The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-07-25 00:00:00

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LITCACT Thou A ettacirtcat MATTI'S' UPON
THL AND ANGLO-AS*ISO BILITSTIS olt
SHELF, JUST tIISLISITED.
For the meaning of the word Merino, and whe-
ther the leveed of sheep so called Were originally
tainted in Spain, or came from Britons, (as hos
asserted,) or from Italy, or any other cama-.
try, it is so completely immaterial to the English
farmer, for whose information I propose principally
to write, that I must beg leave to refer persons in-
dined to satisfy themselves on tilidt,p • te, and to.
search deeper into Merino litatory,.to the eeverel au-
titers I have alluded to in a preceding page, who
have. written upon this subject ; but more particu-
larly to the able works of Dr. Parry, of Bath, which
are replete with every source of information that
can be required, and to whose patriotic exertions
his country is moat peculiarly indebted.
The Meriim sheep 1111 Spain are about the size of
our old South Down, and rather larger than the
pave Ryland. Their shape, though what the
g:entest. painters have choseu as models*, is CND.,
lab ity nut such as the English sheep-fanciers of the
present day can admire. They are in general ra-
ther high on their legs, flat soled, and narrow scroll
the Innis, and consequeutly defective in the hinder
quarter. It may, however. be observed, that they
are all not su ; sad there are many which we might•
call handsome individuals in most flocks, of which,.
Ly •judicions selection, and breeding in and in,
there is nn doubt but a good shape would sots
be &indeed, though it must be admitted, that
crossing with our own good-shaped sheep is by far
the reediest mode.
This defect of shape is, however, much counter-
Inhumed by the peculiur quality of their skins,
which will certainly please the grazier, as they are
remarkably soft and loose, affording that evidence
of a strong disposition to fetter, called proof. The
Skill is also of it very fair and flesh-coloured hue,
which is particularly visible on the eye-lids and lips,
the only parts free fram wool, in which these sheep
arum general alinuateureloped. It grows on the fore-
head aa low as the eyes, and ou their cheeks, cnvers
their bellies, growl down to their hoofs, on their
hind legs, and eoznetimes on their fore legs, but
this is not always the case. I have a ram, purchased
at His Majesty's sole, in 1807, for which I have re-
faced a hundred guineas, who, though he has
• usually thrown off upwards of seven pounds of
washed wool, which is remarkably fine, has none
upon his leg-, : but his stock, particularly white
bogs (or tege) though short, as lambs, are all well
"scrolled on every pert, arid .0 much so about the
cheeks and eyes, that I b.,re been obliged to cut
the wool from several of them, to enable them
to roe.. properly. Accurdieg to M. Laystoyrie,
are Merino sheep with another, in France, gives
about live pounds and a half of wool, English
weight, and this is supposed by Dr. Parry to be the
average weight of ewe's fleeces in Spain. The
lan nth to the staple is from two to two inches and a
1141 f, and, differiag from ali other sheep, is as fine
on the romp as the shoslder, or very nearly so.
The wool of the rain is generally considered the
coarsest 411111 longest, that of the ewe finest and
shortest, and that of the wether, it, both respects,'
between the two former. The average weight of
rams fleeces in Spain is estimated at about seven
pounds, but this must, in gruel al, in great measure,
depend upon the size of the lam. In Eligland,
when time sheep is in good condition, it is Oftener
more than less.
Mr. Follet has published, its TI .canals of 44ri-
culture, an account of his Merino Hoek, by winch
it appears that his pure blood, in 1604, cousistsd of
16 rams, J 2 ewe., and s sheerliog ewes; in all Mi.
The rams yielded of wool, in the yolk, 1301 b., or
SIS. Soz. each ; the ewes, 19111 b., or 511).
each ; and the shearlings, Bab., or 41b iinz. each;
exclusively of the lamb's fleece; the total weight
was 356', lb., and the average 6F.. 6oz. each fleece.
The 35tVilb. were reduced, by washing to the Spa-
nish state, to 18Mb. ; and if, whet, purified by
clean scoweriug, this wool, like the beet Spanish,
sutlired a further waste of 3 ilb. per Setae; the total
reduction would he to 1321 b., or to somewhat less
than 4-!)this of the original weight. I sold for 2n.i.
per fleece, 3s. lid. per pound, through all the
sorts in the yolk ; the value being taken from
Spanish refine, at only to fie. 4d. per pouird•t
There seems to be a Difference of opmion it, some
of the writers on this subject, as to which of the
Spanitl4 flocks have the fiiierit wool. Sir Joseph
Batiks, on whose authority I sin most disposed to
rely, gives the palm to the Paular ; and next to
that the Negrate, from which ell the rams and
sheep which His Majesty had, situ has disposed of
Aiwa MI, are descended ; mid ;helm, Isdth Says-
teyue and Bourgoing agree in deeeribing as of su-
perior lite. Sir Joseph, on this oeciesi ))))) gonn.
these two authors; the former of whom lived minty
sears in Spain, earl paid great lutetium' to Merino
sheep. They both agree, too, in ueberting, this: the
t true flocks of Punier, Negrate. and Escorial,
have, from their excellence, been withheld front
ex-
portetion, end retained for the royal manufactory
at Guadalaxiira, ever since it Will first established.
The ranks ere in general horned, and the ewes
polled, or without horns. But it is not at all un-
common to meet with varieties in this respect. I
purchased a ruin without horns, or the smallest ap-
pearance of any, at the King's last sale, at a high
price ; and I have another, of the same description,
boat by Mr. Fare, of Oxfordshire, and I have ob-
served several ewes of the last importation, with
smell horns. The horns of many of Ills Majesty's
rains are very light, and some very short and blunt,
which are called snags ; and I fancy these are de-
stmded from a very Comm, woolly.' ram. well known
at Kew, by the name of Old Sittig..
The number of Merino sheep in Spain is esti-
mated at about 6,000,000 a These comprise a
great number of flocks, belonging to different pro-
prietors. whivh are chiefly Grandees. or Societies
of' Monks. Many of these flocks, differisig in form,
size, and liveries' of wool, appear to be distinct va-
rieties of the same race. A considerable part of
lEetremarliwa, Leon. and the neighbouring pro-
vince+ of Sp:6n, is appropriated to their mauve-
nonce, as are also broad green marls, 75 yards aide,
fro:n one province to another, with eaten-.
Dr. Parry. C•••••••---'--

_ .

to the Hoard of *viola..-
.
coltore, roll. • p 34i.
Dr Parry. Colosuatieatiotts to the Beard of 4rlcal6
err, vol. • p. 431

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