OF FARM CATTLE. 127 



Charras. The Leonese and the Sorian winter in 

 Estramadura, and are never parked or housed, ex- 

 cepting for fifteen days of each year, at the Esqui- 

 leos, or shearing houses, near Segovia. After this 

 operation, their march to the mountains begins in 

 two columns ; the one to old Castile and the king- 

 dom of Leon, the other to the province of Soria, 

 and, subsequently, to Navarre or the Pyrenees. 

 The preference of the Leonese to the Sorian is suf- 

 ficiently established by the fact that the wool of the 

 former sells for one fourth, and sometimes for one 

 third more than that of the latter. But even in this 

 pre-eminent race there is a marked difference be- 

 tween the different troops composing it ; those of 

 the late Prince of Peace, of Nigretta, of Montaco, 

 of Peralez, of Fernando Nunez, and of I'lnfantado, 

 are particularly distinguished by the fineness, and 

 what, in technical language, is called the nerve of 

 their wool.* 



The policy of Great Britain was early directed to 

 the amelioration of sheep. It is, however, to Hen- 

 ry VIII. and to Elizabeth that the praise is partic- 

 ularly due of importing into England sheep of the 

 finest Spanish races ; of promulgating rules and reg- 

 ulations for their proper management ; and, lastly, of 

 commencing that prohibitory system, which has se- 

 cured their continuance, and, what is of still greater 

 importance, the exclusive fabrication of the wool they 

 produce. It was not, however, in the power of laws 

 entirely to abrogate, or even materially to alter, the 

 effect of climate. That of England did not so much 

 favour the production of fine as of long wool, and 

 hence it is that the wool of that country is not so 

 remarkable for the former as for the latter of these 

 qualities. But in all cases, when our object is to 

 unite the two great products of wool and flesh, it is 

 to the English breeds we should look for the best 



* The Saxon sheep of the Merino family were not known to 

 us when this treatise was written. J. B. 



