21G 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[No. 4. 



nience; and the greatest attention is paid to secure 

 these privileges. By thus removing them at the 

 different seasons from north to south, and back- 

 again, they are kept in a nearly equal temperature 

 and it probably is to that advantage that the supe- 

 riority of the wool of the Trashum ante (locks is to 

 be attributed; that from those which remain sta- 

 tionary, being far inferior; as a proof of which, 

 the Ca^eres, or Estremaduran wool, grown in one 

 of the central provinces, commands little more than 

 half the price of the Leonesa. It must, however, 

 be admitted that, in Spain, it is a disputed point 

 whether the travelling flocks are really benefited 

 by the equality of climate thus obtained; some 

 stationary flocks in the province of Segovia being 

 said to produce as fine wool as any of the Trashu- 

 mante. 



If the supposition that (he change of pasture 

 be correct, it must follow that these sheep, when 

 exposed to the variable climate of this country, 

 will necessarily change the quality of their fleece; 

 upon which, climate, is known to have the greatest 

 influence. It may, indeed, be said, that the change 

 might even then be advantageous; tor a certain 

 degree of cold is rather favorable than otherwise 

 to the growth of fine wool; and its improvement in 

 Saxony, into which country the Spanish breeds 

 were introduced about half a century ago, might 

 be adduced as an instance in point. But in Ger- 

 many, these sheep are regularly housed during the 

 winler; they are also kept, during that season, on 

 dry fodder, which may be supposed to have a ma- 

 terial effect on the fleece, for the Spanish sheep 

 are kept on bare, and generally burnt up, pasture, 

 without ever tasting artificial flood; and our finest 

 woolled flocks are maintained on the scanty her- 

 bage of the downs. 



In France — where the royal flock of Rambouil- 

 let, picked from the best in Spain, was introduced 

 in 1785* — the sheep suffered greatly by the cold 

 until housed; and although the Merino breed has 

 been since naturalized in that country, and still re- 



*By a treaty made between France and Spain, during 

 the French Revolution, 5000 ewes and 500 rams, of the 

 best Spanish breeds, were placed at the disposal of the 

 French Government. 



tains the fineness of the texture of the wool, yet 

 it looses in softness and in strength of staple. 



The Trash umante flocks have existed from a 

 very early period in Spain. There is an ancient 

 tradition that the original stock was obtained from 

 this country; but it has not been traced to any au- 

 thentic source.* In the sixteenth century they 

 were calculated at. seven millions; but their num- 

 bers have since much diminished, and they are 

 now supposed not to exceed five. 



The chief flocks are those of Paular, which be- 

 long to a richly endowed monastery of that name 

 in Segovia; — of Negreiti, the property of the 

 Marquess of Campo d'Alange; — of the JEscurial, 

 formerly belonging to the crown; and those owned 

 by the Duke de l'Infantado, the Marquesses 

 d'Iranda and Perales, and Count San Rafael; each 

 of which consists of from 40,000 to 60,000, and 

 the average weight, of the fleece is estimated at 

 51bs.t 



The total export of Spain formerly amounted to 

 about 32,000 bags, of 25b lbs. each; but this is daily 

 diminishing, in consequence of the rapid increase 

 of the German fine, wools, and of the great depre- 

 ciation of prices in this country. But little is con- 

 sumed in the manufactures of Spain, especially 

 since the revolution, which put a stop to the great 

 royal manufactory of Guadalaxara. An attempt 

 was, indeed, recently made to re-establish those 

 magnificent works, through the medium of a public 

 company formed in London; but, like most of such 

 projects, it failed. It is, however, not improbable 

 that the present extremely low prices of wool, in 

 Spain, will induce the Spaniards to manufacture 

 for themselves: if not, the Trashumante flocks will 

 decrease, for the fleece being the sole, object of 

 that system, it. will be no longer worth pursuing; if 

 the wool should continue, as at present, a mere 

 drug in their markets; and it has, besides, been 

 long considered as prejudicial to the real interests 

 of the kingdom, by its retaining immense tracts of 

 land in the southern provinces in comparatively 

 unprofitable pasture. 



* See, on this subject, Pennant's British Zoology. 

 + Bourgoing: Tableau de l,Espagne Moderne, Vol. I. 

 Ch. III. This estimate is, however, higher than the 

 .usual average. 



