and ExiensiOfi of the Merino Breed of Sheep. 4 1 1 



of them only is suffered to suck her, and the other is put to a she-goat. It is said 

 that the milk of this animal is peculiarly nourishing to weak and sick lambs ; for 

 ■which purpose goats are kept in some flocks. 



The sheep are washed before shearing in running water, two successive days ; 

 on the morning of the first day, and on the morning and noon of the second. They 

 are suffered to dry for two days, and are shorn on the third. The time of shearing 

 is the beginning of May. When the skin is accidentally cut, the wound is rubbed 

 with sheep's dung, or with a mixture of linseed oil and resin. Both practices are 

 probably intended to guard against the fly. 



Saxony no longer imports Spanish wool. It is supposed to contain between 90 

 and 100 thousand fine-wooUed sheep; each producing, on an average, 2|:lb. of 

 washed wool ; altogether 247,5001b. or upwards of 1031 packs of 2401b. each. 

 At least half of this quantity is sent from the Leipsic fairs to various parts of 

 Europe. 



A good deal of this wool has of late been imported into England. Till the 

 present year, it came in a very foul and rough state, being probably, as Lasteyrie 

 says, not sorted, as in Spain, but only freed from that part which was soiled by the 

 excrements. Hence it wasted in scouring from five to six pounds in twenty. This 

 year, however, it has come much more nicely sorted, neatly packed, and washed in 

 some improved method. It is now generally agreed by the manufacturers who 

 have tried this wool, that it makes cloth superior in softness and fineness to any 

 which can be obtained from the very best Spanish piles. 



The Merino breed of sheep was first introduced into Prussia by M. Finck ; 

 who began, in 1768, with buying rams and ewes from Saxony, and afterwards, in 

 the year 1779, imported three rams and 20 ewes of that race direcdy from Spain. 

 The fleeces of this flock have preserved to this day their original fineness. 



In the year 1786, Frederic the Second also procured from Spain 100 rams and 

 200 ewes. For want of due care, the greater part of these royal sheep died, or 

 have left degenerate issue. Some flocks, however, derived from this stock, still 

 remain, and preserve all the original excellence of the fleece. 



M. Finck, though he has carefully maintained the pure race, employed his rams 

 chiefly for the purpose of improving the native breeds. His flocks are three 

 leagues from Halle, and consist of sheep, which are somewhat smaller than the 

 unmixed Merinos, but are altogether equaV to them in beauty and fineness of wool. 



3G2 



