Merino-Ryeland Breed of Sheep. 437 



form, size, and covering may be generally delivered down to posterity through the 

 longest known periods of time. 



To these arguments, deduced from analogy, we are now able to add the un- 

 equivocal and decisive test of direct experience. We have seen above, that neither 

 a particular climate, temperature of air, nature of wholesome food, nor much 

 exercise, are essential to the production of fine wool. We have seen that the 

 Merino breed itself has been naturalized in Sweden, Denmark, Prussia, Saxony, 

 Silesia, Hungary, Austria, Hanover, Holland, England, Bayreuth, Anspach, Wir- 

 temburgh, Baden, France, Switzerland, Piedmont, the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 New Holland. This immense tract affords a range of latitude of from 59° 20' 

 north, to 34° south : and includes countries, some of which are elevated, others 

 low ; some dry, others swampy ; some open, others inclosed or woody; some rich, 

 others poor some hot, others temperate; others intensely cold. In one country 

 this breed is exposed during the whole year to the external air, and all the vicissitudes 

 of weather, and exercises itself at will. In another, it is constantly housed during 

 the night, and sheltered from every storm ; or for six or seven months of winter 

 never uses its limbs, or inhales the open air, but during a part of the middle of every 

 fine day. Even in Spain itself, many of the finest of the Merino breed never 

 travel. 



The food of this race is as various as its climate and exercise. Here it lives the 

 whole year chiefly on natural and fresh grass. There it obtains in winter the ad- 

 dition of hay. In Spain, it feeds not only on the fine herbage of the mountains, 

 but on the succulent grass of the richest meadows, and occasionally on the leaves 

 of vines and other trees, and all the variety of plants in the fallow or stubble fields. 

 In other countries it is variously fed on clover, lucerne, sainfoin, burnet, vetches, 

 succory, reeds, the leaves-of different trees, and the haulm of plants ; all sometimes 

 fresh, and at other times dried ; straw ; the fruit and husk of the horse chesnut ; 

 bran, potatoes, carrots, beet, peas, beans, grain of all kinds, and every sort of turnips 

 and cabbages. To these kinds of food, some proprietors of flocks habitually add 

 salt, and other medicaments; others use them only occasionally, and some entirely 

 omit them. 



Under this diversity of climate, soil, and treatment, than which the mind can 

 scarcely picture a greater, the Merino race of sheep has been found by experience 

 to thrive and produce wool, which is, in every respect, fully equal to the very best 



