Ch. XXXIX.] 



ON WOOL. 



481 



from the breast and beneath the belly — a classification which corresponds 

 with that used in Spain, the bags from which country are separately 

 marked with the letters R. F. S., being the initials of Raftnos, prime ; Fiyios, 

 fine ; and Secufidos, seconds ; or sometimes T. for Terceras, thirds, or in- 

 ferior. Those here engaged in it, however, enumerate no less than nine 

 different sorts — some, indeed, as many as fourteen — each distinguished by 

 separate names descriptive of its quality ; the chief portions of which, as 

 well as their relative prices, were thus stated to a committee of the House 

 of Lords, in 1828, by Mr. Fison, of Thetford, so far as regards 15 tods, or 

 420 lbs. of clothing wool, grown in Norfolk in the under-mentioned years — 



Calculating the weight of the sorts produced at each of the above-named 

 periods, the result would be, tliat if our clothing wool of the year 1828 

 were equal in quality to the growth 



Of 1808, it would now produce W^d. per lb. 

 Of 1818, it would now produce IQd. , , ; 



whereas its value in 1828 was only 8-|<i per lb. : from which it appears 

 that the actual deterioration in quality, within twenty years, amounted in 

 value to three- pence per pound. 



The evidence of Messrs. Cunnington of Upavon, near Pewsey, in Wilt- 

 shire, shews nearly the same difference ; and although the tables published 

 in the report of the committee only apply to particular districts, yet they 

 corroborate the unanimous assertion of the manufacturers, that British 

 short-wool has very generally degenerated in its fineness, while, at the 

 same time, its increase of weight is shown by the account produced by 

 Mr. C. Bull, wool-stapler, of Lewes, respecting the produce of various 

 farms at different periods ; from which the following are some extracts : — 



This, were wool the main object in the management of sheep, would be 



VOL. II. 2 I 



