SPANISH MEKINO.] 



SHEEP, 



[SAXON MERINO. 



which are made by the Saltatise." Eroin all 

 these testimonies, it may safely be concluded 

 that Spain has long been celebrated for its 

 wools, for which it, no doubt, owes something 

 to climate, as well as to the constant care, and 

 the admirable management in the feeding and 

 breeding of the flocks. This once famous 

 country, however, has fallen from her high 

 estate in the scale of nations. She no longer 

 conquers, but succumbs ; whilst her cloth 

 manufactures have almost ceased to exist. 



There are other breeds of sheep in Spain, 

 besides the Merinos, more or less intermixed 

 with them ; but of the pure race, it is calculated 

 that there are about ten millions, which, ex- 

 cepting, perhaps, the flocks of Leon and Estre- 

 raadura, are migratory, and termed transhu- 

 mantes, being periodically conducted from one 

 part of the country to another, and back again. 

 These translmmantes are divided into flocks, 

 which, under the care of a mayoral or chief 

 shepherd, and assistants, migrate from the 

 mountains of the north to the plains of the 

 south in winter, and return to the moun- 

 tains in summer. The flocks follow the shep- 

 herds, who lead the way, and direct the length 

 and speed of the journey. A few wethers, 

 perfectly tamed, tread in the footsteps of the 

 conductor, and the rest follow in due order. 

 Al powerful breed of dogs accompany the shep- 

 herds, in order to defend the flock from wolves ; 

 and a few mules carry their provision and other 

 necessaries, as well as materials for making up 

 the fold at night. 



This migratory system is regulated by a 

 tribunal termed Mesta, which is of such long 

 standing as to be traced back to the middle of 

 the fourteenth century, at which period definite 

 laws with respect to it were enacted. These 

 enjoined, that persons were not to travel along 

 the course of the route pursued by the flocks 

 while tlie sheep were in motion ; they also 

 established a right to graze on all the open 

 and common laud that lay in the way; and, 

 moreover, assigned a path, ninety yards wide, 

 through all the inclosed and cultivated country. 

 The jouriiey taken by the Merino flocks is 

 upwards of four hundred miles, which they 

 accomplish in six or seven weeks, and the 

 same time is spent in retracing the route; so 

 that, in every year, about fourteen weeks (or 

 nearly a quarter) are spent in these toilsome 



7oa 



journeys. Popular prejudice, in Spain, attri- 

 butes the superiority of the Merino wool to this 

 practice — a practice injurious to the agricul- 

 turists, through whose corn-lands and vine- 

 yards the flocks pass, and injurious to the 

 keepers of stationary sheep ; inasmuch as the 

 common and pasture lands are completelj'- 

 eaten bare by the multitudes that slowly pass 

 over them ; while wilfully, or through careless- 

 ness, serious damage is done to farms, planta- 

 tions, fields, and vineyards, for which no redress 

 can be obtained. It is, however, much to be 

 doubted whether the Merino wool owes its 

 superiority, as is asserted by the Spaniards, to 

 this system. The stationary Merinos in Leon 

 and Estremadura, produce wool equal in quality 

 to that of the migratory flocks ; and these are 

 again exceeded by some of the German 

 Merinos, which never travel. Thus it would 

 appear that the advantages of the Mesta sys- 

 tem have been overrated ; while the evils result- 

 ing to the flocks from fatigue, and the injury 

 done to the lands in their course, have been 

 treated with indifierence. 



THE SAXON MERINO SHEEP. 

 This is the same breed as the preceding,, 

 difiering from it only in accordance with the- 

 difierent management adopted in its rearing 

 and tending. It is not very migratory, and 

 it receives far more attention than the Spanish, 

 Merino. The flocks are clothed and sheltered, 

 and furnished with covered buildings provided 

 especially for them ; and, like the horse of the 

 Arab, are esteemed as nothing less than 

 members of the shepherd's family. In summer 

 they are depastured in the open air during the 

 day; but when night comes on, they are either 

 clothed or driven into their sheds. This is a 

 very ancient practice. In the days of Columella, 

 the Tarentine sheep were covered with skins, 

 and denominated " soft ;" but whether the 

 terra is meant to apply to their wool or their 

 constitutions, appears uncertain. In a modern 

 sense, we should think it was meant to desig- 

 nate the latter. Columella says that tlieae 

 animals were principally reared in the house ; 

 that great care was necessary to be bestowed 

 upon them in regard to warmtli, food, and 

 cleanliness ; and that, in his time, a similar 

 practice was pursued in Spain, and adopted by 

 the Eomans who settled in the north of G-auL 



