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state that its aromatic and refreshing qualities seem to be most fully developed; and second :-That a sufficiency of the ground coffee be used in infusing; the proportion of two ounces of coffee to a pint of water will afford a beverage at once delicious in flavor and exhilarating in its effects, and against which the objections that are made to the use of fermented or alcoholic drinks cannot reasonably be urged.

REPORT ON SHEEP.

BY GEORGE S. KENWAY.

In considering the subject of raising sheep on these islands the first qustion that naturally presents itself is,-to what extent is this country adapted for the purpose? Experiments hitherto have been on so small a scale and pursued by parties, who, generally speaking were unacquainted with the shepherd's art, that we are scarcely yet in a position to answer the question.

That many portions of the islands are well calculated for sheep lands is however beyond doubt, and we need only trace from their origin the history of some of the few small flocks already scattered about the hills and plains of Hawaii to be satisfied of this. Left pretty nearly to their own guidance, scarcely even watched by their inexperienced tenders, suffered to roam at large day and night, or at night huddled together in a close, dirty, unsheltered fold, sheared, after a fashion, once in three or four years and sometimes not at all; lambs and rams and ewes, hairy sheep, and woolly sheep and perchance goats and animals that might be taken for either, all running together, chased by dogs, torn by bushes, smothered in mud and lambing from January to December, they have still thriven and increased, supplied Honolulu with a trifle of excellent mutton, filled many bags with very miscellaneous wool, started some new ideas among lately arrived "colony" folks, and they still look brisk and hearty and open to any reasonable amount of civilization.

First, then, where are the lands best adapted for experiments on a larger scale the best sheep lands? They are just those lands scarcely fit for any other purpose, the dry hill sides and plains on the lee, where grass is short and scant but sweet, and water scarce, where the dry soil preserves a healthy foot and the poverty of the pasture requires the animals to travel. The outer plain of Waimea, extending to the base of Mauna Kea and sloping towards the sea, a hitherto unused and useless tract, comprising at the least an area of 30 square miles, is a fine example, and on this land alone, (which of the kind is probably the largest on the islands,) a profitable and interesting population might be brought to exist, break the present dismal silence and redeem the idle wilderness.

But sheep to be profitable must be well cared for, and very artificially treated. They require more constant attention than any other domesticated animals, and such attention cannot be expected from the natives until they are first shown its good effects and profitable consequence. In this country, so far as experience has yet proved, sheep are peculiarly fortunate, being subject to none of those distressing and often fatal diseases so familiar to shepherds from the older countries. And if this natural health can be preserved, (though whether it is a characteristic of the climate or merely owing to the small size of our present flocks remains to be proved,) a most important and disagreeable item of labor, will be saved. Still very much is required, and above every thing system. The following suggestions may be worth attention:

1st. The pens or folds now used here are stationary, and must be unclean, injuring the feet and greatly damaging the wool. Moveable folds are preferable, constructed of light close hurdles which may easily be shifted. Thus the flock will always have a clean sweet and generally dry resting-place at night.

2nd. The rams here are allowed to run with the flocks, and there is no lambing season. The Ewes are dropping lambs all the year round and as fresh dropped lambs cannot follow the flock, they are left behind, either alone or with their mothers, and frequently lost. The rams should be kept apart and only visit the ewes at a certain season. The shepherd would know when to expect the lambs and make suitable preparations, keeping the young lambs with their mothers in a separ

ate enclosure and giving that attention to the whole for a short period, which otherwise is required from him all the year round. This plan also preserves a greater uniformity in the flock, so that both sheep and wool may be distinctly classified.

3d. Cutting the male lambs. This should be done within a month or six weeks from birth, and by having a lambing season this also would be the work of a particular season only, and the shepherd could be certain that his work was effectual.

In catching sheep, which is frequently necessary whilst the flock is grazing, a native would use a lasso or run his victim down, either way harassing the sheep and making at least but a bungling job of it This seems a trifling matter, but as the shepherd should be on the best possible terms with his flock he should do all things quietly, and a shepherd's crook is better than either lasso or long legs, and a shepberd should never be without one.

4th. Shearing.-Let it be done yearly of course.

And we cannot

do better than receive instructions from some of the Australian shepherds, who have lately wandered hither, as to the manner of conducting the operation, and the washing which should precede it.

5th. Protection from Dogs.-Vigilance is the best security. Wild dogs are doubtless troublesome, and now and then destructive, but could the truth be known, a more insignificant pack of native pets, whose beauty and utility are about on a par, would prove oftentimes to be the real delinquents.

And now as to the best breed of sheep, there will of course be divers opinions. But every body will allow that what we most require are sheep that will yield fine wool and good mutton, and can easily be taken to market. The Merino sheep combine these qualities, their wool is amongst the finest in the world, and sustains its character in a hot climate. Their mutton is sweet and good, they fatten readily and their carcasses are not unwieldy. We have half and quarter breed merinos here already, the produce of some pure merino rams imported by Mr. French some years ago, but the breed is fast degenerating. Pure merino rams and ewes can be imported from Sydney or Port Philip, where the rams can be bought for $15 to $25 each and the ewes for much less.

In importing sheep, especial care must be taken that they be strict

ly scrutinized by some competent person on their arrival, that no dis ease be imported with them, and it would be the safest plan even should such sheep appear in perfect health, to keep them alone for a time, that any lurking fault might be detected ere harm is done.

That the foregoing suggestions may be better received I should explain that they are written down after many conversations on the subject with a thoroughly practical man, a Scotchman from the highlands, one who has tramped over the heather, with his bleating flocks since he was a boy who has known the joy of health and summer sunshine on the mountain tops, smarted for years in the drifting snow storms and can talk most patriotically of Scotch mists-whose collie dog was his faithful companion and bosom friend, and whose last experience was the charge of forty thousand sheep in South Australia, forbye large herds of kyne. And it is to be hoped that he is one of the number whose past experience shall fall like good seed on these islands of ours and produce a thousand fold.

And if our limited capabilities are insufficient to promise an extensive export, we can at least manufacture our own wool. Useful cloths and blankets and a hundred articles of domestic need may be produced from our own material, by our own people, to their benefit every way, and our Hawaiian homespun may yet bear to be named with Irish frieze, Welsh flannel and Scotch tweed. The spinning wheel may replace the kapa hamali, and knitting needles in the hands of Hawaiian matrons may become more pleasing companions than sucking puppy dogs and dry nursed little black pigs.

Before closing this, I fear, very lame report, I would suggest whether the Alpaca might not be introduced here with good effect. Let those who know something of this animal give their opinion.

Waimea, Hawaii, 24th July, 1851.

REPORT ON NEAT CATTLE.

The committee of the agricultural society appointed to report on the state of cattle and cattle-farming generally in the Hawaiian Islands, beg to lay the following report before the society.

It is necessary, however, to premise that these observations have been made in the island of Oahu alone, nevertheless much of what is stated here will be found applicable in a great measure to the other Hawaiian Islands. In the first place it appears that great care must be taken by the cattle and owners to prevent the lands from becoming exhausted by allowing the increase of their stock, to exceed the decrease, more especially as from the increasing facilities of communication between the islands and the certainty of steamers running here. very shortly, cattle from the other islands of the group will be brought into competition with the cattle of Oahu.

Of the breed of cattle in these islands but little can be said in the way of commendation. The origin of the greater proportion may be traced to cattle imported from the coast of America. As but few were imported in the beginning it follows that breeding in and in has been carried to a very deteriorating extent, especially when the size of the islands is taken into consideration. On a vast continent like America the descendants of any one pair of animals would become so different from the parent stock and from each other in a few years by the modifications of difference of soil, climate, food, &c., by so many and various causes, in fact, that greater varieties would be found in three or four generations there, than there would be in ten or twenty where the same causes do not exist.

Since the first introduction of cattle here a few have been imported at various times, but up to the present time very few have taken pains to make the most of the advantages which might have been derived from such infusion of fresh blood by making a selection of the best cows, putting them to the best bulls and again doing the same by their produce so as to counteract as much as possible the ill effects arising from a small original stock and a limited locality.

In most of the herds here traces may be discovered of the breeds imported from some of the other islands of the Pacific, from Sydney, and from Columbia River.

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