78 EUROPEAN SHEEP. 



superfine wools obtained in France from the pure breed, 

 were worked into cloths in every respect as good as those 

 from the refina or prima wool of the best breeds in Spain. 

 The wool produced from the mixed breed, after the fourth or 

 fifth cross, when made into cloth, was equal to that manu- 

 factured from superfine wool. 



" In order to perfect the undertaking, a publication on the 

 treatment of sheep was drawn up by M. Gilbert, under the 

 patronage of government; a practical school for shepherds 

 was instituted at Rambouillet, and two other depots for 

 Merino sheep were established, one at Pompadour, and 

 another at Perpignan, at the foot of the Pyrenees. ^ 



" These statements would seem to be highly encourag 

 ing; but so systematically had the sheep been neglected in 

 France, and so inveterate were the prejudices of agriculturists 

 generally, that when an account was taken of the number of 

 sheep in France, in 1811, 25 years after the establishment 

 of the flock at Rambouillet, there were thirty millions of 

 the native breeds, and only two hundred thousand pure 

 Merinos. 



" At the sale of Merinos at Rambouillet in 1834, the 

 average price of the ram was 328 francs, and the greatest 

 sum given for the best 510 francs. The average price of 

 the ewe had sunk to 108 francs, and the highest price of the 

 best was only 210 francs."* 



Mr. Trimmer, an English writer, has stated the following 

 concerning the Rambouillet flock, which he visited in 1827 : 



" The sheep in size are certainly the largest pure Merinos 

 I have ever seen. The wool is of various qualities, many 

 sheep carrying very fine fleeces, others middling, and some 

 rather indifferent ; but the whole is much improved from the ■ 

 quality of the original Spanish Merinos. * * * * Individ- 

 uals are found in this flock with dewlaps down to the knees, 

 and folds of skin on the neck, like frills, covering nearly 

 the head. Several of these animals seem to possess pelts of 

 such looseness and size, that one skin would nearly hold the 

 carcases of two such sheep. The rams' fleeces were stated 

 at 14, and the ewes' 10 lbs. in the grease. By thorough 

 cleansing they would be reduced half, thus giving 7 and 5 

 lbs. each." 



From the fact that an importation from this celebrated 



• Youatt 



