and progeny, more direct profit than
any other domestic animal, and at the same time the food they consume
would do more towards fertilizing the farms than an equal amount
consumed by any other animal.

It is notorious that our pastures have seriously deteriorated in
fertility and become overrun with worthless weeds and bushes to the
exclusion of nutritious grasses. Sheep husbandry has declined. If
these two facts as uniformly stand to each other in the relation of
cause and effect, as they certainly do in many instances, the remedy
is suggested at once--replace the animal with "golden feet." After
devoting the best land to cultivation and the poorest to wood, we have
thousands upon thousands of acres evidently intended by the Creator
for sheep walks, because better adapted for this purpose than for any
other. An indication of Providence so unmistakable as this should not
be unheeded.

The MERINOS are perhaps the most ancient race of sheep extant. They
originated in Spain, and were for ages bred there alone. In 1765 they
were introduced into Saxony, where they were bred with care and with
special reference to increasing the fineness of the wool, little
regard being paid to other considerations. They were also taken to
France and to Silesia, and from all these sources importations have
been made into the United States. The Spanish Merino has proved the
most successful, and by skill and care in breeding has been greatly
improved, insomuch that intelligent judges are of opinion that some of
the Vermont flocks are superior to the best in Europe, both in form,
hardiness, quantity of fleece and staple. They are too well known to
require a detailed description here. Suffice it to say that they are
below rather than above medium size, possessing a good constitution,
and are thrifty, and cheaply kept. Their chief merit is as fine wooled
sheep, and as such they excel all others. As mutton sheep they are
constitutionally and anatomically deficient, being of late maturity
and great longevity, (a recommendation as fine wooled sheep,) having
too flat sides, too narrow chests, too little meat in the best parts,
and too great a percentage of offal when slaughtered. Their mutton,
however, is of fair quality when mature and well fatted. As nurses
they are inferior to many other breeds. Many careful, extensive and
protracted attempts have been made to produce a breed combining the
fleece of the Merino with the carcass of the Leicester