354 Dr. Parry's Essay on the Nature, Produce, Origin, 



of the fleece in shearing, or in washing. In the drawing which I annex from 

 Lasteyrie, the parts of the sheep which furnish the wool of these respective 

 qualities, are included within the corresponding lines, and indicated by the figures, 

 1, 2, 3, and 4. 



— s\ V 





A set of bags, containing the whole of the three first sorts of a certain number 

 of fleeces, is called Pila, or a pile ; and each bag is marked with the initial of the 

 name, which expresses the quality of its contained wool, R. F. or T. The profit 

 arising from the sale of the fourth sort, or cahidas, which is marked C. or K. is 

 allotted for the consolation of souls in purgatory ; an end, to which no great aid is 

 contributed by the merchants of England. 



It was many years ago supposed that in a pile of Spanish wool, the proportion of 

 the three principal parts was R. 15 parts, F. 4. and T. 1. Even in this case the fleece 

 must have been sorted more coarsely, than is expressed in the foregoing drawing. 

 Of late years, as the wool has risen in price, the quantity of the finer sorts has 

 been increased, and their quality proportionably deteriorated, by the admixture of 

 those of a lower value. '1 his is well known to our manufacturers, and venders of 

 superfine cloths. Part of what should be Fina is mixed with Refina, and the Ter- 

 cera probably borrows of the Cahidas. Hence, as I have stated in my account of 

 imported Spanish Wool, in 20 parts of wool the R. now forms from 16 to 17, the 

 F. from 2^ to 3^, and the T. from -f- to i|-. It is a very favourable division to the 

 buyer when, in 20 parts, the R makes 16, the F 2- and the T ij. It is even pro- 

 bable that the weight of the sheep's wool is at this time augmented by the addition 

 of part of that of the lambs, in spite of the prohibition of that practice by law in the 

 provinces of Leon and Segovia. Perhaps, too, none of the sorts are without a 



I 



