OF THE AMERICANS. 



311 



common sheep, which contains a variety of different 

 kinds, suitable to the fabrication of articles very dis- 

 similar in their nature, and requires much care to 

 distribute them in their proper order. The fleece 

 under consideration is wholly fine. That on the 

 fore part of the skin has all the apparent qualities 

 of fine wool. On the back part, it very much re- 

 sembles cotton. The whole fleece is much mixed 

 with hairs ; and, on those parts where the hairs are 

 long and pendant, there is almost no wool. 



The wool, if separated from the hairs, would, I 

 think, be adapted for the finest purposes of manu- 

 facture. But, in its present state, it could not be 

 so applied, though many of the hairs would fly off 

 in the manufacturing processes. It is, however, 

 highly probable, that, by a careful selection of 

 breeding stock, the hairs might, in a great measure, 

 or perhaps entirely disappear in the course of a 

 very few generations. It has always been observed, 

 that where sheep have been neglected, their wool 

 has been comparatively coarse ; and wherever they 

 have been properly treated, and due advantage ta- 

 ken of the accidental finer varieties, the quality of 

 their wool has been proportionally ameliorated. 

 Indeed the improvement in the qualities of wool 

 has uniformly been marked as keeping pace with 

 the progress of arts and civilization. I am, there- 

 fore, of opinion, that the wool of the Rocky 

 Mountain Sheep would soon become a great acquisi- 

 tion to the manufacturers of this country, were the 



