186 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



England led to a cessation of commercial inter- 

 course with that power in.1808 and 1809. The at- 

 tention of the country being now directed towards 

 manufacturing and wool growing, the Merino rose 

 into importance. So great, indeed, was the interest 

 excited, that from a thousand to fourteen hundred 

 dollars a head was paid for them. Other and nu- 

 merous importations soon followed ; and, unfortu- 

 nately, some of the cargoes arrived in the worst con- 

 dition, bringing with them those scourges of the 

 ovine race, the scab and foot-rot. These evils and 

 the increased supply soon brought them down to 

 less than a twentieth part of their former price, so 

 that they could be bought for $20 a head. When, 

 however, it was established, by actual experiment, 

 that their wool did not deteriorate in this country, as 

 had been feared by many, and that they became 

 readily acclimated, they again rose into favour. But 

 the prostration of our manufactories, which soon 

 after ensued, rendered the Merino again compara- 

 tively of little value, and brought ruin on numbers 

 who had purchased them at their previous high 

 prices. The rise which has since taken place in the 

 value of fine wool, as well as the causes which led 

 to it, are too recent and well understood to require 

 particular notice. With the rise of wool, the valu- 

 ation of the sheep which bear it has of course kept 

 pace. 



The Merino has been variously described. This 

 arises from the fact that it is the gqperal appella- 

 tion of a species, comprising several varieties, pre- 

 senting essential points of difference in size, form, 

 and in quality and quantity of wool. The Escurial 

 flocks stand first in point of fineness. Attached to 

 the convent El Escorted, within a. short distance of 

 the capital, and being the private property of the 

 kings of Spain, no pains or care have been spared 

 upon these beautiful flocks. They are of a good 

 size and fine form, "combining excellence," as is 



