THE MERINO BREED. 141 



wool is of all tlie fineness required ; and in other countries of 

 Europe, where the Sheep are never moved off the farms that 

 produce them, wool is produced superior to that of the migra- 

 tory flocks of Spain. But the system is of great antiquity, 

 and is so riveted in the habits of this ignorant and intractable 

 people, that it is likely to be one of the last of those ancient 

 abuses which will yield to the desire of change, which at this 

 moment agitates the feelings of men in this distracted country. 

 The Spaniards long preserved the monopoly of this race 

 of Sheep with jealous care ; but other countries at length 

 were able to carry off the Golden Fleece of Spain, and the 

 Merino race is now spread over a great part of Europe. It 

 has been carried to North America, to the southern extre- 

 mity of Africa, and to the boundless plains of New Holland, 

 in all of which places it has been found to retain, with, won- 

 derful constancy, the characters which had been imprinted 

 on it in its native pastures, and in certain cases to surpass in 

 useful properties that of the parent stock. The first country, 

 it is believed, which acquired the pure Merinos, was Sweden. 

 In 1723, M. Alstroemer, a spirited and patriotic individual, 

 was enabled to import a small flock of pure Merinos. In 

 1793, the Swedish Government entered with zeal into the 

 plan, established an agricultural school under the superin- 

 tendence of M. Alstroemer, and used every means to extend 

 the breed. The measures adopted succeeded, to the degree 

 of diminishing the importation of short wool, and increasing 

 the manufacture of the finer cloths ; and, after the lapse of 

 more than a century, the stranger race produces wool nearly 

 as soft and fine as at its first importation. The Sheep are 

 housed during the six months of winter, and generally during 

 the nights in summer ; and it is by means of this artificial 

 treatment that the wool preserves its original properties. 

 The ewes are between two and three years old before they 

 are suffered to breed, and seven years old before they are 

 fattened for the butcher. They are far inferior in hardiness 



