PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 147 



wild forms which are found in that Continent. The fleece 

 of the wild sheep is composed of hair with wool at its 

 roots. But in the domestic species, by continued care 

 and selection, the hair has been reduced to a minimum, so 

 that wool is the only coat. In Great Britain the breeds 

 of domestic sheep are very numerous, and have been 

 greatly improved of late, and have been brought by 

 judicious breeding to a high state of perfection in the 

 valuable qualities of early maturity, aptness to fatten, 

 smallness of bone, and gentleness of disposition. And 

 the length of the wool and its quantity has been improved 

 till a single fleece will now generally weigh from 5 or 6 to 

 12 lbs., the latter being, of course, an unusual weight. 



As flesh- producers in a barren country, sheep are much 

 more valuable than horned cattle. They mature more 

 rapidly, and are reproductive in less than two years, so 

 that in many parts of the world it is possible to obtain a 

 larger quantity of flesh from poor pasturages with sheep 

 than with any other domesticated animal. But the chief 

 contribution of the sheep towards civilization is in provid- 

 ing material for warm clothing for men inhabiting cold 

 countries. Before the domestication of sheep, men who 

 were exposed to severe winters dressed in the skins of 

 wild beasts, but such garments were rough, uncleanly, and 

 not always procurable in sufficient quantities. But by the 

 introduction of sheep, which can. be shorn year by year, 

 abundance of wool is obtained, which, when made into 

 cloth, forms the strongest and warmest clothing that can 

 be devised ; and if we consider only such an item as cloth 

 for the uniforms of our army, navy, and police we shall 

 see how much we depend upon the sheep for our modern 

 costume. 



Did time permit, I might go on to point out how the 

 goat has contributed to civilization by its milk and flesh 

 and by providing material for tents ; the ass and mule, 



