and Extension of the Merino Breed of Sheep. 35 



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mixture of the wool of those sheep which have died of disease before the time of 

 shearing. 



As soon as the wool is sorted, it is reduced, by washing in hot water, to the state 

 in which it is usually imported into this country. This process being very impor- 

 tant to the interests of the grower of fine wool in England, I shall relate it at large 

 hereafter, with such improvements as have been made in it by the superior energy 

 and chemical knowledge of the French. 



In the process of washing, the wool of the rams, wethers, and ewes is indiscri- 

 minately mixed; but, as I have before observed, that of the two former bears a 

 small proportion to that of the latter. I have already specified the reduction of 

 weight which the wool suffers by washing. After it is thoroughly dried, it is put 

 into bags, each of which is marked not only with the first letter of the sort, but with 

 certain letters, or anagrams, expressive of the flock from which the wool was derived. 

 These bags contain each about two hundred weight of wool. 



The wool of the lamb is supposed in Spain to be too short and weak to be made 

 into cloth by itself; and, when not clandestinely mixed with that of the sheep, is 

 usually reserved for the manufacture of hats. That part of it which is imported 

 into England is, I believe, employed in various other useful fabrics. 



Of the five millions of Merino sheep which I have described, about one-tenth 

 part are said to be Estantes, or stationary. From the concurrent testimony of 

 Bourgoing and Lasteyrie, who were, probably, eye-witnesses of what they relate, 

 it appears that, although there is in Spain, as in England, a prepossession in favour 

 of the effect of travelling on the wool, which the great proprietors have obviously 

 their interest in encouraging, several of these stationary flocks yield fleeces equal 

 in excellence to the best of the Trashumantes. Thus in Estremadura, and even 

 Segovia, there are flocks which never travel, and the wool of which in no respect 

 differs from that of the other sort. In one part of the country, which exports an- 

 nually 20,000 arrobas of fine wool, nearly one-third is furnished by the stationary 

 sheep. 



The diseases to which the Merino breed is chiefly subject, in Spain, are, the 

 scab, in French la Gale ; giddiness, in French la Tournie, le Tournoi, or le Tour- 

 noiement ; le Lourd, or la Lourderie ; and an eruptive mfectious disease, like the 

 small-pox, fortunately unknown in England, and for which, therefore, we have 

 no name. The French call it le Claveau, la Clavelee, and sometimes even la 



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