SHEEP AND WOOL. 203 



improbable ; nature seems to have ordered it other- 

 wise, and all the efforts of breeders seem on this point 

 to have been unavailing. The more constitutionally 

 delicate the animal, and the less able to endure hard- 

 ships it is, the finer and more silky appears to be the 

 texture of the wool ; and while the interest of the 

 farmer dem.ands hardiness of constitution and weight 

 of carcass, the interest of the manufacturer is the re- 

 verse. Give him the finer qualities of wool, and car- 

 cass and constitution are with him secondary con- 

 siderations ; and, however much it may be regretted, 

 it is clear that the interests of the wool-grower and 

 those of the manufacturer are- on these points not 

 perfectly identical. 



All things considered — the prices and demand for 

 wool ; the ease and chances of rearing ; the weight 

 of carcass and the value of the mutton — it would 

 seem that medium qualities of wool, such as expe- 

 rience shows can be grown on heavy, strong-consti- 

 tutioned animals. Merinos or otherwise, will be the 

 most profitable for ordinary farmers, leaving the 

 finer kinds to those who are able to devote their 

 time and attention more fully to their flocks. With- 

 out more care and more expense in the manage- 

 ment of their flocks than farmers are usually able to 

 afford, the finest qualities of wool cannot be pro- 

 duced -, and for almost every purpose, good, strong- 

 fibred wool is preferable to weak, inferior wool, 

 nominally of a higher grade. 



The quality, strength, and softness of the vvool are 

 m.uch influenced by the condition and health of the 

 animal, and by the treatment it receives while grow- 

 ing. The chief care of the farmer should be directed 

 to the health and good condition of his flock, as, if he 

 is safe on these points, he has not much to fear on 

 any other. To improv^ the wool as well as to 

 guard against disease, the best wool-growers of Eu- 

 rope have adopted the practice of salving the sheep, as 

 it is called. It is well known that some sheep, and 



