Essay on Sheep, 6\ 



^* finest in the world, and has excited the praise 

 "•^ and astonishment of all who have seen it. To 

 " recapitulate the various opinions given of its 

 " merits is unnecessary. It only remains to be 

 *^ judged in Europe, whither a specimen has 

 " been sent, to determine its value when com- 

 '' pared with the famous Merino, hitherto the 

 ** unrivalled material in the woollen manufac- 

 ** ture. The Smith's Island is a great deal 

 '^ longer than the Spanish, being in full growth 

 *' from five to nine inches in length, and in 

 *' some instances more. In quantity it is also 

 ** vastly superior, as the sheep yield twice as 

 " much, and in some instances more. And, 

 " lastly, the size and figure of the animal ad- 

 " mits of no comparison, being highly in favour 

 " of the Smith's Island. The only remaining 

 " question Is the texture. If the Merino is 

 " finer in grain, the Smith's Island is so fine as 

 ^* to answer every purpose to which the other 

 " can be appropriated, and so much larger in 

 " quantity as to yield a better profit lo the bree- 

 " ders. No cloth which the Merino manufac- 

 '' tures will be disgraced by the introduction of 

 "the Smith's Island; and many fabricks ma- 

 *' nufactured by the one at a great price, can be 

 *' manufactured of the Smith's Island at much 

 " less. The Smith's Island is as white as snow, 



