[289] 



inals furnishing the richest fleeces, and corresponding better with the de- 

 sire of foreigners, who came to Rambouillet to seek reproducing animals. 

 It was especially since 1P67 that the improvement of the flock has realized 

 marked progress with regard to production of wool, and a return to their 

 primitive aptitude to live exclusively on pasture and to support intemper- 

 ate conditions, and the privations resulting from dry seasons and the nat- 

 ural aridity of pasturage. 



IN 1878. 



18. The weight of the bucks with their wool was 159.06 pounds. 



19. That of the ewes with their AVOO! was 115.17 pounds. 



20. The bucks give annually a fleece of 16.7 pounds. 



21. The ewes annually give of wool 11.04 pounds. 



22. The fibre from the bucks had a length of 2.6 inches ; the crimp of 

 the wool had 39.26 undulations per inch, and the diameter was 1-1076 

 inch. 



For the e wes the length of fibre was 2.33 inches ; the crimp had 45.76 

 undulations per inch, and the diameter was 1-1245 inch. 



23. A Merino for countries where the production of wool is the princi- 

 pal end in view should have folds rather numerous than large about the 

 neck, one fold of horse-shoe form about the tail and a few only on the 

 body. If some countries reject animals with folds, it is said to be because 

 of the scab which occurs there, the seeds of which find lodgment and ul- 

 cers which form between them. 



24. In France there exists an erroneous desire to secure very plump 

 Merinos, without folds, which on this account are very exacting. Euro- 

 pean countries ordinarily attach importance to large Merinos having a 

 moderate number of these folds. The Cape of Good Hope seeks good form 

 and few or no folds. The same is true of Australia. South America de- 

 mands folds above all, and prefers animals of average form, and the same 

 is true for North America. I generally find that it is wrong to prefer a 

 large animal to a small one. Merinos being destined to live upon pastur- 

 age, if they have a reduced form they are more easily arid more surely 

 satisfied in the countries to which they are transported. If its develop- 

 ment is inferior as compared with the richness of the pasture it will find 

 in abundance, it will enlarge, will naturally progress, will be profitable, 

 and will be exposed to no miscalculation ; while if, on the other hand, 

 those of too large form be chosen they will be exposed to the chances of in- 

 ability of being satisfied by the resources at their disposition, they will de- 

 cline, be subject to dangers, give place to deception and be a cause of loss. 

 I submit in principle that upon a given extent of pasturage it is impossi- 

 ble to maintain quite as great a weight of animal by adopting subjects of 

 small form, as in taking the large types, and no one can contest that small 

 Merinos in larger number, making together the same weight ag the larger 

 ones, will furnish more of wool each year and less of losses. 



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