278 ^^^ MAJESTY S FINE WOOLED SPANISH SHEEP. 



manufadlured It was made into cloth by Mr. Edridge, a manufa6lurer of 

 into doth J Chippenham, whofe Ikill and refpe6tability in his line is ex- 

 ceeded by no man. He infpeded its quality with the moil 

 ' minute exaiSinefs, and with an eye more inclined to expert 



fymptoms of degeneration than of improvement, during the 

 whole of the numerous proceflTes to which wool is fubjeded in 

 the making of broad cloth, and he found that in every one of 

 them it anfwered to his complete fatisfadion. 



The cloth made from this wool proved (o excellent in its kind, 

 that the King was gracioufly pleafed, at the defire of Mr. 

 Maitland and Mr. Edridge, to permit thefe gentlemen to 

 explain, in his Majefty's prefence, its qualities and pecu» 

 liarities. 

 tif which famples Samples of this cloth may now be feen in Mr. Maitland's 

 niaybefeen. vvaiehoufe in Bafinghall-ftreet ; and it will be found, in con- 

 verfing with Mr. Maitland and his partners, that in their opi- 

 nion the R.^s of his Majefty's wool, confidered as a pile, are 

 inferior to but few of the beft of thofe imported from Spain, 

 though it is probable that no pile in Spain throws out fo fmall 

 The wool has a proportion of F.s and T.s. From this opinion it may fairly 

 improved. j^^ deduced, that his Majefty's wool has improved fince the 



flieep were imported from Spain; indeed there is every reafon 

 to believe that it is ftill improving, and will in a very few years 

 equal if not excel the very beft piles that have hitherto been 

 imported into this kmgdom. 

 Improvement of Mr. Toilet, a gentleman of Gloucefterdiire, who has pur- 

 MeHnTfh'c^n^ chafed Merino flieep both from the King and from Lord 

 by Mr. lolet, Somerville, has been very fuccefsful in improving the carcafe 

 '^'"^^.°""= tf ' without damaging the wool ; he pofTeflTes a ram, .bred from a 

 wool. ° ram and a ewe both pnrchafed from the royal flock in 1801 ; 



which, when clipped in June lafl:, yielded 11 lbs, 12 oz. of 

 unwafhed wool. The carcafe of this Hieep was then eftimated 

 by good judges at 16 lbs. a quarter, and it was admitted to be 

 a handfome fheep. 



For this animal Mr. Toilet has refufed an offer of 200 gui- 

 neas, or of 100 for the next feafon's ufe of him ; he alfo re- 

 fufed 30 guineas each for the fire and the dam, though old and! 

 infirm, being unwilling to part with animals which had belonged 

 to the royal flock ; he however fold their ram lamb of the latl 

 year for 30 guineas, and thus made fome progrefs in afccr- 

 taining the value of this important breed, 



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