CHARACTERISTICS OF MERINOS IN SPAIN 5 



Spain's Monopoly Broken. There came a time when Spain's 

 wool monopoly was broken and her sheep industry went into a 

 period of decadence. Early in the nineteenth century Napoleon 

 invaded Spain and overthrew the government. In connection with 

 this conquest he seized large numbers of Merino sheep and shipped 

 them to other countries where they added new chapters to the history 

 of sheep raising. A few years later Spain tried hard to regain her 



FIG, 2. The heavy dark lines and the lighter double lines indicate the ancient routes 

 over which travelling flocks were driven in Spain. The black areas indicate the pastures 

 on which these sheep were grazed. (From "Annales de Geographic," 1910.) 



former place as a great sheep country, but Napoleon's act really 

 marked the beginning of her steady decline as a producer of 

 Merinos. 



Characteristics of Merinos in Spain. Mention should be 

 made of three characteristics of Merino sheep in Spain that have 

 had an important influence upon their subsequent history: first, 

 the production of very fine wool ; second, the hardiness of the mature 



