ON WOOL. 277 



descriptions ; and he gives the following tables of imports 

 and exports : 



Imports. Exports. 



lb. lb. 



England 238,820,852 94,911,916 



France 167,422,200 25,711,412 



Belgium 147,092,128 66,543,920 



Germany 90,000,000 25,000,000 



Austria 21,680,900 16,392,700 



Netherlands 16,991,972 13,906,260 



Russia 2,648,700 28,558,577 



North America 62,202,714 12,067,689 



The above table indicates the importance of the wool manu- 

 facture in this country, and suggests the advantage of more 

 attention in the growth and preparation of wool than usually 

 prevails. It must, however, be borne in mind that climate and 

 soil have much to do with results, and that no amount of care 

 <3an compensate for naturally unfavourable conditions. Mr. 

 William Brown appends to his little book on " British Sheep 

 Farming " a map exhibiting the general distribution of prevail- 

 ing breeds, which is particularly interesting as illustrating the 

 influence of soil and climate. Experience has abundantly 

 proved these facts. The peculiar lustre of the Lincolns, due to 

 the habit of growth of the wool, is lost or greatly lessened when 

 the sheep are cultivated out of their district or on less congenial 

 soil. The Leicesters on particular soils also exhibit the same 

 -character. Certain tracts of land are noted for the superior 

 quality of the wool. Thus wool grown in the Eipon and Thirsk 

 district, in Yorkshire, always makes Is. to 2s. sl stone more than 

 that from other parts. Whether this is due to the soil entirely, 

 or to the combined influence of soil and climate, is a point 

 worthy of investigation. Lord Cathcart introduces a note from 

 a practical farmer of the locality, who refers to the dry healthy 

 nature of the soil, a fine loam resting on porous substrata of red 

 sandstone and freestone. This insures dry healthy lair, whilst 

 the fine quality of the land produces nourishing crops. 

 Although limestone soils are for many reasons peculiarly suited 

 for rearing sheep, there is a tendency to harshness of wool 

 which renders them less valuable for wool growing than good 

 clays or gravels. Again, the quality of the water in which the 

 sheep are washed has also an influence. The softer the water 



