144? Essay on Sheep. 



keepin-^. If this is to be observed of one of 

 the finest American flocks how much greater 

 will be the balance in favour of the Clermont 

 Merinoes, when they are set in opposition to 

 the sheep of the country? It is also an error 

 to suppose tliat there is little consumption of 

 fine cloth in this country. There are few 

 people in our cities who wear such cloth as 

 can be made from British wool, the finest of 

 which will not make cloth of the value of more 

 than thirteen shillings sterling per yard. The 

 first, second and third cloths are all made from 

 Merino wool of different grades of fineness* 

 Nor, if we may believe Anderson, is there any 

 cloth in which Merino and British wool are 

 mixed ; their qualities being so dissimilar, and 

 they shrink so diiferently in the pulling, that 

 they cannot be worked together. It is also a 

 mistake to suppose that, with the same materials, 

 we cannot make cloth of the same quality, and 

 at the same price, with that of Britain. We 

 now card by water, and spin with jennies; so 

 that much of the labour is saved. I have for 

 three years past been in the habit of manufac- 

 turing all the cloth necessary for my own use 

 and for the use of my very large family; and I 

 can say with certainty, that I can manufacture 

 cloth of every quality from three to ten dollars 



