$0 ^he Shepherds' Guide. 



highly vaUied ; and which of late, since it has been 

 better understood, and more justly appreciated 

 than formerly, has given a decided preference in 

 the market to some native English v/ools which 

 possess it ; and to cloths manufactured from 

 them, over wools of superior fineness which do not# 

 This superior degree of softness in some kinds of 

 English wool, he attributes to the practice of 

 salving and greasing ; and assures us, that from 

 this circumstance, some of the fine wools of 

 Northumberland and Yorkshire have acquired it, 

 in a superior degree to any ungreased wools in 

 England : so that cloths made from gi'eased 

 Northumberland wool had been sold as cloths 

 made from good Spanish wool. That they equal- 

 led them in texture and softness, and surpass- 

 ed cloths made of ungreased wool, equally fine, 

 by at least thirty per cent. He adds, that this 

 practice not only renders v/ool softer, but actually 

 finer ; observing that the line of distinction made 

 by the stain of the ointment, (in which tar is 

 generally an ingredient) being very perceptible, 

 affords an opportunity to compare the bottom, to 

 which the ointment had been applied, with the 

 top, which had grown before its application, and 

 that the bottom is found to be not only softer^ 

 but actually finer. 



Other good effects of this practice are, that it 

 preserves the wool, as well as the sheep, from the 

 injurious eflfects of heat, and cold and wet j that 



