The Shepherds' Guide. 39 



ion by an acknowledged fact ; that after an open 

 winter, whtn the large flocks of sheep that are fed 

 on the downs and open pastures of England can 

 get plenty of food, they are always found to yield 

 a larger quantity of wool, and at the same time 

 universally, of a coarser quality. 



But as Mr. Shepherd stands alone in this opin- 

 ion,^ in opposition to the experience of almost 

 every other breeder ; allow^ing the fact to be true, 

 we must suppose some deception has misled his 

 judgment in his conclusion : and Dr. Parry has 

 clearly pointed out whkt that is. The Doctor al- 

 lows that the wool of the same individual sheep 

 will be always comparatively fine or coarse, as he is 

 at one time poor and lean from want of food, or 

 disease ; and at another in high order and fat, from 

 good health and high feeding : so that the fineness 

 of a sheep's fleece of any given breed, will within 

 certain limits be found to be inversely as its fat- 

 ness. But this is always a matter of comparison 

 between the fleece of the same sheep at one time 

 and another ; according to his state of health and 

 degree of fatness : and a very different circum- 

 stance from a change in the natural constitution 

 oftheanimal producing a permanent depreciation 

 of his own wool, and in that of his race. It is 

 likewise acknowledged on all sides, that wool 

 which is fine, in consequence of low keep, or ill 

 health, is always unequal in the pile, and deficient 

 in proof or strength. Good thriving store order, 



C2 



