wool, is clear, from all the experiments tried in other countries, and in Spain also, for Burgoyne tells us, that there are stationary flocks, both in Leon and in Estremadura, which produce wool quite as fine as that of the Trashumantes.

The sheep lately presented to his majesty are of the Cavaña of Paular, one of the very finest in point of pile, and esteemed also above all others for the beauty of carcase. In both these opinions, Mr. Lasteyrie, a French writer on sheep, who lived many years in Spain, and paid diligent attention to the Merino sheep, entirely agrees; he also tells us, that the Cavaña of Negrette, from whence the sheep imported by his majesty, in the year 1791, were selected, is not only one of the finest piles, but produces also the largest carcased sheep of all the Merinos. Mr.

Burgoyne agrees with him in asserting, that the piles of Paular, Negrette, and Escurial, have been withheld from exportation, and retained for the royal manufactory of Guadalaxara, ever since it was first established.

The Cavaña of Paular consists of 36,000 sheep; it originally belonged to the rich Carthusian Monastery of that name, near Segovia; soon after the Prince of Peace rose into power, he purchas. ed the flock from the Monks, with the land belonging to it, both in Etremadura and in Leon, at a price equal to twenty French franks a head, 16s. 8d. English. All the sheep lately arrived are marked with a large M. the mark of Don Manuel.

The number sent from Spain to the king was 2,000, equal to two subdivisions of the original Cavaña;

to make the present the more valua. ble, these were selected by the shep herds from eight subdivisions, in order to choose young, well shaped, and fine woolled animals. This fact is evident, from the marks which are placed on eight different parts of the bodies of the sheep now at Kew.

The whole number embarked was 2,214; of these, 214 were pres:nted, by the Spaniards, to some of his majesty's ministers, and 427 died on the journey, either at sea, or on their way from Portsmouth to Kew. His majesty was graciously pleased to take upon himself the whole of the loss, which reduced the royal flock to 1573; several more have since died. As the time of giving the ram in Spain is July, the ewes were full of lamb when they embarked, several of them cast their lambs when the weather was bad at sea, and are rendered so weak and infirm by abortion, that it is much to be feared more will die, notwithstanding the great care` taken of them by his majesty's shepherds. A few have died of the rot. This disease must have been contracted by halting on some swampy district, in their journey from the mountains to the sea of Gijon, where they were embarked, as one sheep died rotten at Portsmouth; there is every reason how. ever to hope, that the disease will not spread, as the land on which they are now kept has never been subject to its ravages, being of a very light and sandy texture.

It is well worthy of observation, that although the Swedes, the Saxons, the Danes, the Prussians, the Austrians, and of late, the French, have, either by the foresight of their governments, or the patriotic

exertions

exertions of individuals, imported Merino sheep, no nation has hitherto ventured to assert, that they possess the complete, and numixed race of any one Cavaña; this cir. cumstance does not appear to have been attended to any where but in England; though, in fact, each Ca. vana is a separate and distinct breed of sheep, not suffered by the Spaniards to mingle with others, The difference in value of the wool of different Spanish flocks is very great; at this time when Spanish wool is unusually dear, the prima piles are worth more than 7s. a pound, and yet the inferior ones scarce reach 5s. Even the French, attentive as that nation generally is to all things that concern the interest of individuals, appear to have overlooked this circumstance, and to have contented themselves with making up the numbers of their importations, without paying any regard to it; they have not at least stated in any of their publi. cations, that attention was paid to the securing sheep of a prima pile, and keeping the breed of that pile pure and unmixed, after they had obtained it.

Our merchants in Spanish wool range the prima piles in the follow. ing order of value, as appears by a statement in the year 1792. Paular. Negrette. Muro.

Patrimonio, and 15 more not ne. cessary to be enumerated. Mr. Las teyrie the French writer on sheep, ranges them not very differently; he states them as follows; but both English and French agree that all the prima piles are nearly equal in fineness of fibre, and consequently in value to the manufacturer.

Escurial, called by us Patrimo.

nio.

Guadalupe. Paular. Infantado. Montareo.

Negrette, &c.

The Danes, he tells us, procured their sheep from the best piles ; but there is no appearance of their having, since they obtained them, kept the flocks separate, nor are they at present so remarkable for fine wool as the Saxons, whose wool is now at least as fine as that of Spain is, upon an average of prima and second-rate piles.

The Swedes were the first people who imported the Spanish breed; this good work was undertaken and completed by the patriotic exertions of a merchant of the name of Alstroemer, in the year 1723. The next who obtained an importation of Merino sheep were the Saxous, who are indebted for the benefits they enjoy from the improvement of their wools to the Prince Xavier, administrator of the electorate during the minority of the elector, and brother-in-law to the king of Spain. The prince obtained a flock of these valuable animals in 1756, and in 1778 an addition to it of 100 rams and 200 ewes. The Danes followed his useful example, as also did both Prussia and Austria. Every one of these countries continue at this moment to profit largely by the improvement these sheep have oc. casioned in their agricultural concerns. So far from the truth is the too common assertion that their wool will not continue fine in any country but Spain, that in the year 1806, when the ports of Spain were closed against us, a very large 3 F 2

quantity

quantity of fine wool, the produce of German Merino sheep, was imported into this country from Hamburgh, and used by our manu facturers as a substitute for Spanish wool. In truth, some of this wool was so fine that it carried in the British market as high a price as the best Spanish piles were old for, in times of peace and amity. In the year 1787, the king, guid. ed by those patriotic motives which are ever active in his majesty's mind, gave orders for the importation of Merino sheep for his own use, and for the improvement of British wool; as it was doubtful at that time whether the king of Spain's licence, without which these sheep cannot be embarked at a Spanish port,could be obtained, it was deem ed advisable to make the first pur. chases in the parts of Estremadura adjoining to Portugal, and to ship the sheep for England at Lisbon. The first importation of these valuable animals arrived in March 1788, and a little flock of them was soon after completed; but as these were of various qualities, having been draughted from different Cavañas, his majesty was pleased to order an application to be made to the king of Spain by lord Auckland, then his majesty's minister at that court, for permission to import some sheep draughted from one of the prima piles. This was obtained, and a little flock, consisting of 36 ewes, 4 rams, and 1 manso, arrived safe and well at Dover, in 1791. These sheep had made a part of the Cavaña called Negrette, one of the three piles restricted from exporta. tion, and which is likewise remarkable for producing the largest carcassed sheep that are to be found

among the Merino flocks, as has been before stated.

On the receipt of this treasure, for such it has since proved itself to be, the king, with his usual prudence and foresight, ordered the whole of the sheep that had been procured by the way of Portu. gal to be disposed of, which was immediately done, and directed the Negrette breed to be increased as much as possible, and maintained in its utmost purity.

From that time to the present the opinion of the public, some. times perhaps too unwary, and at others too cautious, in appreciating the value and adopting the use of novel kinds of sheep, has gradually inclined to give that preference to the Merinos which is so justly their due. At first it was impossible to find a purchaser willing to give even a moderate price either for the sheep or for their wool; the shape of the sheep did not please the graziers, and the wool staplers were utterly unable to judge of the merit of the wool, it being an article so many times finer and more valuable than any thing of the kind that had ever before passed

through their hands. The butchers, however, were less timor. ous; they readily offered for the sheep, when fat, a fair mutton price; and there are two instances in which when the fat stock agreed for was exhausted, the butcher who had bought them anxiously inquired for more, because he said the mutton was so very much approved of by his best customers.

It was not, however, till the year 1804, thirteen years after their first introduction, that it was deemed practicable to sell them by auc

tion, the only certain means of placing animals in the hands of those persons who set the highest value upon them, and are consequently the most likely to take proper care of them. The attempt, however, succeeded; and the prices given demonstrated, that some at least of his majesty's subjects had at that time learned to put a due value on the benefit his royal patriotism offered to them. One of the rams sold at the first sale for 42 guineas, and 2 of the ewes for 11 guineas each; the average price at which the rams sold was £19. 4s.. and that of the ewes £8. 15s. 6d. each.

This most useful mode of distri. bution has since that time been annually continued, and the sales have taken place in August. The last sale was held on the 17th of August, 1808, when the highest price given for a ram was £74. 11s. for an ewe £38. 17s. The average price of rams was £33. 10s. 1d. of wes £23. 12s. 5d.; a most decisive proof not only that the flock had risen very materially in public estimation, but also that the sheep have not in any way degenerated from their original excellence.

The wool was at first found to be quite as difficult of sale as the sheep themselves; manufacturers were therefore employed to make a considerable quantity of it into cloth, which, when finished, was allowed by both woollen-drapers and tailors to be quite as good as cloth made from wool imported from Spain. But even this proof would not satisfy the scruples of the wool buyers, or induce them to offer a price at all adequate to the real value of the article; it was found necessary, therefore, to have the wool scowered, and to sell it

in that state as Spanish wool, which, though grown in England, it really was; thus managed, the sales were easily effected for some years, at a price equal to that demanded for the prima piles of imported Spanish wool at the times when the bargains were made.

Time and patience have at last superseded all difficulties, and his majesty's wool has now been sold as clipped from the sheep's backs, the sheep have been washed, and the whole management of them carried on exactly in the English manner, at a price not lower than 4s. 6d. a pound, which allowing for the loss of weight in the scowering and sorting, costs the buyer at least 5s. 6d. a pound, a tolerable price for Spanish wool when plenty of it could be produced, though not possibly so high a one as ought to have been given, or as will be obtained for the Anglo. Negrette pile, when the value of the article is fully understood.

The race of another capital Cavaña has now been added to the riches of this country, the Paular, and the draught from it is larger than on any other occasion bas been suffered to leave Spain; the animals have been selected with skill and attention, the pile they belong to stands at the very top of our English list, and the sheep have been most fortunately placed at the disposal of our most gracious king, whose shepherds have demonstrated to the public, in an experience of 17 years of their management of these interesting animals, that they can not only continue the breed in its original purity, but can also preclude all danger of degeneration in the article of wool. What more can be wished for on this head? 3 F3

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