448 



improve the breed of the country, — that they resolved to petition the 

 government to make another importation of ewes and rams from Spain, 

 for which purpose the Elector obtained another grant from the King of 

 Spain for three hundred rams and ewes. At the end of the year 1777, 

 a gendeman by the name of Vaigt, manager of Count Eiorsidel's farms, 

 who was considered one of the best judges of sheep at that day in Sax- 

 ony, was provided with the necessary credentials and sent on that mis- 

 sion. But, for some cause unknown, he selected only one hundred 

 and ten two-year old rams and ewes, and returned home with them. 

 These were, however, of a very superior quality, selected from the 

 best flocks of Leon, Escurial, Cavagnon, Negretti, Montarco and So- 

 rian, and exceeded greatly in beauty of form and quality of wool, the 

 first importation. The cost of them was about forty rix dollars per 

 head. 



With this acquisition, the commissioners then planted the Merino 

 Tree on the fruitful soil of Lohmen and Rennersdorf, from whence, in 

 conjunction with Stolpen, many pure-blood flocks derive their origin. 

 And 1 owe it to truth to remark, that I have examined private flocks 

 equal, if not superior, to the national flocks. 



It would lead me too far here, to detail the introduction of the Span- 

 ish and Saxony Merino, into other parts of Germany, Prussia, Austria, 

 &c. Suffice it to say, that many districts rival Saxony ; Prussia, es- 

 pecially, fosters her flocks, not only by premiums bestowed through 

 her agricultural societies, but by that enlightened protection to domes- 

 tic industry, which so truly characterizes that government. 



It may perhaps be supposed, that as these kinds of sheep are great- 

 ly increasing in number, they would depreciate in value. This how- 

 ever is not the case ; for the prices at which they have been selling for 

 the last twenty years, far exceed those of any period previous. So 

 highly are they esteemed in Europe, that they have been trans- 

 ported to almost every corner where sheep can be raised to advantage ; 

 — they have been transported to Russia, and some of her possessions in 

 Asia, to New South Wales, and my Leipsic correspondent informs me, 

 that in October and November last (1836), six hundred rams and ewes 

 were exported to Buenos Ayres ; and but a kw years since, old Spain, 

 the mother country, from whence the fine sheep in Germany date 

 their origin, has imported bucks from Saxony for the improvement of 

 her flocks. The exportation of wool is very great, the amount in 

 1835 to Great Britain alone, was 24,000,000 pounds, and considerable 



