On Rural Economy Abroad. 



129 



one unsuitable ram having been introduced 12 or 14 years ago. 

 Good rams are of course becoming every year more attainable, 

 but there are examples of breeders in Saxony who still obtain, 

 for distinguished rams, as much as 100, 200, and even 300 

 Louisdors*. 



I am awaiYe that these sheep have frequently been brought to 

 Britain^ from Spain, but there never was labour more lost, as they 

 cannot thrive in a damp climate; besides, it is quite necessary 

 that they should have a wide range of dry and hilly pasture, of 

 short and not over-nutritious herbage. If allowed to feed on 

 swampy or marshy ground, even once or twice in autumn, they 

 are sure to die of liver- complaint in the following spring. If they 

 are permitted to eat wet grass, or exposed frequently to rain, they 

 disappear by hundreds with consumption. In these countries it is 

 found that the higher bred the sheep is, especially the Escurial, 

 the more tender. They are always housed at night, even in sum- 

 mer, except in the very finest weather, when they are sometimes 

 folded in the distant fallows; but never taken to pasture till the 

 dew is off the grass. In winter they are kept within doors alto- 

 gether, and are fed with a small quantity of sound hay, and every 

 variety of straw which has not suffered from wet, and which is 

 varied at each feed : they pick it over carefully, eating the finer 

 parts, and any corn that may have been left by the threshers. 

 Abundance of good water to drink, and rock-salt in their cribs, 

 are indispensables. 



In letting a large farm the usual calculation is, that the clear 

 returns from the sheep and dairy should pay the rent, always 

 including taxes ; and that the corn sold should cover the labour 

 and other expenses of the farm, support the farmer's family, and 

 leave a surplus, more or less, in proportion to the industry and 

 skill employed. 



The farm-servants consist of active young men, lodged and fed 

 in the house, and paid from 51. to 6/. wages per annum (including 

 perquisites, called sack-money, for all grain sold), who take 

 charge of four horses and one waggon each, plough, &c. &c. 

 These are assisted by married labourers, who have a free house 

 and firing, a cow kept, about one English rood of garden (which 

 is well manured every second year), and twice as much potatoe- 

 land; which, together, supply them with abundance of fruit 

 (fresh and dried), vegetables, and potatoes, for their families ; and 



* The Louisdor is worth rather more than 19 shillings. 



t The disuse of the pure Merino in this country may rather be ascribed 

 to the circumstance that our breeders look to the mutton for their profit, 

 and the Germans to the wool. — F. Burke. 



VOL. I. K 



