SAXON SHEEP. 83 



of the flocks in Spain are more or less aflected by the scab, 

 those transported to Saxony had to undergo the same ordeal. 

 This, of course, heightened the prejudice of many against 

 them, who pronounced them as entirely unfit for the coun- 

 try, their meat not eatable, or at best, of a miserable descrip- 

 tion ; a notion, however, which soon exploded. The scab, 

 however, caused great ravages among them before they were 

 entirely cured of this disease. 



" When the commissioners had exercised their functions 

 ten years, the call for young rams was so great, — and in or- 

 der the more rapidly to improve the breed of the country, — 

 that they resolved to petition the government to make another 

 importation of ewes and rams from Spain, for which purpose 

 the Elector obtained another grant from the King of Spain 

 for three hundred rams and ewes. At the end of the year 

 1777, a gentleman by the name of Vaigt, manager of Count 

 Eiorsidel's farms, who was considered one of the best judges 

 of sheep at that day in Saxony, was provided with the ne- 

 cessary credentials and sent on that mission. But, for some 

 cause unknown, he selected only one hundred and ten two 

 year old rams and ewes, and returned home with them. 

 These were, however, of a very superior quality, selected from 

 the best flocks of Leon, Escurial, Cavagnon, Negretti, Mon- 

 tarco, and Sorian, and exceeded greatly in beauty of form 

 and quality of wool, the first importation. The cost of them 

 was about forty rix dollars per head. 



" With this acquisition, the commissioners then planted the 

 Merino Tree on the fruitful soil of Lohmen and Renners- 

 dorf, from whence, in conjunction with Stolpen, many pure 

 blood flocks derive their origin. And I owe it to truth to 

 remark, that I have examined private flocks equal, if not su- 

 perior, to the national flocks. 



" It would lead me too far here, to detail the introduction 

 of the Spanish and Saxony Merino into other parts of Ger- 

 many, Prussia, Austria, &c. Suffice it to say, that many 

 districts rival Saxony ; Prussia, especially, fosters her flocks, 

 not only by premiums, bestowed through her agricultural so- 

 cieties, but by that enlightened protection to domestic indus- 

 try, which so truly characterizes that government." 



The invaluable properties of pure Saxon wool, and the 

 demand consequent for its manufacture into fabrics, the fine- 

 ness of which the world has never before produced, is the 

 cause of the high value of Saxon sheep, and their spread 



