Merino-Ryelancl Breed of Sbeep. 443 



eighth of the fleeces in the yolk, having been taken from them at the time of shearing, 

 Mr. Naish thought the wool would serve without farther sorting. The whole 

 was, therefore, scoured together, and from the produce, weighing 19^ lb. only lib. 

 2 oz. were afterwards taken out. At least six-sevenths of the fleeces having been 

 thus employed, the casimir was rendered much coarser than if a proper separation 

 had been made of the inferior parts of the wool. Notwithstanding this unfortunate 

 error, it will readily be acknowledged that this casimir is superior to that usually 

 sold from Spanish wool. I may add, that it was wholly composed of ram's 

 fleeces. 



The proportion of the Refina wool to that of the coarser sorts varies in different 

 sheep of this Merino-Ryeland breed, It certainly is, at least, equal to that of the 

 pure race. In a piece of blue cloth manufactured for me, in the year 1804, by Mr. 

 Naish, the proportions of the wool in the yolk were as follows :— 



lb. oz. 

 Refina, • 84 o 



Fina, 15 8 



Tercera, ■ 5 8 



Cahidas, ■ 1 12 



Loss, o 2 



106 14 



In this case the R. F. and T. being 1051b. the R. and T., which were 21 lb., 

 made exactly one-fifth of the three put together; which is certainly less than the 

 old proportion, and even of the present, in Spanish wool, deteriorated as it is by a 

 grosser method of sorting, and probably by various admixtures. It must farther be 

 observed, that this proportion is taken from my wool in the yolk ; whereas the Spa- 

 nish is estimated in the state of wool of commerce, in which it has been washed 

 in hot water. When the wool above specified was scoured, the whole weight of the 

 R. F. and T. was 5i|;lb. ; of which the R. was 421b. and the F. and T. gi\h. 

 Now 9|-lb. multiplied by 5, would give only 48^1b. ; which is less by 31b. than 

 the actual quandty, and proportionably diminishes the coarser parts of the fleece, 

 reducing them considerably below that of the Merino breed in Spain. In 

 diis computation no notice is taken of the K. or Cahidas: neither has it been 



3 L 2 



