238 JMonoii- on the Wool and Slieep 



gratioft, instead oi" being hurtful, contribvitc to the health nf 

 the flocks, as well as to whiten and soften the wool. By 

 these means also the wool acquires a silky texture, and at 

 the sarae time it is whitened bv the rays of the sun. Our 

 shepherds, glavcs to their prejudices, and deaf to the coun- 

 sels of the wise Daubcnton, are always apprehensive of ex- 

 treme cold : what ought to render them easy in this respect 

 is, that the floeks in Caehemire are inclosed in pens during 

 tile whole winter, and on mounts Athos and Olympus 

 amidst frost and snow. 1 cannot help mentioning die latter 

 instance 3 it is sufficient to convince even the most incredu- 

 lous. 



What I have said proves that the Cachemirians follow at 

 all seasons that salutarv method of penning, which allows 

 the cliniale to have its full influence, so beneficial to the 

 health of the flocks, and necessary to improve the fleeces, 

 and maintain the beauty of the race. 



But one particular care of the shepherds of this province, 

 as v.lU as of Thibet and Boutan, who possess the same 

 breed of sheep, but which we do not observe, is to prefer a 

 lamb of the second birth for a breeding ran). It has been 

 proved to them bv constant experience, that the rams of this 

 b/irlli are almost alwavs stronger andv more beautiful than 

 those of the tirst, and even of any other. By following thi.-^ 

 practice thev have been able to maintain and improve their 

 breed. It is to this care, and that of not crossing the breed, 

 apracticc followi.-d bv the i\rahs, who never mix the breeds 

 of their beautiful horses which they call the noble breeds, 

 that thev are indebted for the extraordinary fine white silky 

 wool, v>hieh geiicrally, from the nape of the neck to the 

 flanks, is from twenty to twenty-two inches in length : but 

 it m.ay readily be conceived that the wools on the flanks and 

 lower parts of the body cannot be equally long. Every 

 where tiie wool, howe\ er^ of these animals is at least five 

 or six inches, and equal in length. This wool, in fineness 

 and w.hitcuttss, exceeds tliat of the'jNIerinos, and that even 

 of the slieep of the Algerinc states, and of Angouri, a 

 town in Turkey inAsil, which we call Angola. This as- 

 sertion is pro\ed l;v what 1 have already observed in regard 

 to shawls. 



Salt, the use of which has for some time past been in- 

 troduced iimong us, mixed v\ilh a root called commonly in 

 Europe Indian saftVon, and which in botany is denoted by 

 the name of c/nri/ma, terra nicrita, given at diflerent periods, 

 more or less distant, according to the season, the quality of 

 the pastures, and tluU of the herbs they produce, — less fre- 

 quently 



