• " Some Circumstances relative to Merino Sheep, 247 

 halting on some swampy district, in their journey from the 

 mountains to the sea at Gijon, where they were embarked, 

 as one sheep died rotten at Portsmouth ; there is every rea- 

 son however to hope, that the disease will not spread, as the 

 land on which thev are now kept has never been subject to 

 its ravages, being of a very light and sandy texture. 



It is well worthy of observation, that although the 

 Swedes, 4jie Saxons, the Danes, the Prussians, the Au- 

 strians, and of late the French, have, either by the fore- 

 sight of their governments, or the patriotic exertions of in- 

 dividuals, imported Merino sheep, no nation has hitherto 

 ventured to assert, that they possess the complete and un- 

 mixed race of any one Cavafia; this circumstance does not 

 appear to have been attended to any where but in England ; 

 though in fact, each Cavana is a separate and distinct breed 

 of sheep, not suffered by the Spaniards to mingle with 

 others. The difference In value of the wool of different 

 Spanish flocks is very great ; at this time, when Spanish 

 wool is unusually dear, the prima piles are worth more than 

 7-s. a pound, and yet the inferior ones scarce reach 5s.* 

 Even the French, attentive as that nation is to all things 

 that concern the interest of individuals, appear to have over- 

 looked this circumstance, and to have contented themselves 

 with making up the numbers of their importations, without 

 paying any regard to it 5 they have not at least stated in any 

 of their publications, that attention was paid to the securing 

 sheep eff a prima pile, and keeping the breed of that pile 

 pure and unmixed after they had obtained it. 



Our merchants in Spanish wool range the prima piles in 

 the following order of value, as appears by a statement in 

 the year 1792. 



Paular. 



Negrete. 



Muro. 



Patrimonio ; and 15 more not necessary to be enumerated. 

 M. Las.tey.ric, the French writer on sheep, ranges them not 

 yery differently ; he .states them as follows : but both En- 



* Since this was written, Spanish wools have risen to an exorbitant price. 

 Prima Leonesa is this week rated in the Fanner's Journal at 20s. a pound, 

 and Seville at 13s. 6d. 



Q 4 g ]i * h 



