24 The Shepherds' Guide. 



the breed, state the profits in wethers of each 

 kind. Suppose then a well-kept common wether 

 to yield 5 pounds of wool at 4s. per pound, the 

 amount is 20s.: and suppose the half-blooded 

 wether to yield no more (which is not doing him 

 justice) at 6s. per pound, the amount is 30s. Now 

 deduct from each 16s. for their maintenance for 

 one year, which is quite as little, if not less than 

 they will cost ; the profit on the common sheep is 

 4s. ; on the half-blood Merino 14s. ; three times 

 and the half as much. Extend this to one hun- 

 dred sheep. The 100 common wethers will yield 

 in wool a profit of ^50 ; that of the 100 half- blood- 

 ed Merinos Sl7'5. Carry this on to the 4th or 5th 

 cross, when the wool equals the best Spanish, and 

 suppose that to sell for no more than it did in 

 England in the year 1802, when there was a plen- 

 tiful market 6s. 6d. sterling, or lis. 6d. currency 

 per pound : then the conr mon wether yielding as 

 above a profit of 4s. ; the Merino will give 41s. 

 6d. Extend this to 100 sheep of each kind : 100 

 common wethers yield as above, ^50 ; the 100 

 Merinos g;508 7S, 



But again, that the field of objection may be 

 exhausted, it is asked, shall we not overstock the 

 market with fine wool ; and when we have con- 

 verted all our sheep into Merinos (if that time 

 should ever arrive) how are we to supply those 

 articles which require coarse wool ? To the first 

 question it may be answered, that in the three 



