and Extension of the Merino Breed of Sheep. 353 



" from tlie south to their summer downs, is to give them as much salt as they will 

 " eat. Every owner allows his flock of a thousand sheep, one hundred arroves, or 

 " twenty-five quintals of salt, which the flock eats in about five months ; they eat 

 " none in their journey, nor in their winter walk. The shepherd places fifty, or 

 " sixty flat stones at about five steps distance from each other; he strews salt upon 

 " each stone ; he leads the flock slowly through the stones, and every sheep eats 

 " to his liking. But then they never eat a grain of salt, when they are feeding in 

 " lime-stone land, whether it be on the grass of the downs, or on the little plants of 

 " the corn-fields after harvest-home. The shepherd must not suffer them to stay 

 " too long without salt. He leads them into a spot of clayey soil, and in a 

 " quarter of an hour's feeding, they march to the stones, and devour the salt. If they 

 " meet a spot of the mixed soil, which often happens, they eat salt in proportion."* 

 Now if we suppose the quintal, or hundred weight, to be that of Cadiz, which is to 

 the English as 109 to 105, and allow 150 days for the whole period of feeding 

 with salt, the quantity consumed by each sheep per diem, will be 1 2 1:^ grains; 

 which is ii|; grains more than a quarter of an ounce avordupois. This quantity 

 is not much more than one-third of that stated by Lasteyrie ; but, as far as one 

 may be permitted to judge from the analogy of the human race, seems to be a very 

 ample allowance. 



It is generally believed in Spain, that the salt contributes not only to the health 

 of the animal, but to the weight and fineness of the fleece. 



Soon after the shearing of the Merino sheep, another important operation takes 

 place, which is that of sorting the wool. This among the Spaniards, as with us, is 

 a distinct business, to which it is required that the workmen serve an apprentice- 

 ship of five years. 



The wool is divided into four parts. The first, which is called by the Spaniards 

 Floreta, or Refina, and by the French Laine-mere, is taken from the flanks, the back 

 as far as to the tail, the shoulders, and sides of the neck. The second, or Fina, com- 

 prises the wool of the top of the neck, the haunches, as far as the line of the belly, 

 and the belly itself. The third, Tercera, is that of the jaws, the throat, the breast, 

 the fore thighs to the knees, and the hinder thighs from the line of the belly, down 

 to the hocks. The fourth, or Cahidas, is that below the hocks, between tlie thigh', 

 the tail, the buttocks, the pole, and behind the ears ; and all that which shakes out 



• Annual Register, 1764, 

 VOL, V. Z Z 



