His Majestifs Flock of Spanish Sheep. Q99 



Among those who have most distinguished themselves in 

 eeconding the noble views of his majesty, in introducing 

 and extending the breed of these sheep, are to be named, 

 lord Somerville; Dr, Parry, of Bath $ Mr. Bridge, of Win- 

 ford Eagle; Mr. Ridgeway, of Upperton; Mr. Toilet, of 

 Gloucestershire; and the Bath Agricultural Society; while 

 Mr. John Maitland, of Basinghall-street ; Mr. Laycock, 

 of the Borough; and Mr. Edrige, of Chippenham, have 

 done themselves great honour in their endeavours to pro- 

 mote the sale and manufacture of English Merino wool. 

 Mr. Gibblet, of Bond -street, and Mr. King, of Newgate- 

 market, are also -deserving of great praise for their exertions 

 in removing the prejudice which was generally entertained 

 against Spanish mutton, en the first introduction of the 

 Merinos into this country. 



Mr. Toilet possesses a ram, bred from a ram and ewe 

 "sold to him from the royal flock in 1801, which in ^June 

 last yielded ll^lb. of wool of the very first quality. The 

 same care and attention which have been for some years past 

 paid to the improvement of other breeds of sheep in this 

 kingdom, by breeding constantly from the most perfect ani- 

 mals in the flock ra preference to others, have succeeded in 

 the carcases of several of the royal Merino flock; and as 

 Sir Joseph Banks, in a late address to the public, observes, 

 — Ff give a justifiable hope, that by a due selection of rams, 

 and a correct judgment in matching them, Merino sheep 

 will in time he produced, with carcases perfectly fashion- 

 able, and wool as perfectly fine." The same address, after" 

 noticing that the demand for his majesty's Merino sheep 

 increases prodigiously, particularly in Gloucestershire, thus 

 introduces the notice of the present sale from his majesty's 

 flock: " As speculation on the value of Spanish sheep is 

 evidently on the increase, and a reasonable probability now 

 appears that his majesty's patriotic exertions in introducing 

 the breed, will at least be duly appreciated and properly un- 

 derstood; it would be palpably unjust, should the views of 

 those who wish to derive fair advantage from the sale of the 

 progeny of Spanish sheep, purchased by them from the 

 royal stock, be ya. future -impeded by a continuation of the 

 sale of the king's sheep, a-t prices below their real value." 



This circumstance having been stated to the king, his 

 majesty was graciouly pleased to permit the rams and ewes 

 that are to be parted with from the royal Merino flock this 

 year, to be sold by auction, in the same manner as is done 

 at Woburn by his grace the duke of Bedford, and at Hoik- 

 ham by Mr. Coke, on the presumption of this being the 



?L 4 most 



