4 1 8 Dr. Parry's Essay on the Nature, Produce, Origin, 



v'ith the ewes forty days, and are then formed into a separate flock. The former 

 are not used till their third year; the latter in their second. The ewes yean in 

 December. They are seldom folded, except in the mountains ; experience having 

 shewn that their dung in the house is more profitable, provided they are supplied 

 •with a proper quantity of straw. When the earth is covered with snow, or the 

 pastures fail, they are fed in the house with nothing but the best lattermath hay. 

 Each lamb sucks only its own dam. They lie apart at the end of forty days from 

 their birth ; but are not weaned till some time before they go to the mountains. 



There is no country in Europe which, of late years, has taken so much laudable 

 pains in cultivating the Merino breed of sheep as France. 



From a French work, entitled " La nouvelle maison rustique," published at the 

 beginning of the last century, it appears that Spanish sheep had, at various times, 

 been imported into France, even at that early period. 



Tlie first person, however, who paid any systematic attention to the improve- 

 ment of the wools of that country, by this method, was Daubenton ; who, about the 

 year 1776, obtained a part of the 200 Merinos, which were imported by M. Tru- 

 daine, intendant of the finances. This flock of Daubenton, which was originally 

 situated at Montbar, is now at Tanlay, in the possession of M. Thevenin; and, 

 together with the descendants of 40, procured at the same time by Barben^ois, and 

 now at Villegongis, is all which now remains of the importation of M, Trudaine. 

 The wool is of the very first quality; but the sheep at Villegongis, in consequence 

 of want of food, are said to have degenerated in point of size and form. 



In the year 1786, according to Lasteyrie, or in 1785, according to Bourgoing, 

 who asserts that they were obtained ^irough his mediation, 367 Merino sheep were 

 presented by the King of Spain to Louis the Sixteenth* During their journey, 60 

 died ; and within a few weeks after their arrival at Rambouillet, 35 ewes and 60 

 lambs fell a sacrifice to a febrile disease, accompanied with pustules, and which, 

 as I have before remarked, is unknown, I believe, in England, called by the 

 French Claveau, Clavelce, and sometimes Pourriture. 



These sheep, having been chosen for their form and fineness of fleece from 

 various Spanish flocks, differed extremely as to their size and shape ; but, being 

 properly associated after their arrival in France, produced a race unlike any of the 

 original breeds, but equal to the best of them in mould and fineness of wool ; and, 

 as will hereafter appear, superior in weight of carcase and of fleece. 



