AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM, -X^I 



pn, but will not open or deteriorate the pile ; that it has, 

 without question, ameliorated the quality, and, what is 

 of more importance, has added considerably to the 

 quantity of our native short wool fleeces, whilst, at the 

 same time, the proof or aptitude to fatten has increased 

 rather than diminished. Supposing, then, that no great 

 improvement in the, shape should be obtained, it becomes 

 to any man simply a question between his eye and 

 his pocket; if he must have beauty, and that, too, of 

 an unwieldy description, let him have it ; but if he pre- 

 fers profit, which is supposed to be the more substantial 

 acquisition of the two, he knows where it may be found. 

 A trite but wis^ adage says," Handsome is, that handr 

 some does." 



He was a hold man, who first ventured to introduce 

 among us an Alderney cow ; and he must hav had an 

 eye stcdfastly fixed on this adage for consoj^cion ; yet 

 the event has justified his hardiness. Just so with these 

 Merino sheep ; but, as other breeds have beffi improved, 

 so by careful selection may these; for the foundation, 

 good wool, and good and early proof, are n *t deficient. 



This race of sheep has retained aJl its «^uahty of pile 

 in Saxony, as well as in Sweden and De;imark, where 

 it has been spreading for 50 years past j in proof of 

 which, 200 bags of Merino wool, spour^d and sorted, 

 were importedsome years ago into this jopntry, by one 

 person, and the whole of it sold at tha primest price of 

 Spanish wool : when manufactured int^ cloth, it worked 

 up as well, as it looked in sample. The exertions of 

 M. Lastcyrie, in his late work (Ilistoii^ de I'introduction 

 dcs Moutons a laine fine d' Espagne, dans les divers 

 Etats de 1' Europe, et au Cap de Bonne Esperance) must 

 not pass unnoticed ; his knowledge lias obviously been 

 obtained in the she^p-fold, and the fljicncy and correcf- 

 Jiess with which he details the various diseases of sheep, 

 and their remedies, declai'e him to possess a shepherd's 

 knowledge of a flock. 



In his commencement of the ^subject, he expresses 

 ^imself thus : " The ditlerent govc 'nments of Europe hj^ci 



