AtiRlCULTURAL MUSEUM loS 



j^car (1800) ; eight ewes, whose fleeces were of two 

 years growth, gave from sixteen to twenty pounds each. 

 It appeared from these different experiitients, that Meri- 

 no wool, of two years growth, will double its length, and 

 will preserve all its fine quality ; it was not observed that 

 the sheep subjected to this experiment, suffered particu- 

 larly from heat, or that their health was in any degree ia- 

 jured. 



It is possible that this property of the Merino fleect, 

 to grow beyond the period usual in our breed of shcep^ 

 may be productive of some new manufacture ; where 

 great length and fine quality of pile is requisite; but the 

 hazard of the blovv-fly, and the chance of losing, in 

 hedges and brakfes, any part of a fleece, after ii is once ilt 

 for a manufacture, will not allow of this practice becom- 

 ing general, admitting even that the sheep suffer nothing 

 in their proof during the summer months from the weight 

 of the fleece, which, in a large scale of practice, is impro- 

 bable, and that the wool should be found to pay as well 

 for growing to this length, as it would when shorn in 

 common course ; but we have taken the liberty of noti- 

 cing a circumstance so novel to us, because diir English 

 breeds are all supposed to cast their fleeces at a certain 

 season of the year, if not shorn, with exception to lambs, 

 which hold their fleeces — (this is quoted by many as an 

 argument against shearing lambs) ; because (he fact has 

 also been doubted by some of the best informed and li- 

 beral amongst us, not supposing the reporters of Ram- 

 bouillet meant to deceive, but that some mistake must 

 have been made. A sample of this wool is now in Eng- 

 land j I have carelaliy examined it, and can bear testimo- 

 ny to the fact. 



The Duke of Bedford, who left Paris at the moment 

 when hostilities were about to commence, consequently 

 the latest, as well as one of the most correct judges of 

 the matter, dcciares that he carefully examined the Me- 

 rino Sheepat Rambouillet, and that he found them of a 

 size he was unprepared to expect, and that s'ill the woo 

 presQBTved its original purity. Samples of tlic vvopl taken 



