OR KOCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 146 



which contains a variety of different kinds suitable 

 to the fabrication of articles very dissimilar in their 

 nature, and requires much care to distribute them in 

 their proper order. The fleece under consideration 

 is wholly fine. That on the fore part of the skin 

 has all the apparent qualities of fine wool. On the 

 back part it very much resembles cotton. The whole 

 fleece is much mixed with hairs ; and, on those parts 

 where the hairs are long and pendant, there is al* 

 most no wool. 



" The wool, if separated from the hairs, would, 

 I think, be adapted for the finest purposes of manu- 

 facture. But, in its present state, it could not be so 

 applied, though many of the hairs would fly off in the 

 manufacturing processes. It is, however, highly pro- 

 bable, that, by a careful selection of breeding stock, 

 the hairs might, in a great measure, or perhaps entire- 

 ly, disappear in the course of a very few generations. 

 It has always been observed, that where sheep have 

 been neglected, their wool has been comparatively 

 soarse ; and wherever they have been properly treat- 

 ed, arid due advantage taken of the accidental finei 

 varieties, the quality of their wool has been propor- 

 tionally ameliorated. Indeed, the improvement in 

 the qualities of the wool has uniformly been marked 

 as keeping pace with the progress of arts and civili- 

 zation. I am therefore of opinion, that the wool of 

 tne Rocky Mountain shoep would soon become a 

 great acquisition to the manufacturers of this country, 

 were the animal which yields it to experience the 



K 



