Bleaching . 165 
in certain instances, have been so hostile to the agriculture of this 
country, have nothing in common with the opinions of our gracious 
sovereign : such measures are the work of men, who never felt for 
husbandry ; who never practised ; who never loved it : — it is not 
such men that give rams to farmers. 
Measure of the Royal Ram. 
Girt, - 
42 inches 
— at chine, - 
36 
of neck, 
- 20 
— of leg, 
4i 
Thickness, 
11 
— — at chine, 
9 
Length of carcass, 
23 
— — — — of neck, 
7 
Breadth of loin, 
- 6 
Weight, - 
- 91 lb. 
The thickness, hardness , and closeness of his coat, are singular ; 
tihe colour to the eye very dark, dirty, and even blackish, arising 
from the superior degree of closeness ; but when opened, for ex- 
amining the wool, the extreme beauty of the staple is at once ap- 
parent. The fibre fine ; twisted ; full of that yellowish waxy 
grease, that distinguishes the Spanish fleeces ; the skin oily to an 
extraordinary degree. 
In regard to the thriving quality of this breed, it is a point of 
such importance, that I was anxious to ascertain it : of the wool, 
none could have any doubt ; but from certain points, which pre- 
dominate in Spanish sheep, this was certainly a question ; I had it 
not in my power to make a trial absolutely complete, but I formed 
a comparison, the result of which follows : — I tied him up in stalls 
during a part of the winter, and the rest of it he was in the field, 
fed exactly (during the whole) as other rams that were compared 
With him. In stalls, he beat the Norfolk breed. 
No. 1. 
Dec. 31, 
Don Weighed 
- 
84 lb. 
2. 
A ram ^ South Down, A 
Norfolk, l Bake well, 
- 
141 
3. 
A South Down, from Mr. E liman 
136 
These 
were fed abroad together till March 
20th, 
When they 
weighed 
No. 
lb. Gain, 
L 
100 
16 
2, 
148 
7 
3, 
144 
% 
