179** improvement of Jheep and wool. ij 



tvould be an easy matter at the same time to remark' 

 its effect on the health and vigour of the animal, as 

 well as the effect that any variation of climate had in 

 promoting or retarding its fattening, its generating' 

 talloiu, the sweetneft of the fiefh produced, and o- 

 ther particulars. 

 X. ^be effect of fooA. in altering the fnenefs and other 



qualities of wool. 



On this head opinions vary still more than in res-, 

 pect to climate. Many persons believe, and afsert, in 

 the most decisive tone, that rich pastures, turnip, and 

 other succulent food, tends irresistibly to debase the 

 quality of the wool, and, in particular, to render it of a 

 much cocrjf/- filament than the same fheep wouldother- 

 wise have produced. Of course they infer that it is 

 vain ever to hope to rear fine wool in the improved 

 fields pf Britain, and that, if we wiih to have as fine 

 wool as formerly, we must break down our inclosures, 

 and convert the rich pastures into barren heaths once 

 more. Others, on the contrary, maintain, and among 

 this clafs I would rank myselt, that it is only in rich 

 pastures that wool of the best quality can ever be ob- 

 tained, and that fine pastures do not (independent of 

 other circumstances) render the wool either coarser 

 Dx finer in the filament, than it otherwise would have 

 been. Without changing the finenefs of the filament, 

 I think there is good reason to believe that abun- 

 dance of rich and succulent food renders the wool 

 softer, stronger, tougher, and probably somewhat 

 longer also, than it would have been on barer pastures. 

 JJolong, however, as these opposite opinions Ihall 

 jreet upon particular, observations of individuals only, 



