THE SOFT-WOOLLED SHEEP OF WALES. 69 



tion, being generally kept by the way to be fattened in the 

 richer pastures. Their mutton, like that of all the Sheep of 

 Wales, is excellent, and, when fat, brings a high price. 

 Many carcasses are sold in London under the name of Welsh 

 mutton, when, in truth, they are the produce of crosses of dif- 

 ferent kinds. 



The wool weighs from 1 Ib. to 2 Ib. the fleece ; it is never 

 free from hairs or kemps ; it possesses the character of long 

 wool, and is, therefore, suited for the making of flannels, 

 hose, and similar loose fabrics, rather than cloths ; never- 

 theless, all the home stuffs for country use were formerly 

 made of this and the other kinds of native wool. The Welsh 

 long preserved the simplicity of ancient manners, and manu- 

 factured their woollen stuifs at home. The cheapness of 

 mechanical labour is rapidly putting an end to this domestic 

 manufacture ; to the increase, doubtless, of the resources of 

 the country, though not perhaps to the advancement of 

 rural industry and happiness. A singular character exists 

 in the case of this race of sheep. The wool of the neck 

 tends to fall off that part of the body, and hence it is a fre- 

 quent practice to clip the wool of the neck and face before 

 winter. 



The Sheep of Anglesea are allied to this race, but, being 

 reared in a lower country, they are larger than the common 

 Sheep of the mountains. Crosses have been made from 

 time to time with the Sheep of Anglesea, but the affinity of 

 the native race with the Soft-woolled Sheep of the mountains 

 is easy to be traced, in the height behind, the low and narrow 

 forequarters, and the character of the wool. The attempts 

 to improve the old breed of Anglesea by crossing have not 

 been successful, owing, it may be believed, to the want of per- 

 severance and system ; and graziers and butchers prefer the 

 native to the mixed races. 



The Old Radnor Sheep have some characters in common 

 with the White-nosed Breed, but they are more distinctly 

 connected with the Sheep of the higher mountains. They 



