APPENDIX. 477 



XXIII. 



STATEMENT OF THE INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF THE BREED OF 

 FINE-WOOLLED SHEEP IN NEW SOUTH WALES, DELIVERED AT THE RIGHT 

 HON. LORD HOB ART'S OFFICE, 26TH JULY, 1803. 



The samples of wool brought from New South Wales having ex- 

 cited the particular attention of the merchants and principal English 

 manufacturers, Captain MacArthur considers it his duty respectfully 

 to represent to His Majesty's ministers, that he has found, from an 

 experience of many years, the climate of New South Wales is pecu- 

 liarly adapted to the increase of fme-woolled sheep ; and that, from 

 the unlimited extent of luxuriant pastures with which that country 

 abounds, millions of those valuable animals may be raised in a few 

 years, with but little other expense than the hire of a few shepherds. 



The specimens of wool that Captain MacArthur has with him, 

 have been inspected by the best judges of wool in this kingdom ; 

 and they are of opinion that it possesses a softness superior to many 

 of the wools of Spain ; and that it certainly is equal, in every valuable 

 property, to the very best that is to be obtained from thence. 



The sheep producing this fine wool are of the Spanish kind, sent 

 originally from Holland to the Cape of Good Hope, and taken from 

 thence to Port Jackson. 



Captain MacArthur being persuaded that the propagation of those 

 animals would be of the utmost consequence to this country, pro- 

 cured, in 1797, three rams and five ewes : and he has since had the 

 satisfaction to see them rapidly increase, their fleeces augment in 

 weight, and the wool very visibly improve in quality. When Cap- 

 tain MacArthur left Port Jackson in 1801, the heaviest fleece that had 

 then been shorn weighed only three pounds and a half; but he has 

 received reports of 1802, from which he learns that the fleeces of his 

 sheep were increased to five pounds each ;* and that the wool is finer 

 and softer than the wool of the preceding year. The fleece of one 

 of the sheep originally imported from the Cape of Good Hope, has 

 been valued here at four shillings and sixpence per pound; and a 



* In the grease. The average weight of the fleeces of fine-woolled sheep in New 

 South Wales, washed, is two and a half pounds, 

 vox., ii. 120 



