and Extension of the Merino Breed of Sheep, 419 



At the beginning of the French revolution, the Rambouillct flock was placed 

 under the direction of an agricultural committee, consisting of Messrs. Bertholct, 

 I'Heritier, Cels, Vilmorin, Dubois, Gilbert, Huzard, Panncntier, and Rougicr- 

 Labergerie; to whom was afterwards added M. Tessier. To the last of these 

 gentlemen, in conjunction with M. Huzard, has of late devolved the office, at first 

 executed by Gilbert, of presenting to the Class of Les Sciences, &c. of the National 

 Institute an annual report of the state of this (lock. M. Lasteyrie has given ex- 

 tracts from these reports from the years 5 to 10 (1797 to 1802) inclusive. From 

 these it appears, that, in 1797, the average weight of the fleeces in the yolk was 3 

 kilogrammes, 3 hectogrammes, or about 71b. 8-fOZ. English, without reckoning that 

 of the bellies and tail*; that the average price of the fleeces as above, was 4s. 2d. 

 that of the rams 2I. 19s, 2d. and of the ewes, 4I. gs. 2d. ; and that the greatest price 

 of any sheep was 81. 5s. 



In the report of the same flock, for the year 1802, of which but few particulars 

 are given by Lasteyrie, it is said that the medium weight of the fleeces of full-grown 

 nursing ewes of all ages, was 3 kilogrammes, 680 grammes, or about 81b. 70Z. 

 English ; that of the ewes of 3 years old, which had not had lambs, 4 kilogrammes, 

 284 grammes, or about gib. 130Z. each; of the 2-tooth ewes, not shorn when 

 lambs, 4 kilogrammes, 606 grammes, or about io-|-lb. each; of the' rams of 3 or 4 

 years old, 5 kilogrammes, 975 grammes, or about iilb. s^oz. each. The medium 

 weight of the fleeces of 84 rams and wethers, and of 219 ewes, in all 303 fleeces, 

 was 4 kilogrammes, 557 grammes, or lolb. 70Z. English. The weight of some of 

 the rams' fleeces was nearly 8 kilogrammes, or i81b. 57OZ. each. Notwithstanding 

 this astonishing weight, it is said not to have included that of the belly, legs, and 

 head of the sheep, which weighed, on the average of each animal, 366 gramme»i 

 or nearly 13^ ounces. The wool of this flock appears, from these reports, to waste, 

 all parts included^ more than -f- in scouring ; and the superiority of weight of the 

 fleeces in the year 10, is partly attributed to their having been then imbued with an 

 unusual quantity of yolk. Each fleece sold, on an average, at the increased price 

 of about il. 3s. 4d. sterling. 



Of the sheep disposed of at the public sale in that year, 59 were rams, and 07 

 ewes. The lowest price of a ram was 13I. 2s. 6d, and the highest 26I. 5s. The 

 lowest price of an ew6 was 7I. 13s. 4d. and the highest 14I. 17s. 6d. 



In order to aflPord the means of judging of the improvement of this flock, both 



3H 2 



