THE PRACTICAL SHEPHERD. 



CHAPTER I. 

 FINE-WOOLED BEEEDS OP SHEEP, 



THE SPANISH, FRENCH, SAXON AND SILESIAN MERINOS. 



THE SPANISH MERINO. From a period anterior to the 

 Christian era, fine-wooled Sheep abounded in Spain, and they 

 were, or gradually ripened into, a breed distinct in its 

 characteristics from all other breeds in the world. It was, 

 however, divided into provincial varieties which exhibited 

 considerable differences ; and these were subdivided into great 

 permanent cabanas or flocks which being kept distinct from 

 each other and subjected to special courses of breeding, 

 assumed the character of separate families varying somewhat, 

 but in a lesser degree, from each other. 



The first division recognized in Spain was into Transhu- 

 mantes or traveling flocks and Estantes or stationary flocks. 

 The first were regarded as the most valuable and were 

 owned by the king and some of the principal nobles and 

 clergy. They were pastured in winter on the plains of 

 Southern Spain, and driven in spring (commencing the 

 journey in April,) to the fresh green herbage of the mountains 

 in Northern Spain. They began their return early in October. 

 The route, each way, averaged about four hundre'4 miles and 

 was completed in six weeks. Through inclosed regions and 

 where the feed was scarce, they often traveled from fifteen to 

 twenty miles a day. The lambs were dropped early in 

 January. Nearly half of them, and sometimes in seasons of 

 bad pasturage, three-fourths of them were destroyed as soon 

 as yeaned, and those which were preserved were usually 

 suckled by two ewes. This was intended for the benefit of 



