OR, A TREATISE ON PILE. 139 
as the Lamb is dropt, it is clothed with a coarse linen garment calculated to keep a gentle 
but constant pressure on the wool. Warm water is also poured over it every day. By 
these simple means the softness, sleekness, and beautiful waves of the fleece of the new- 
born Lamb, are preserved. By paying attention to these directions, hundreds—we might 
say thousands, of Lamb skins, which are now almost valueless, might be disposed of for 
prices higher than the carcasses command. 
There are also some varieties of Dog skins, among the hundreds of those animals that 
we are obliged annually to destroy, that might be tanned with the hair on, and which 
would sell for very high prices. It is confidently believed, that their extirpation might be 
converted from a charge to a source of profit. 
We will here add, that it is from the skin of the Wild Ass that the grained leather, 
called chagrin, is manufactured; and we respectfully suggest to the ingenious American 
manufacturers, that the skin of the Wild Horse of our prairies* might be appropriated to 
the same purposes with equal advantages. 
Of the uses of Wool.—Wool is used for felts for the manufacture of hats, and for the 
manufacture of cloth. 
Of the Wool of Sheep.—Of all animals the Sheep furnishes the most valuable wool, (as 
will be shown in the next Chapter upon the raising and breeding of Sheep;) consequently 
the raising and breeding of Sheep has, in all countries and in all ages, been encouraged. 
Anciently, the great wealth of kings and princes consisted of Sheep and Goats. 
“And Mesha, king of Moab, was a sheep-master, and rendered unto the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams, 
with the wool.” (2 Kings, iii: 4.) 
And even in modern times we read that a clan of Turks, near Aleppo, were seen by 
Chardin, who had 3,000,000 of Sheep and Goats. 
In the kingdom of Saxony they raise an immense number of Sheep, bearing fine wool ; 
their woollen manufactories employ 25,000 people, besides which a large quantity of wool 
and a considerable number of breeding Sheep are annually sold and exported. 
In the United States every man, woman and child, should, during the winter season, 
wear flannel next the skin; and those who follow occupations which cause them to per- 
spire freely, had better wear it during the summer likewise. 
The following valuable advice is from a late French work :— 
“ Vétements.—L’usage des vétements de laine est nécessaire a tous en hiver, du moins 
pour la partié supérieure du corps; et méme, pendant l’été, Vhomme que sa profession 
oblige de travailler dans les lieux humide et a des courants d’air, ne devra pas porter du 
vétements légers et surtout s’en dépouiller lorsqu’il sera en suer. 
“Les bas de laine détermine vers les jambes un afflux de sang trop considérable; a 
moins que leur usage ne soit réclaimé par des conditions de santé particuliére, on doit le 
rejeter dams la jeunesse et l’dge mtir; mais c’est une ressource précieuse dans la vieil- 
lesse; car alors il faut surtout empécher le sang de se porter vers la téte, et d’ailleurs les 
vieillards ne sauraient étre trop chaudement vétus. 
* And perhaps of our Mules. 
35 
