Farmiiif/ of Dorsetshire. 
433 
and kcepinj^ in sheej) is to mako the wool longer but coarser, no 
advantage being gained by the grower, inasmuch as he loses in 
quality his gain in quantify. 'I he wool of the pure down is pre- 
ferred above all others for its fiftf ness. The liorn gives a coarser 
and longer wool, but a buyer informed me tliat he was then (Sep- 
tember) making a difference of only \d. a lb. in favour of down 
wool. " Wherever we find a cross with the Hampshire," said 
the same party, " we endeavour to avoid it. We make a differ- 
ence of ^d. per lb. between down and cross-bred wools, and some 
rough lots of tlie latter kind we reject altogether. On the down 
land the wool is fine and sliort, but there has been so much down 
broken up of late, and the farmers arc getting so much into the 
use of turnips, that the cliaracter of tlie wool is altogether 
changing." The weight of the Portland fleece has increased 
since the enclosure of the commons. On an average it weighs 
2 lbs., but the total produce of wool has decreased one-third. 
The wools of this count}- are for the most part sent into the 
manufacturing districts and used for flannels and worsteds, but 
there are two or three mills where a large rouo-li g-veat-coat cloth 
is manufactured. An attempt was, I believe, once made without 
success to rear long wools in tlie county. Tliey are not bred now 
by any one here ; but long-woolled sheep, fattened by Mr. Coate 
of Hammoon, are not unfrequenfly seen in Sturminster market. 
Before quitting this part of the farming of Dorset, a few word& 
of observation are required upon a statement made by INIr. Caircl 
in his notice of this count}'. That gentleman assumes that the 
losses of our flock masters in lambing may in part be charged to 
tlie practice of driving the sheep over the wheat-lands, and to the 
other peripatetic uses to which the ewes are subject. Were this 
the case, the remedy for the evil would soon be used, for there is 
no want of mechanical means to effect the object desired, but it 
is not so ; the treading of the land is not effected when the ewes 
are heavy ; and on many farms the dry sheep, and not the lambing 
ewes, perform this duty. 
Artificial Manures used in the County. — The introduction of 
bones as a manure into the county dates from about 25 years 
back, prior to which bones used to be collected in the county 
and sent into Yorkshire. Guano was introduced in 1835 or 
1837, and superphosphate 8 or 9 years ago. The quantity of 
the latter manure now used annually is computed by l^lv. Robert 
Damen at 1000 tons, representing at 11. a ton a sum of 70007. 
spent here in this manure alone. The whole supply is used in 
the chalk district and along the seaboard. Of guano, the supply 
from the dealers, independent of that obtained direct by some 
of the largest landed proprietors, is computed at 450 or 500 tons 
— its value, 4000Z. Of half-inch bones and bone-dust, about 
4000 quarters, at 15.f.=3000/., are used, giving a total of 14,000Z. 
