Merino-Ry eland Breed of Sheep. 481 



sheep as the stock of 2-5- acres. Now as the sheep kept on this land are usually of a 

 small kind, bearing coarse wool, we cannot reckon the washed fleece at more than 

 ijlbs. in weight, at is. per pound; or 77c?. the acre annually. On the other hand 

 a Merino-Ryeland, on such land, will give 4 lb. of wool in the yolk ; worth, as 

 above stated, 155. or 6s. per acre. In this comparison, every thing relative to fat- 

 ting is totally out of the question ; and, as it may be fairly presumed that the growth 

 of the two animals cannot be very dissimilar, the return from the Merino-Ryeland 

 breed, on this land, will be almost 10 times as great as from the sheep with which 

 they are usually depastured. If we apply the same reasoning to better land, as of 

 15s. per acre, the result will still be highly favourable. It cannot be unreasonable 

 to suppose, that if 3 South Downs can be kept on an acre of such land, so also 

 may 3 Merino-Ryelands. The wool produce of the latter, in this instance, will 

 be full 15 lb. ; which, at 3s, gd. per lb., as above, will make ^6s. ^d. ; a return, 

 which, I presume, is greater in proportion to the rack rent, than that of any other 

 breed of sheep, wool and carcase taken together, in this island. On the other 

 hand, the wool produce of 3 South Downs will not exceed, when washed, 10 lb. 

 at 2S. 2d. per lb. or 21s. 8d. ; leaving a difference in favour of the former, from 

 the wool only, of 34s. yd. per acre. Against this superiority in point of wool 

 nothing can be advanced on the side of the South Downs, but an equal superiority 

 in respect of carcase. In order to effect this, the South Downs must, during the 

 same time, put on as much more flesh than the Merino-Ryelands, as, at 8d. per lb. 

 shall weigh 51 lb. 14 oz. or 17 lb. 4-3- oz. each. No one, who has seen the progress 

 of the two breeds, will, for a moment, admit this difference of fattening in favour of 

 the latter. 



In this last calculation, the comparison is made as on three animals of the same 

 weight, living on the same quantity of food. But my wool estimate of the South 

 Down is taken from an animal weighing, according to Mr. Young, from 1 20 to 1 25 lb. 

 whereas no Merino-Ryeland ewe of my breed has exceeded 85 or 90 lb. of live 

 weight. Now as the latter is capable of living at least as hardly as the former, we 

 might allow one sheep more to the acre. This will appear when we consider that 

 120 X 3 = 90 X 4- Let us, however, allow onlyhalf a sheep per acre of the Me- 

 rino-Ryeland more than of the South Down, and this will increase the wool pro- 

 duce of my sheep per acre to 65s. y^d, leaving a difference of 43s. itfd. in 



VOL. V. 30 



