12S 



On Rural Economy Abroad. 



legs, and a stouter make ; the head and neck generally short, and 

 broad, the nose short and turned up, and the body round like a 

 barrel. The wool is often matted upon the neck, back, and thighs, 

 and grows upon the head to the eyes, and upon the legs to the 

 very feet. The grease in its fleece is almost pitchy, and as the 

 dust becomes incorporated with it, the washing is a matter of 

 difficulty, and risk ; the greatest care is at all times necessary in 

 this operation. A warm mild day, without harsh or drying wind, 

 is indispensable, and care must be taken never to rub the fleece 

 with the hand. A marl-pit with a depth of from 8 to 10 feet of 

 clear water is a favourite washing-place, and is thought to become 

 better every year. The sheep are thrown in from a stage in the 

 evening, and made to swim the whole length of the pond, (20 to 

 30 yards) between rails, with boards on one side, from which 

 women or boys assist them through their bath, by placing wooden 

 rakes or crooks under their chins, and so passing them onwards. 

 When the water has dripped from the fleeces for an hour or two, 

 the sheep are put into a house for the night, as close together as 

 possible, in order to cause the greater evaporation, and the next 

 day they are swum three or four times through the same pond, the 

 last time the head being rubbed a little, and they are kept in the 

 house (well supplied with clean straw) on dry food, for three or 

 four days, until the wool, by sweating as it is termed, has recovered 

 its characteristic softness. The fleece of this species is generally 

 thick, closely grown, and abundant. Ewes may average 2J and 

 even 3|lbs. by careful feeding (which however must never ap- 

 proach to feeding to be fat, else the wool becomes wiry and hard), 

 and rams and wedders may bring 4 lbs, and even 6 lbs. This is the 

 animal which came to Austria from Spain. 



The other distinct breed is the Saxon importation, and is called 

 Escurial. Their shape differs markedly from the Infantados, 

 longer legged, with a long spare neck and head, with very little wool 

 on the latter : a finer, shorter, and softer character in its fleece, but 

 deficient in quantity. 1 J to 2 lbs. is frequently the amount from 

 ewes, and 2 to 3 lbs. from rams and wedders. On being presented 

 to the Elector of Saxony in 1765, they received the appellation of 

 Electorals. A great deal of trouble has been taken to combine 

 the advantages of both breeds by crossing, but with doubtful ad- 

 vantages ; and although the mixed breed has been found suitable 

 for crossing with sheep not thorough-bred (called Mestizen), yet 

 experience has shown, that to breed with advantage, all the rams, 

 be the ewes what they may, should be either thorough-bred In- 

 fantados or Escurial, and that the same strain of blood should 

 be persevered in ; I know an instance where a large and va- 

 luable flock has been for years retrograding, in consequence of 



