76 EUROPEAN SHEEP, 



for the art of manufacture, the general excellence of the 

 agriculture of the country, the adaptation of the climate for 

 perfecting the several properties of wool, and the super- 

 abundance and variety of the herbage. The conclusion is 

 natural, from the proximity to Spain, that France would 

 have availed herself of the superiority of the Merino wool, 

 and long since have become second to no country in the ex- 

 tent of its culture. The prize, however, which she could 

 so easily have possessed, through culpable neglect, has 

 passed to Germany and Austria, and now to these countries 

 is she indebted, like England, for the finest wool employed 

 in her manufactures. Justice, however, requires the state- 

 ment, that, before her bloody and exterminating Revolution, 

 measures were in progress to ameliorate the character of 

 the native sheep, by the introduction of the Merino as rapidly 

 as the government of Spain would sanction their exportation ; 

 but that terrible event overthrew this contemplated good to 

 the agriculture of the nation. The first, and only marked 

 successful effort, was the flock of Merinos, known since as 

 the Rambouillet's, which will presently be referred to. 



As has already been remarked, the most valuable wooled 

 sheep are found in the southern parts of the kingdom ; and 

 none probably surpass, form and fleece combined, those of 

 Aries, which embraces the Districts of Crau, Camarque, and 

 Le Plain du Bourg. About 250,000 are kept in these dis- 

 tricts. All these sheep are migratory, being driven from the 

 plains of Aries in the spring of the year towards the Alps 

 which divide Provence and Dauphine from Italy, and are 

 driven back in November. These migrations have continued 

 from time immemorial ; and laws have been enacted limiting 

 the road for their passage to 36 feet in breadth. The flocks 

 vary in number from 10 to 40,000 ; and to every 1000 sheep 

 three shepherds are allowed, each of whom has his dog. 

 The sheep are led by goats which are trained for the pur- 

 pose, and have bells around their necks. The discipline 

 in which these animals are kept, and the intelligence which 

 they display, is very great. They halt or proceed at the 

 direction of the shepherd ; they come to the centre at the 

 close of each day's march, and there wait in the morning 

 for the proper order, when they repair to their station at the 

 head of the troop with the greatest regularity. If they come 

 to a stream they halt until the word of command is given ; 

 and then they plunge immediately into the water, and are 



