I 75 -] 
superior to almost any native race that I have seeri 
in France, Holland,, Lombardy or Italy, and very 
much resemble the south down sheep of England;' 
In general, the sheep of those countries are about 
the size of ours; those upon the sea coast on the 
channel and Lombardy are larger; those in Britany 
much smaller. The wool of most of these breeds is 
inferior to ours in fineness, if we except the sheep 
upon the borders of Spain, some travelling flocks 
in the kingdom of Naples, and those in the small 
district of Berry. Anderson says, that wool sent 
from New-Jersey sold at the rate of the finest wool 
in England. 
I BELIEVE in cold or temperate climates the in¬ 
feriority of quality in the wool, does not arise from 
climate, but from other accidental causes which I 
shall point out. In France I attribute it first to a 
neglect of those breeds that bear fine wool, and 
next to the manner in which the sheep are kept.-^ 
They are folded in close pens, during the summer, 
all night, and part of the day. In winter they are 
crowded in small and ill aired houses 5 they are 
fed upon the commons on the road sides, and on 
the stubbles, always confined close together by the 
shepherds’ dogs, w'ho are continually running round 
them, to prevent their straggling or touching the 
grain or meadows at the sides of them, for there are 
no fences. In dry seasons they are extremely pinch¬ 
ed for food, and in the winter, no green fodder or 
clover is prepared fur them, and very seldom everji 
