Essay on Sheep, 67 



rounded by shepherds and their dogs, to pre- 

 vent their trespassing upon the crops, which 

 have no other protection : they must, of course, 

 be kept in such close order as never to be with- 

 out the atmosphere of each other's breath. What 

 wonder then is it that our sheep are subject to 

 few or none of the diseases that so frequently 

 diminish the flocks of Europe? It is true that 

 Spain may be considered as forming an excep- 

 tion to what I have said ; not because of any 

 natural advantage that she enjoys, other than in 

 having made a happy selection of her flocks ; 

 but because the whole agriculture of the 

 country has in some sort been sacrificed to the 

 maintenance of their sheep, as I have already 

 stated in the preceding chapter. The price of 

 wool also in this country is, in proportion to the 

 quality, higher than in any part of Europe, 

 while the value of land is much lower. The 

 interest then of the farmer with us unites with 

 his patriotism in calling his attention to the im- 

 provement of his flock. In doing this, the first 

 object must be to adapt his breed to his soil and 

 situation. If he lives in the vicinity of a great 

 city, whose wealthy inhabitants will be less 

 mindful of the value and the price than of the 

 rarity of an object, let him adapt his flock to 

 the demand that their taste, their whims, or 



