellent flock of fine wooled sheep, told us that he began by giving one hundred dollars for an old sheep that had hardly a tooth in her head, but she lived, by extra care, long enough to lay the foundation of an excellent flock, which has been a source of profit to him for many years.

As early as 1813, a few farmers in Winthrop, among whom were Messrs. S. & E. Wood, Mr. Pullen and Dr. Snell, met together to discuss the question of the introluction of Merino sheep into Maine. There were but two questions to settle.

1st. Will the climate suit them?

ved by actual experience that they do vastly better in dry, cold, than in a wet or rainy climate.

This was peculiarly illustrated here during the last winter, which, for a part of its term, was unparalleled for the severity of its cold-the thermometer sometimes ranging as low as 37 leg. below zero. It was comparatively a dry winter, the storms being principally snowstorms, and there fell but little rain. In the spring, the snow went off gradually by the heat of the sun. Notwithstanding the severity of the winter, sheep, and especially the Merino, seldom have done better. We noticed very particularly the several flocks which we passed in our drives about the country in the spring, and were forcibly struck with their general health and good condition. The winters of 1829 30-31, were what might, with propriety, be called open winters. Much rain fell during those seasons, and the mortality among the sheep is too well remembered by many of our farmers. Several of our acquaintances, discouraged by their losses, gave up the wool-growing business entirely.

Allow me to say here, by way of digression, that I think our brethren of Illinois, who are just entering so zealously into the wool-growing enterprise, will find their open rainy winters the greatest enemy to the flocks

which they have lately introduced, and I would respect- flock, principally of Saxon blood. Hon. Judge Hayes fully caution them to be sure and have shelters for them of S. Berwick, has Saxonies of his own importation. to flee to during a "stress of weather." Many others have large and valuable flocks, but the foreSheep should certainly be sheltered during cold rain-going I am more or less acquainted with. storms, as these are found to be much more deleterious to them than snow-storms. The former drenches their wool and chills them. They become completely" water-logged," as a sailor would say, and it takes them a long time to get dry again, but a snow-storm does not so effect them. Drifting snows may bury them up and smother them, but they do not chill them so thoroughly, nor bring on so many diseases of different kinds as cold rains do.

Messrs. Wood, Foster, Taber and Williamson, have recently made purchases in Vermont of lambs descended from Mr. Jewett's ram Fortune, which, though mocked at by some as not being an exactly simon pure Paular, will nevertheless bear the ordeal of the curious and critical in stock heraldry. He is certainly a remarkable animal himself, and transmits his good points and qualities singularly well to his posterity.

The average weight of the Merino fleece in Maine, is The summers in Maine are generally clear and fine, three pounds; but there are flocks that come up to four and the situation and face of the country are such that the pounds and more. They are however, not very plenty. heat of our longest days is tempered by cooling and re- Among the flocks of the few who have paid proper atfreshing breezes, which invigorate instead of relaxing. tention to the improvement of Merinoes, are to be found No better pasturage can be found in the known world for some fine specimens. The cut at the head of this article sheep, not even in old Spain itself, than are found in the is a portrait of " Don Hardy," a full blood Merino buck, highlands of the interior of Maine. The ranges of hills six years old, bred by Moses Taber of Vassalboro. He and mountain tracks which traverse the State, afford cool is an excellent animal and combines as many good points and airy walks peculiarly adapted to the nature of this as any other buck. He weighed on the first of June last animal, and they seem to delight in climbing over their with his fleece on, 140 pounds. He was sheared soon tops and roaming along their sides in pursuit of the her- after, and yielded ten pounds of well washed wool. The bage and shrubbery of which they are naturally so fond. staple is long and of excellent quality. His height at the Hence, but very little care or attention is bestowed up-time he was weighed, was two feet three inches. Girth on our sheep in the summer. The principal object being to get a pasture for them of the kind best suited to their natures, and occasionally giving them a little salt.

As we have before observed, the peace which took place in 1815, put an end to the great profits which were realized by Merinoes and many who had large flocks. and others who were commencing. sold them to the butchers, and relinquished the business. A few however, knowing the intrinsic value of the animal, have persevered in the breeding of them, and although perhaps no single branch of husbandry has been subject to so many fluctuations for the last thirty years, yet we believe that, by taking an av erage of costs and profit during that period, they have been full as profitable (if not more so,) as any other species of farm stock.

(wool being on,) four feet.

The cut represents him straighter under the belly than he actually is, and his muzzle or nose is rather too large. We have seen in Mr. Williamson's flock, in Pittston, a variety of Merino, that were polled or hornless, and had uncommonly small ears, supposed by some to be of Saxon origin, the fleece of very fine staple, not so gummy obtain a more particular history of this variety, and tell as the common variety, and the form excellent. I will you more about it in my next. Respectfully yours, Winthrop, Feb. 1845.

A PRODUCTIVE FARM.

E. HOLMES.

MR. TUCKER-I am doing a little in the way of farmThe breeds which are now found in Maine, are the ing, my time being occupied almost entirely in my proMerino, including the Saxon variety, the South Down, fessional duties. I cultivate 25 acres of land, keep two the Dishley and the Native. While making this enu- horses and 4 cows; raise all my beef and pork, with plen meration, truth compels me to say that there are but fewty of poultry and eggs; keep the variety of fowls called flocks which can be considered really of pure blood. We will however speak of them in the order we have named them.

the Italian or perpetual layers; they certainly exceed any thing I ever had for eggs. If I was furnished with a cellar, which in my location cannot be had, I believe 1. Merino. The Merinoes first introduced were princi- they would lay as well in winter as summer. I feed with pally of the Paular variety, though some of the other va- all kinds of grain, with animal food and lime. The past rieties were occasionally found. They were much bet- year I raised 500 bushels ears of corn, with a sufficient ter in form, and of course, constitution, than many that supply of broom corn for family use-70 bu. oats-40 bu. are now found here. The causes of this deterioration wheat--150 bu. potatoes-75 bu. sugar beet and turneps are-1st. A want of attention in breeding. Every thing -5 bu. winter beans-4 bu. clover seed-plenty of proand any thing in the form of a Merino were kept for this vender for my stock, and 3 or 4 tons of hay for sale; purpose, and a long course of in and in breeding, redu- pumpkins, squashes, &c. in abundance. My practice is ced the once good shape to a thin breasted, flat ribbed, to have a good supply of milk and butter all the year, hump-backed race. 2d. An unfortunate cross with some winter and summer, by the use of the sugar beet in wininferior Saxony blood, introduced about the years 1825-6 ter; an abundant supply of apples of the best quality; a helped to deteriorate many flocks. With one or two ex-large garden and vegetable patch, supplying abundance of ceptions, the Saxony bucks introduced among our Meri- grapes, strawberries, raspberries, currants, and garden noes, were ill-shaped animals, and instead of benefiting vegetables, with cherries, quinces, peaches, &c.

the Merinoes, they very much injured them. It is true I find it quite important to attend carefully to the manthey made the staple a little more fine and soft, but they ufacturing of manure. The best manner I have found is proved to be poor nurses and destitute of that robust con- to keep my yards and pens well supplied with muck, stitution which insures a profitable flock. A few farm-scraping of ditches, sods and the like, to catch and retain ers, instead of adopting the haphazard course, have pur-all the leach and urine.

sued a regular system and avoided the evils arising from Much has been said on the manufacture of poudrette. what may be called an incestuous intercourse. They My practice is to have a good sink under my privy, with have taken the utmost care in selecting and preserving a heap of muck or something of the kind laying near; the best of their sheep, and instead of condemning the whole Merino race as weak and worthless, unsuited to our climate, have improved them very much, and are in possession of as good flocks as can be found in America. Among those of our acquaintance who have pursued this rational course, I would mention Elijah Barrell, Esq. of Greene, Elijah Wood, Esq. Truxton Wood, Oaks Howard and Nathan Foster of Winthrop, Amasa Tinkham, Esq. of Monmouth, Capt. Geo. Williamson of Pittston, You will perceive my doing is in a small way, but I Jesse Wadsworth, of E. Livermore, Moses Taber of go on the principle of doing well what I undertake. I Vassalboro. Mr. Rial Gleason of Farmington, has a large have always practiced deep plowing, with decided bene

into this sink I cause to be cast all the soap suds, &c. from the house, and occasionally throw in some of the dirt. Once a year clean it out, with no inconvenience whatever. In this way I have 8 or ten cart loads of the best material for top dressing for any crop. My coarse manure from the horse stable, I throw into the pig pen, thus increasing its value nearly one-half. I stable my cows carefully during the winter.