hy the Spanish Mixture, 24 i 



No. 4, above specified. From this impregnation sprung the 

 rams Nos. 6, 7, and 8, already referred to, and my finest- 

 woolled ewes. In 1802, I ignorantly hoped to improve mjr 

 wool by one dip more of the Spaniard. Accordingly, one 

 hundred of my best ewes were served by three pure Merinos. 

 The consequence was, that the entire produce was con- 

 siderably coarser than that of the former generation. The 

 fleece. No. 9, is that of a ram, and is the very finest of this 

 whole dip. The society need not be informed how much 

 inferior it is to Nos. 6 and 1 . 



What comparison the produce of these mixed rams with 

 unmixed Enp^lish ewes will bear with those descended from 



O 



pure English ewes crossed with the pure Merino, I cannot 

 from my own experience demonstrate. All however which 

 I know tends to prove them in no respect inferior; and I 

 have the evidence of a breeder of South-Down sheep in 

 Surry, whose letter to me I am ready to produce, if required, 

 and who has this year employed these rams to upwards of 

 six hundred ewes, to show that their lambs, both in wool 

 and carcase, are superior to those from pure Merinos. I 

 need not point out to the society the important consequences 

 which result from this fact. 



III. From mixed rams of this breed, sheep may be ob- 

 tained having wool at least equal in fineness to the best 

 which can be procured from Spain. 



In order to ascertain this point, I request the committee 

 to examine Nos. 10, 11, 12, and 13, scoured specimens of 

 Spanish wool. 



No. 10 is of the N. E. or nigrette pile, for which a ma- 

 nufacturer in a neighbouring county, deservedly of the 

 highest reputation, lately gave, in the unsecured state, 

 6s. gd. per lb. This specimen is peculiarly interesting, be- 

 cause it is from that Spanish flock which furnished the Me- 

 rino sheep now in possession of the King., and from which 

 are descended most of our mixed races. 



No. 1 1, is the Tores Paular, a pile of great note. 



No. 12, is from the Imperial jrile. 



No. 13, the finest of all, is the Lastiri pile ; for which, 

 unsecured, the gentleman who favoured me wi;h this speci- 



0^2 men 



