20 The Shepherds' Guide. 



subject confirm these general observations. Lord 

 Somerville adds, that we arrive sooner or later at 

 the fineness of the ram's fleece^ according as that 

 of the ewe is more or less fine ; that when that is 

 close in textm*e, the mixed breed produces a great- 

 er quantity of wool than the dam ; and that in 

 all cases the fourth, or at most the fifth cross, gives 

 wool of equal fineness to that of the sire : that 

 this great improvement will be accelerated, by 

 choosing rams of the finest and best fleeces, never 

 allowing them to propagate until they have ar- 

 rived at their full growth, or near three years of 

 age, by coupling them with ewes of qualities as 

 much as possible resembling their own, by sepa- 

 rating the strong from the weak, by giving good 

 food, and allowing plenty of air and exercise. 



Dr. Parry, of the Bath Agricultural Society, 

 has brought his mixed flock of Merino Ryelands 

 to so great a degree of perfection both as to shape 

 and wool, that he has declined any farther use of 

 the Merino ram ; which he is persuaded cannot 

 improve his wool, and may injure the shape of 

 his sheep. He adds, that in his Merino Ryelands, 

 the quantity of the wool as it respects the dam, is 

 equally increased as the quality is improved ; the 

 Ryeland sheep yielding about 2 lbs. the Merino 

 Ryelands of the 2d and 3d crosses yielding from 

 4| lbs. to 5 lbs. That the proportion of fine wool is 

 more equally spread over the animal, and bears 

 a much greater proportion to the coarse wool 



